How to Stay Compliant and Keep Your $10,000/Month Grant Active
The Google Ad Grant is a powerful tool for nonprofits, offering up to $10,000 per month in free Google Search ads to promote your mission. But with great opportunity comes strict responsibility.
Google requires all Ad Grant participants to follow a specific set of rules. If you don’t, your account could be suspended without warning—causing you to lose ad visibility and, potentially, donor trust.
At Root Company, we’ve helped nonprofits not only secure the grant but stay fully compliant long term. This guide breaks down the key rules your organization needs to follow to keep your account in good standing.
Why Does Google Enforce These Rules?
The Google Ad Grant is designed to support high-quality, mission-driven advertising. These policies help ensure:
- Searchers see relevant, helpful ads
- Nonprofits get meaningful value from their campaigns
- The program maintains its credibility and impact
If your account is poorly managed or fails to meet minimum standards, Google may pause or deactivate it until issues are resolved.
The Most Important Google Ad Grant Rules
1. Maintain a Minimum 5% Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Your account must maintain an overall CTR of at least 5%, measured at the account level each month.
If you fall below this threshold for two consecutive months, your account may be suspended.
How to stay compliant:
- Pause low-performing keywords
- Use highly relevant ad copy
- Focus on mission-related, high-intent search terms
2. Use Specific, Mission-Aligned Keywords
You may not use single-word keywords (with a few exceptions) or overly generic terms like “free videos” or “today’s news.”
How to stay compliant:
- Use two- or three-word phrases that reflect your programs or services
- Regularly review the search terms report to weed out irrelevant queries
- Build a strong negative keyword list to improve quality traffic
3. Maintain Active Campaign Structure
Each campaign must include:
- At least two active ad groups
- At least two text ads per ad group
- At least two sitelink ad extensions
How to stay compliant:
- Review your campaign structure monthly
- Ensure new campaigns meet the minimum requirements before launch
4. Link to a High-Quality Website
Your ads must direct users to a website that is:
- Owned and managed by your nonprofit
- Functional and mobile-friendly
- Focused on your mission, services, or impact
Commercial activity (like selling products) must support your nonprofit’s purpose and be clearly disclosed.
How to stay compliant:
- Keep your content updated and mission-driven
- Avoid broken links or excessive redirects
- Ensure your donation pages are clear, secure, and easy to use
5. Track Conversions with Google Analytics
Google requires you to set up conversion tracking using Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager to monitor actions like form submissions, donations, or email signups.
How to stay compliant:
- Set up at least one meaningful conversion action
- Monitor results regularly and use data to guide optimization
- Make sure your tracking tags are functioning properly
6. Log In and Actively Manage Your Account
You must log in and make at least one change every 30 days, and complete account performance reviews every 90 days.
How to stay compliant:
- Assign a team member or agency to regularly manage your account
- Document changes and maintain a schedule for audits
- Monitor for policy warnings or suggestions in the Google Ads dashboard
What Happens If You Break the Rules?
Google will typically suspend your account if you violate key policies, especially:
- Falling below the 5% CTR minimum
- Using generic or single-word keywords
- Not setting up conversion tracking
- Failing to maintain active ad structure
In some cases, you’ll get a warning or instructions for remediation. Other times, your account may be deactivated until you resolve the issue and reapply for reactivation.
Need Help Staying Compliant?
The Google Ad Grant can be a game-changer for nonprofits—but it’s not a “set it and forget it” program. Staying compliant means monitoring performance, refining campaigns, and maintaining a strong alignment with your mission.
At Root Company, we help nonprofits not only win the grant but also manage it effectively over the long term—ensuring your account stays active and your impact keeps growing.
We offer ongoing management, campaign optimization, and compliance checks for nonprofits using the Google Ad Grant.
Book a free strategy session to make sure your account is healthy and future-proofed.