Google Changes Eligibility Requirements for Grant

Google Changes Eligibility Requirements for Grant

Google Changes Eligibility Requirements for Grant

Last month, Google made the decision to update their eligibility requirements for the Google Grant. As you may already know, Google’s Grant program predates Google for Nonprofits. It is for this reason that in the early days of the grant, organizations were not required to be registered with Google for Nonprofits before receiving the Grant. Now, however, Google has decided that any 501(c)(3) organization must be accepted into Google for Nonprofits before they are able to receive the Grant, and any Grant recipient not registered in Google for Nonprofits must do so before March 31st, 2017 or they will no longer be able to receive their AdWords credit.

So what does this mean for your organization? Well, if your organization is currently a Grant recipient and is already approved for Google for Nonprofits, you’re in the clear, and no further action is required on your part! But, if not, there are a few steps you’ll need to take in order to continue receiving the benefits of the Grant.

  1. Enroll in the Google for Nonprofits Program:
    1. Check the eligibility criteria for your country
    2. Follow these steps to apply for membership to the Google for Nonprofits Program
  2. After you’ve successfully been approved for the program, you’ll need to link your Ad Grants account with your new Google for Nonprofits account
    1. Sign into your Google for Nonprofits account
    2. Click the “Sign Up Now” button
    3. Click “Enroll” under “Google Ad Grants”
    4. Enter your AdWords customer ID (same as your current Ad Grants account)
    5. Enter the referral code “adgrants2017” and complete the remainder of the form
    6. Click “Enroll”

Is it really that simple? Sometimes. The process to enroll in the Google for Nonprofits program changes occasionally, and that can usually cause confusion. In order to enroll in the program, you’ll need to be validated through TechSoup. This validation process can be lengthy and requires many pieces of information before it can be finalized.

TechSoup can typically take anywhere from one day to two weeks for approval. You will be required to submit your 990 form and could potentially even be required to submit other supporting documentation. Once you are approved with TechSoup, you will receive a “token” or a unique code that will allow Google and/or other companies connected with the TechSoup database to validate that your specific email address actually represents your specific nonprofit agency.

Overwhelmed yet? If so, you are not alone. At Cause Inspired Media, we take on the burden of applying for the Grant and registering with TechSoup. Our team has over 20 years of combined experience managing Google AdWords, and we are extremely well-versed in the world of Google.

If you have any questions about the Google Grant or getting approved for Google for Nonprofits, contact us anytime, and we will be more than happy to help!

By: Emily Dietz, Business Development Strategist