Yes, Google is taking over the world, but that doesn’t mean they don't have a heart. They have programs out there that are meant to help struggling nonprofits get their word out without having to spend any of their precious donations to do it. Today we will explain those programs, and their requirements, Hope you qualify and get to take advantage!  We'll talk about what to do with it next week. Let's just get you qualified first!

YouTube for non-profits

There exists a "YouTube for non-profits" feature that is a part of the Google Grants program. This is tied into Google Grants so once your organization is accepted, you'll be able to access the wonders and the glories that come with it. You will get:

• Premium branding capabilities on YouTube channels
• Increased uploading capacity
• The ability to select custom thumbnail images
• Call-to-action overlay on your videos

From what we understand, the "non-profits" is a division of the YouTube partners program.

YouTube for non-profits (click that link so you can see what we are talking about) also allows for a "donate" button that can appear directly onto the video pages. It's important to note that you don't get any of these features unless you qualify for the program. It's not for everybody.

Google Grants

In summary, if your organization is accepted into the program, you will be given a daily budget of $330 a day, which works out to be $10,000 per month for free from Google AdWords. Pretty sweet, right? However, it seems that you can only bid up to $1.00 per click maximum as part of the program. There are certain eligibility requirements we will list below for your reference. Only one membership per organization is allowed and it is limited to text ads only.

Here's some more information about the program taken directly from the Google Grants main page:

Google Grants is the nonprofit edition of AdWords, Google's online advertising tool. Google Grants empowers nonprofit organizations, through $10,000 per month in in-kind AdWords™ advertising, to promote their missions and initiatives on Google.com.

About the Program

Google Grantees receive a grant for free AdWords advertising on Google.com. Grantees build and manage their own AdWords accounts just like paying advertisers, but participate with the following restrictions:

    •    A daily budget set to $330 USD, which is equivalent to about $10,000 per month

    •    A maximum cost-per-click (CPC) limit of $1.00 USD

    •    Only run keyword-targeted campaigns

    •    Only appear on Google.com

    •    Only run text ads

    •    Run for as long as the organization remains actively engaged with their  Grants AdWords account

Eligibility

1) To be eligible for the Google for Nonprofits program, organizations must:

• Hold current 501(c)3 status, as determined by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service; and acknowledge and agree to the application's required certifications regarding nondiscrimination and donation receipt and use.

2) Please note that the following organizations are not eligible for Google for Nonprofits:

• Governmental entities and organizations;
• Hospitals and health care organizations;
• Schools, childcare centers, academic institutions, and universities (philanthropic arms of educational organizations are eligible). To learn more about Google's programs for educational institutions, visit Google in Education.

3) Google reserves the right to grant or deny an organization's application or participation at any time, for any reason, and to supplement or amend these eligibility guidelines at any time. Selections are made at Google's sole discretion, and are not subject to external review.

If you think your organization qualifies for Google grants AdWords for nonprofits, follow this link for application details.

Now that you're aware of what's out there, we can start to talk about ways to make the most of it once you're signed up and doin' your thang!  Your homework for the week is to see if you might be able to qualify and even get your application started. We'll help you along with the process so no worries.  We're with you every step of the way!