Staunton Innovation Hub · Nonprofit Support Group · April 1, 2026

How Nonprofits
Get Found on Google

Paid vs. Organic — A Practical Playbook

15–20 MinChris McVeyOn Deck Marketing

Introduction

If You're Not on Google,
You're Invisible

Opening Hook

"Every day, millions of people search Google to volunteer, donate, or seek help. If your nonprofit isn't showing up — those people never find you."

Only 37% of nonprofits have an active SEO strategy — that's a massive missed opportunity for the other 63%.

Today's agenda: Organic SEO → Google Ad Grants deep dive → Unified strategy → 3 actions to take this week

Promise: By the end of this, you'll know exactly where to start — and what's completely free.

Section 1 — Organic Search

SEO — The Long Game

Search Engine Optimization improves your website so Google ranks it higher — without paying per click. Organic traffic compounds over time and builds trust. Users perceive organic results as more credible than ads.

SEO Pillar	What It Means for Your Nonprofit
Keyword Research	Target long-tail phrases your donors type: "how to donate school supplies" — lower competition, higher intent.
On-Page SEO	Optimize page titles, meta descriptions, headers (H1/H2), and image alt text. Every page needs a clear purpose and a clear call to action.
Content Strategy	Publish impact stories, how-to guides, and FAQs. Google rewards helpful, authoritative content that answers real questions.
Technical Health	Fast load times, mobile-friendly design, HTTPS security, no broken links. Google will not rank a slow or broken site.
Backlinks	Get partners, foundations, and media to link to your site. Each link is a vote of confidence in Google's eyes.

Section 1 — Local SEO

Local SEO — Get Found Where You Serve

Local SEO helps your nonprofit appear when people nearby search for services you provide. Even national orgs need local SEO — your chapters, events, and volunteers are all local.

01 — Google Business Profile

Claim and fully complete your GBP listing. Add your mission, categories, service areas, photos, and hours. This is the single highest-impact free action you can take today.

02 — NAP Consistency

Name, Address, Phone must be identical everywhere — your website, GBP, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, Facebook, and every directory. Even 'St.' vs 'Street' creates confusion for Google.

03 — Local Keywords

Include your city and region naturally in page titles, headers, and content. Example: "food bank in Staunton VA" or "Shenandoah Valley youth mentorship." Don't keyword-stuff — write for humans.

04 — Local Citations & Directories

List your org on Yelp, local chamber of commerce sites, community directories, and sector-specific platforms. Each citation is a trust signal. Prioritize high-authority sources.

05 — Location Pages

If you have multiple chapters or serve multiple cities, create a dedicated page for each location. Each page should have unique content — not copy-paste. Google treats each page independently.

06 — Embed a Google Map

Embed a Google Map on your Contact page. This signals to Google that your physical location is real and verified. It also helps supporters find you without leaving your website.

Section 1 — On-Page & Technical SEO

On-Page & Technical SEO — The Foundation

Before Google can rank you, it needs to read and understand your site. On-page and technical SEO make sure your site is clear, fast, and crawlable — the non-negotiable foundation.

On-Page SEO

Page Titles & Meta Descriptions: Every page needs a unique title (50–60 chars) and meta description (150–160 chars) that includes your target keyword. This is what shows up in Google search results.

Header Hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3): Use one H1 per page — your main topic. Use H2s for subtopics. Google reads headers to understand page structure. Screen readers rely on them too.

Image Alt Text: Every image needs descriptive alt text. "volunteer-food-bank-staunton-va.jpg" beats "IMG_4823.jpg" for both SEO and accessibility.

Internal Linking: Link between your own pages — from blog posts to donation pages, from program pages to volunteer sign-ups. Internal links spread authority and guide visitors toward action.

Keyword Placement: Include your primary keyword in the page title, first paragraph, at least one H2, and naturally throughout the body. Don't force it — write for humans first.

Technical SEO

Page Speed: Google penalizes slow sites. Use Google PageSpeed Insights (free) to test your score. Compress images, remove unused plugins, and use a fast host. Target 90+ on mobile.

Mobile-First Design: Over 60% of searches happen on mobile. Google indexes the mobile version of your site first. If your site breaks on a phone, you're invisible to most searchers.

HTTPS / SSL Certificate: Required for Google Ad Grants and trusted by Google's ranking algorithm. Most hosts provide this free. If your URL starts with http:// — fix this today.

XML Sitemap & Robots.txt: A sitemap tells Google every page on your site. Submit it in Google Search Console (free). Robots.txt tells Google what not to crawl. Both are set-and-forget.

Core Web Vitals: Google's three UX signals: LCP (load speed), CLS (layout stability), INP (interactivity). Check yours free in Google Search Console. Failing these hurts rankings.

01b

Section 1 — Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile— Your Second Homepage

GBP is the #1 data source AI uses for local results. It's free, takes 15 minutes to claim, and it feeds Google Maps, AI Overviews, and voice search. Even national nonprofits with chapters need this.

100% Complete Profile

Categories, services, mission description, photos, and hours — including holidays. An incomplete profile is an invisible profile.

Post Weekly

Treat GBP like a social feed. Post events, impact stories, and volunteer opportunities. Google rewards active profiles with higher visibility.

Respond to Every Review

AI reads your responses too — not just the reviews. Responding signals you're active and trustworthy. Never leave a review unanswered.

Answer Q&A Proactively

Don't wait for the public to post wrong answers. Seed your own Q&A with the top questions your supporters ask. You control the narrative.

For National Orgs with Chapters

Each chapter location needs its own separate GBP listing — local SEO is critical for volunteer recruitment and community events.

Keep Name, Address, Phone (NAP) identical everywhere — even punctuation matters: "St." vs "Street" creates doubt in AI systems.

List on Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and local chamber directories — these backlinks boost both local and national SEO authority.

Audit your listings monthly — one wrong listing can hurt everything. Copy your GBP details to Yelp, Facebook, and every directory.

01c

Section 1 — Reviews Strategy

Reviews Are Your Brand Proof

AI reads the words in your reviews — not just the star rating. The language your supporters use teaches AI what your organization does and who it serves.

01 — Velocity

Consistency Over Spikes

A steady stream of new reviews signals to Google and AI that your org is active and relevant. One burst then silence raises flags. Build a system — ask every satisfied supporter, every time.

02 — Storytelling

Coach Stories, Not Keywords

You can't ask for specific keywords — but you can ask supporters to describe their experience in detail. "Tell us where you were, what the need was, and how we helped." Those stories naturally contain the service words AI is looking for.

03 — Diversity

Beyond Google

AI cross-checks multiple platforms. Get reviews on Google, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, Facebook, and any sector-specific directory. Consistency across sources builds the credibility that earns AI recommendations.

The Ask That Works

"Would you be willing to leave us a Google review? It helps people find us when they need support. Just describe where you were, what you needed, and how we helped — in your own words."

01d

Section 1 — AI Search & The New Reality

AI Search Is Changing Everything

AI Overviews now appear on 68% of local searches. A study of 17 nonprofits found that after Google rolled out AI Overviews in March 2025, organic search traffic dropped 13% year-over-year — even as searches for those same organizations rose 19%.

Monthly AI Overview Users

1.5B

Google AI Overviews, 2025

Searches Triggering AI Summary

68%

of local searches, Whitespark 2025

Nonprofit Traffic Drop

-13%

YoY after AI Overviews launched, M+R 2025

The New Reality: Zero-Click

60% of all searches now end without a single click. AI answers the question on the results page. Your goal shifts from "get the click" to "be the answer."

What AI Trusts

AI systems surface nonprofits referenced across reviews, GBP, directories, and social posts. Human mentions from real people are exactly what AI is trained to trust. Brand mentions now outweigh backlinks.

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

Add an FAQ page to your website answering the top 10 questions in the exact words your supporters use. Add FAQ schema markup. This content feeds AI systems the words to recommend you.

Your Content Strategy

Use AI internally to save time and write faster. Be human externally — real stories, real faces, real community. Authentic content compounds; AI-generated noise does not.

Section 2 — Google Ad Grants

Your $10,000/Month
Secret Weapon

Monthly Grant

$10,000

In free Google Search advertising

Annual Value

$120K

Per year at zero cost to your org

Daily Limit

$329

Spread across your campaigns

What it does: Google Ad Grants places your nonprofit's text ads at the top of Google Search results when people search for keywords related to your mission. You do not pay per click — Google covers it entirely.

Who Qualifies?

Valid 501(c)(3) status in the US (or equivalent charity status internationally)

Enrolled in Google for Nonprofits — free to join at google.com/nonprofits

High-quality website: clear mission, SSL/HTTPS secured, updated content, no broken links, no AdSense ads

Verification handled by Percent (formerly TechSoup) — sub-entities of a parent 501(c)(3) may also qualify

Not eligible: Government entities, hospitals, healthcare orgs, schools, universities, childcare centers

02b

Section 2 — Ad Grants: Compliance & Rules

How to Stay Compliant — Don't Get Suspended

Requirement	What You Need to Know
5% CTR Rule Critical	Must maintain a 5% Click-Through Rate every month — that means 1 out of every 20 people who see your ad must click it. Fall below for two consecutive months → account deactivated. This is the #1 reason nonprofits get suspended.
Keyword Quality	Single-word keywords (e.g., "donate") are not allowed. Keywords must be specific and mission-relevant. Generic terms waste budget and tank your CTR.
Ad Quality	Ads must be relevant, grammatically correct, and link to a page matching the ad's promise. No clickbait or irrelevant landing pages.
Active Management 2 Rules	Must log in every 30 days and make meaningful account changes at least once every 90 days. Set-it-and-forget-it will get you suspended.
Min. 2 Ad Groups	Every campaign must contain a minimum of 2 active ad groups. Each ad group should map to a specific landing page on your site (e.g., one for donors, one for volunteers).
Topic Restrictions	Beyond general prohibited content, grant accounts cannot target keywords related to addiction or mental health — Google categorizes these too closely to healthcare.
Conversion Tracking	Google increasingly requires tracking meaningful actions: donations, volunteer sign-ups, contact form submissions.

Pro Tips to Maximize the Grant

Use Broad Match keywords — since it's free money, let Google's algorithm find relevant searches. Broad match outperforms exact/phrase match for grant accounts.

Use ChatGPT to generate 50 broad match keywords for your mission. Prompt: "I run a nonprofit that [mission]. Give me 50 broad match keywords to drive traffic to our site."

Link each ad group to a dedicated landing page — not your homepage. The page must have enough text for Google to understand it and a clear CTA (form, donate button).

Use negative keywords to block irrelevant searches and protect your 5% CTR requirement

02c

Section 2 — Ad Grants: 2025 Updates

What's New in 2025

Performance Max Campaigns

Ad Grants now supports PMax — extending your ads beyond search into Google Maps, YouTube, and Display. Massive expansion of reach for nonprofits.

$2 CPC Cap Removed

When using Maximize Conversions bidding, the old $2 cost-per-click ceiling is lifted — your ads can now compete more effectively for high-value keywords.

Google Maps Placements

Nonprofits can now appear directly in Google Maps results through their Ad Grants account — powerful for orgs with physical locations or events.

Campaign Structure

1 Campaign → Multiple Ad Groups → Ads & Keywords. Each ad group maps to one specific landing page. Minimum 2 ad groups required per campaign.

Google Analytics — Non-Negotiable

Install Google Analytics before running any ads. Link it to your Google Ads account. It's the only way to know which keywords and ads are actually driving donations and sign-ups.

How to Apply — Step by Step

Phase 1 — Step 1Go to google.com/nonprofits → click "Get started" → "New request". Have your EIN and 501(c)(3) IRS letter ready.

Phase 1 — Step 2Enter your org's legal name. If it doesn't auto-populate, click "I can't find my organization" and enter details manually.

Phase 1 — Step 3Verification is handled by Percent (Google's partner). They email TWO addresses: yours AND your org's main contact (info@, contact@). Both must confirm. Wait 2–14 business days.

Phase 2 — Step 4Once approved, click "Activate Products" → "Get Started" under Google Ad Grants. Enter your website URL — it MUST be HTTPS or you'll be denied instantly.

Phase 2 — Step 5Watch the required 5-minute Google welcome video. Check the confirmation box. Click "Submit activation request."

Phase 2 — Step 6Wait ~3 business days for final approval. If denied, Google tells you why — fix the issue and reapply. You can reapply as many times as needed.

02d

Section 2 — Ad Grants: Campaign Setup

Building Your First Campaign

Campaign Goal

Grant accounts are restricted to "Website Traffic" as the objective. You cannot select Sales or Leads at the campaign level.

Network & Budget

Grant accounts are Search Network only — no Display. Set your daily budget to the maximum: $329/day.

Bidding Strategy

Use "Maximize Conversions" bidding. If you can't track conversions yet, temporarily use "Maximize Clicks" to start.

Ad Strength

Google scores your ads from Poor to Excellent. Provide as many headline and description variations as allowed — the algorithm tests combinations.

Ad Extensions (Assets) — Make Your Ad Bigger

Site LinksDirect traffic to specific pages (Donate, Volunteer, Events) — not just your homepage. All links must go to your approved domain.

CalloutsShort text snippets highlighting your org's values: "Community Focused", "All Are Welcome", "Award-Winning Service".

Structured SnippetsList specific services or amenities: "Free Programs", "Childcare Provided", "Virtual Events Available".

Call ExtensionsAdd your phone number directly to the ad. The more assets you add, the larger and more prominent your ad appears on the results page.

Section 3 — Strategy & Takeaways

The Unified Strategy & 3 Actions for This Week

Strategy	Best For	Timeline	Cost
Organic SEO	Long-term authority, trust, sustainable traffic	3–12 months	Time investment; no ad spend
Google Ad Grants	Immediate visibility, donor acquisition, events, volunteers	Days after launch	Free up to $10K/mo
Paid Google Ads	Display/video ads, exceeding grant limitations	Immediate	Paid — budget required

Audit Your Website

Clear mission? Calls to action? Mobile-friendly? HTTPS? Fix these first — they affect both SEO and Ad Grants eligibility.

Apply for Google for Nonprofits

Go to google.com/nonprofits today. $10,000/month in free advertising — there is no reason not to apply.

Install Google Analytics

Set it up before you run a single ad. Link it to Google Ads. Without it, you're flying blind — you won't know which keywords or ads are actually driving results.

Use ChatGPT for Keywords

Prompt: "I run a nonprofit that [mission]. Give me 50 broad match keywords to drive traffic to our site." Then ask it to write ad copy from that list.

Closing Thought

"Your mission deserves to be found. By combining organic SEO with the power of Google Ad Grants, you ensure that when someone is ready to make a difference — they find you first."

How NonprofitsGet Found on Google

If You're Not on Google,You're Invisible