Almost Eight Years Strong: A Nonprofit’s Google Grant Success Story

Many nonprofits struggle to make the most of their Google Grant. Poor management, irrelevant targeting, and weak compliance can not only waste valuable ad spend, but also put an organization’s grant at risk of suspension. Fortunately, with the right expertise, these challenges can be turned into long-term success.

A Nonprofit’s Google Grant Success Story

The Challenge

In 2018, a nonprofit focused on community programs and services came to Locomotive frustrated with poor results and a strained working relationship with their previous account manager. Their grant was being mismanaged in several ways:

• Ad targeting was largely irrelevant to the nonprofit’s mission

• Only 17.46% of traffic came from the region they actually served

• Tracking had been set up to the manager’s benefit rather than the client’s goals

• The account’s CTR had dropped to just 2.57%, well below Google’s 5% minimum, putting the entire grant at risk of suspension

  
  

Despite having access to $10,000 per month in ad credits, the nonprofit saw little impact in the areas that mattered most.

The Solution

Locomotive’s first priority was to stabilize the account and protect the Grant from suspension. Through a comprehensive audit and strategic restructuring, we shifted the focus away from wasted spend and irrelevant clicks toward meaningful engagement that directly supported the nonprofit’s mission. The goal was not only to improve compliance and performance, but also to create a foundation that could generate measurable impact for years to come.

• Refined the overall account structure

• Improved audience relevance and traffic quality

• Strengthened compliance with Google’s benchmarks

• Enhanced conversion tracking to measure true outcomes

• Established a sustainable framework for growth

  
  

The Results

The transformation was immediate and lasting. Since partnering with Locomotive, the nonprofit has:

• Utilized over $326,690.29 in Google Ad Grant funds (and growing)

• Increased CTR from 2.57% to over 11%, far above Google’s 5% benchmark

• Eliminated the risk of suspension by keeping campaigns fully compliant

• Reached more people in their community — the audience that matters most to their mission

  
  

A Strong Ongoing Partnership

Almost eight years later, this nonprofit remains a valued client. Their Google Grant is now a reliable source of traffic and awareness, supporting key organizational goals year after year.

At Locomotive, we take pride in turning underperforming, at-risk accounts into success stories. This case study is proof that with the right expertise, the Google Ad Grant isn’t just free ad spend — it’s a long-term growth engine for nonprofits.

Is your nonprofit struggling to see results with the Google Grant? Let us help you unlock the full potential of your $10,000 monthly ad credit.

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