Could a 6k Google grant help fill your fundraising gap?

If you have seen the news recently you may have noticed headlines about charity donations being down by 20 per cent this year. Historically, when the country has been in a recession people have always given generously to charity. Today, it is easier than ever to donate to charity via the likes of JustGiving; it is also easier than ever to raise money for your own charity online without the help of volunteers out on the streets; so where do the problems lie?

Charities need digital

One of the key stats to come out of recent reports is how important the digital arena is to charities; 66 per cent of charities state that digital is essential to their charity, whilst 78 per cent of the people involved said that they believe their cause could miss out on income opportunities due to a lack of knowledge when it comes to a digital presence.

It does not take an expert to recognise that the current gap in the fundraising machine could be filled by improving the digital knowledge of those who are fundraising to increase the proportion of online donations. Not only does having a charity that embraces digital have a better chance of reaching a wider audience,  a website can do the same work of a number of volunteers. Additionally, charities should recognise that social media is also a great way to spread the word about a charity and should be embraced, used to its full potential.

More than £6,000 per month grant to help your charity advertise online

One opportunity to increase an online presence that most charities are not aware of is pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and the opportunities available via this medium of paid advertising. A PPC campaign is a great way to put a charity in front of the right people quickly, to promote events and fundraising.  For example, if a charity takes second hand furniture or offers opportunities to take part in charity events such as the London Marathon a PPC campaign will instantly raise awareness, potentially helping  to offer a service to individuals.

For charities that have access to someone that can take control of their paid advertising campaign, Google have made more than £6,000 per month available to charities to use to advertise through PPC online. The grant application form is one of easiest forms you are likely to fill in when applying for funding.

Google grant success story

One of the charities to already benefit from the Google Grant is Building Malawi, a UK based charity helping to improve opportunities for children in Malawi. In 2011 alone the grant helped to get 8 new volunteers involved in the charity, attract donations of over £3000 from 5 strangers and one individual donated £14,000 for a whole library.

High position get great response from charities

Essex based digital marketing agency High Position have recently released a blog about the Google Grant and have already had a great response from the charities interested in the grant and the donation of time from Senior PPC Account Manager Martin Roche. Martin, who is giving up his own time to use his expertise and offer advice and create Google Adwords Campaigns for any charities that need it, comments of his act of goodwill, “ giving my own time to help charities is a way of giving something back and making the most of my skills. By setting up a campaign it can help a charity to raise thousands of pounds which is very rewarding”.

It seems that education is the best way forward to help charities to survive. The help is available people just need to know how to take advantage of it.