Before Google turns on your Ad Grant, it looks at your website. If the site does not meet Google's website policy, the grant does not start. This post explains what the policy asks for, what it does not ask for, and what a Canadian charity should check before applying.
We read Google's Ad Grants website policy on September 21, 2026.
What Google's website policy says
The policy has six main asks. Here they are in plain words.
1. You own the domain. Your ads must send people to a domain your nonprofit owns. A Facebook page, a free subdomain or a page on someone else's site does not count. You do not need a .org. A .ca or .com is fine.
2. The whole site runs on HTTPS. Every page needs the padlock. The old http address should send visitors to the secure one on its own.
3. The site has real content about your work. Google wants a good amount of original content tied to your mission. It names the things that fail: thin pages, copied text, pages that are mostly links, "under construction" pages, and sites where the real information is locked inside PDFs.
4. Your mission and activities are clear. A visitor should be able to tell who you are and what you do. Google also asks you to show your nonprofit registration number, an annual report, or both.
5. The site is easy to use. People can find what they need. Links work. The donate button works. Pages load quickly. The site works on a phone.
6. The site is not mainly commercial. Too many third-party ads are not allowed, and neither is Google AdSense. You can sell things if the sales support your mission, such as tickets to your gala or items from your thrift shop.
What guides add that Google does not ask for
Search for this topic and you will find rules that are not in the policy. Two to ignore:
- "You need a PageSpeed score of 50 or more." The policy says pages should load quickly and points to the PageSpeed Insights tool. It does not name a score.
- "You must have Google Analytics installed." The website policy does not mention it. You do need to track conversions in your ads account once the grant is running, and that is a separate rule in the program's compliance guide.
This matters because charities delay applying while they chase a number Google never asked for. A fast, working site is the goal. A perfect score is not.
The Canadian checklist
Go through this list with your site open in another tab.
Domain and security
- Your organization owns its domain and controls the account used to manage it.
- Every page loads over HTTPS with no browser warning.
- Typing the http address sends visitors to the https one.
About your organization
- Your mission is stated on the home page in one or two plain sentences.
- Your site has a page for each main program or service.
- Your CRA charity number or corporation number is on the site.
- Your latest annual report or a summary of your finances is on the site.
- Your address, phone and email are easy to find.
Content
- No page says "coming soon" or "under construction".
- Key information is on web pages, not only in PDFs.
- The text is original to your organization. It is not copied from another organization.
- The site has been updated in the last few months.
Working parts
- No broken links. Run a free link checker to be sure.
- The donate button works, and the donation page is secure.
- Every page reads well on a phone.
- Pages load in a few seconds on a normal phone connection.
Ads and sales
- No AdSense and no banner ads from ad networks.
- Anything your organization sells clearly supports its mission.
Your charity number
Google's policy gives American examples: an EIN or tax ID. Almost every guide online does the same, because almost every guide is written for American readers.
For a Canadian registered charity, the matching number is your CRA registration number. It looks like 12345 6789 RR0001. Put it in your footer so it shows on every page, and on your donate page where donors look for it.
If you are a nonprofit corporation and not a registered charity, show your corporation number and say plainly what kind of organization you are. Canadian nonprofits that are not charities can still qualify for the grant.
Publish the financial information and annual report your organization has approved for public release.
French and English pages
Google's policy says nothing about languages. But a bilingual site changes how you should set up for the grant.
- Make both versions real. A French page that is half translated counts as thin content, the same as any other thin page.
- Send French ads to French pages. This helps visitors understand the page and take action.
- Check the working parts in both languages. Menus, forms, the donate page, error messages and the thank-you page all need a French version that works.
This is where many Quebec charities lose ground. The English site passes. The French side is an afterthought, and half of the people they serve land on it.
Can ads go to any page?
Ads must use an approved domain. For another domain you own, use the additional-domain request form linked from Google’s policy after checking that site against the requirements.
What to fix first
If your site fails several checks, fix them in this order. It runs from fastest to slowest.
- HTTPS. Often a one-hour fix with your host.
- Broken links and a broken donate button. A free link checker finds them in minutes.
- Your mission and your charity number. One clear sentence on the home page and a line in the footer.
- "Coming soon" pages. Finish them or remove them.
- Thin content. Write a proper page for each program: who it serves, what happens, how to take part.
- Phone layout and speed. If the site was built before about 2018, this may mean a rebuild.
If you are working on step 5 and the site is more than six or seven years old, compare the cost of patching with the cost of a new site.
Questions we hear often
Why was our Ad Grant application rejected? The most common website reasons are no HTTPS, thin content, an unclear mission and a domain the organization does not own. Google's message usually names the policy. Fix that item and apply again.
How do Google Ad Grants work? Google gives eligible nonprofits up to US$10,000 a month in free text ads on Google search. You run the account yourself or with help, and you must follow the program rules to keep it.
How do we stay compliant once we have the grant? Keep the site meeting the policy, and keep the ads account within the program rules. A monthly click-through rate of at least 5% is required; Google exempts Smart campaigns.
Want a second pair of eyes on your site?
We build nonprofit websites that meet this policy from day one, in English and French. Book a 15-minute call and we will go through the checklist with you.