WebCitz started working with this client in 2019
- Client: Food Rescue
- Platform: Other
- Industry: Food & Beverage, Non Profit / Religious
- Services: Digital Marketing
The Challenge
While Google Ad Grants are a incredible resource, they come with strict compliance rules (such as minimum click-through rates and keyword quality scores). Food Rescue was already receiving the grant but faced several hurdles:
- Low Engagement: The account was underperforming, meaning they weren’t actually “spending” the full $10,000 allotment because their ads weren’t being shown for enough relevant searches.
- Broad Targeting: Their existing ads were too generic, attracting “junk” traffic rather than reaching teachers, students, and school administrators interested in starting food recovery programs.
- Compliance Risks: Without active management, Google can suspend Ad Grants if they fall below specific performance thresholds (like a 5% account-level CTR).
The WebCitz Solution
We performed a “deep clean” of the Google Ads account to align it with their mission and Google’s strict nonprofit requirements:
- Strategic Keyword Research: We moved away from broad terms like “food” or “donations” and targeted long-tail, high-intent phrases like “K-12 food waste programs,” “student-led food recovery,” and “school cafeteria food rescue.”
- Ad Copy Revitalization: We wrote new, compelling ad copy that spoke directly to their three main audiences: students, teachers, and school food service directors. We focused on the “empowerment” aspect of their mission to drive higher click-through rates.
- Negative Keyword Scrubbing: We implemented an extensive list of negative keywords to prevent the grant funds from being wasted on irrelevant searches (e.g., people looking for food banks for personal aid or generic restaurant “food rescue” apps).
- Conversion Tracking Setup: We ensured that the account was properly tracking meaningful actions – such as downloads of their program toolkits and contact form submissions – allowing us to see exactly which ads were driving real-world participation.
- Grant Compliance Audit: We brought the account into full compliance with Google’s evolving nonprofit policies, ensuring their $120,000/year “digital endowment” was secure and sustainable.
The Result
By the end of our engagement in 2019, Food Rescue’s Google Ads account was a much more efficient engine for growth. We helped them “spend” more of their grant on high-quality traffic, resulting in more toolkits in the hands of students and more schools participating in food recovery. This project demonstrates our commitment to helping nonprofits navigate the technical complexities of digital advertising to amplify their real-world impact.
