For nonprofit organisations in New Zealand, grants and funding are essential to keeping services running, growing programmes, and supporting community impact. From government and private funding to digital tools like the Google Ad Grant, there are several ways for nonprofits to access financial support.
Whether you’re launching a new initiative or scaling your outreach, understanding the types of grants and funding for nonprofit organisations in NZ is a critical first step.
What Are the Main Types of Grants and Funding for Nonprofits in NZ?
New Zealand nonprofits can access funding through three primary categories:
- Government Grants: Offered by local and national agencies for community, environmental, and social outcomes.
- Private and Corporate Foundation Grants: Funded by trusts and philanthropic organisations.
- Community and Crowdfunding Support: Donations from the public and communities through online platforms.
Each stream plays a different role and suits different types of nonprofit needs.
Government Grants for Nonprofit Organisations in NZ
Government grants are one of the most reliable sources of funding for nonprofits. These funds are allocated to support projects that deliver public good, especially in areas like health, education, social services, and the environment.
Popular government grant sources include:
- The Ministry of Culture and Heritage(external link): Provides funding to nonprofit organisations that have a focus on culture and heritage.
- Lottery Grants Board(external link): Offers a wide range of funding opportunities that benefit local communities.
- The Department of Conservation (DoC)(external link): Provides funding for initiatives that address the environmental issues and the natural environment.
- Community Matters(external link): A comprehensive platform with access to multiple government funding streams.
These grants often require a formal application process and alignment with government priorities.
Private and Corporate Funding for NZ Nonprofits
Private foundations and corporate sponsors often provide grants to support social, environmental, and cultural causes.
These grants are competitive but can offer flexible funding with fewer restrictions than government sources.
Examples include:
- The Tindall Foundation(external link): Focused on supporting families, environment, and community development.
- Foundation North(external link): Offers grants for initiatives in Auckland and Northland that create positive social outcomes.
- Rātā Foundation(external link): Funding for community focused nonprofits.
To be successful, applicants must align their goals with the values and impact areas of the funding organisation.
Crowdfunding and Community Fundraising
Smaller organisations or grassroots initiatives can benefit from community fundraising and crowdfunding platforms.
Crowdfunding is ideal for:
- One-off projects
- Urgent needs or emergencies
- Building a base of supporters
Popular New Zealand crowdfunding platforms include:
- Givealittle(external link): A well-known platform supporting individuals and organisations.
- Boosted(external link): Focused on arts and creative projects.
- PledgeMe(external link): Supports both for-profit and nonprofit fundraising campaigns.
Digital Grants for Nonprofits: Expanding Reach Online
Why Digital Grants Matter
Digital grants, particularly the Google Ad Grant, help nonprofits reach a broader audience online, boosting awareness and increasing donations. By tapping into Google’s massive search network, nonprofits can engage new supporters, promote events, and share their stories with a wider audience.
What Is the Google Ad Grant and Why Is It Important?
The Google Ad Grant offers eligible nonprofits up to USD $10,000 per month in free search advertising.
This funding allows nonprofits to:
- Reach wider audiences online
- Promote services, events, and campaigns
- Drive donations and volunteer signups
To be eligible, nonprofits must:
- Be registered charities
- Have a functional, high-quality website
- Comply with Google’s programme policies
When used correctly, the Google Ad Grant can become one of the most effective digital tools for nonprofit growth.
How to Make the Most of the Google Ad Grant
Best Practices for Success
Maximising the Google Ad Grant involves creating effective search ad campaigns that resonate with your target audience. Nonprofits should focus on high-impact keywords relevant to their mission, craft engaging ad copy, and leverage Google Ads’ location targeting to reach audiences across New Zealand. Reviewing ad performance and making adjustments based on analytics ensures the grant is used effectively and within Google’s monthly budget.
Somar Digital’s Expertise in Google Ad Grant Management
Why Choose Somar Digital?
With years of experience in managing Google Ad Grants, Somar Digital provides expert support to nonprofits looking to make the most of their grant allocation. Somar understands the nuances of running effective ad campaigns, ensuring that each dollar is used to deliver impactful results.
Our Process
Somar Digital’s Google Ad Grant management includes an initial discovery session, audit, set up, keyword research, ad creation, and continuous monitoring. We handle every stage of the process, from aligning keywords with organisational goals to optimising ads for engagement. This approach allows us to create ad campaigns that truly resonate with target audiences.
Case Study: Managing Cancer Society’s Google Ad Grant
With Somar’s help Cancer Society NZ was able to maximise the $10,000 USD Google Ad grant, which saw a dramatic increase in the visibility and engagement of their ads.
Initially, Somar undertook a comprehensive SEM (Search Engine Marketing) Audit of Cancer Society’s Google Ad grant account to determine why it wasn’t performing and where we could make improvements.
Some of the issues included:
- low optimisation score and campaign score
- lack of conversion tracking
- poor return on ad spend
From this audit we were able to make a number of recommendations. These were focused on helping Cancer Society get more from their Google Ads account like fixing the optimisation score to 100%, improving quality scores, doing keyword research (finding better and more keywords to increase targeting), and utilising all available assets available for their Ads.
Since Somar took over the management of Cancer Society’s Google Ad grant account they saw improvements in a number of key areas.
These included:
- The account now spends the full $10,000 USD which has directly resulted in generating more traffic to the Cancer Society website’s donation page.
- A 56% surge in impressions
- A 93.7% increase in clicks as well as a CTR (click-through rate) of 12.5%
Cancer Society also signed a monthly SLA with Somar which means that Somar’s SEM experts now regularly monitor their account and continue to make improvements to ensure that Cancer Society are getting the most from their Google Ads grant account.
Next Steps for Nonprofit Funding in NZ
Not sure where to begin? Here are some ideas for next steps:
- Use a grant search tool: A platforms like Generosity NZ(external link) can help you discover relevant funding quickly.
- Prepare a template-based grant application: Save time by creating a master template you can adapt.
- Visit the Charities Services site: Charities Services(external link) has a treasure trove of useful information for nonprofits looking to get started on their funding journey.
- Contact Somar Digital: We can help you apply for, launch campaigns and manage your Google Ad Grant.
