How Nydus Foundation put its Google Ad Grant to work.
Nydus Foundation gives away free books and learning in English and Spanish. Aptic’s specialist offices reviewed the whole organization, and the Marketing & Growth office took on its Google Ad Grant. Within three months, clicks grew 350-fold and each conversion cost 94% less.
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350×
More clicks
Compared with the period before Aptic
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−94%
Cost per conversion
Each result now costs a fraction of before
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20×
More of the grant used
From a small share to most of the monthly grant
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3×
The required click-through rate
Well above the Google Ad Grants minimum
- Organization
- Nydus Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
- Focus
- Free books, education, and essentials
- Markets
- United States and Mexico
- Service
- Management
- Offices involved
- All nine specialist offices
- Period
- June to September 2026
A monthly grant, mostly unused.
Nydus Foundation runs a free online library of public-domain books, a learning site, and programs that deliver school supplies and household essentials. Google Ad Grants gives eligible nonprofits free search advertising every month, so the foundation had a way to reach readers at no cost.
When Aptic started, only a small share of that grant was being used. The account could not tell which visits mattered, so it had little to learn from, and most of the grant went unspent each month.
Measure first, then build for how people search.
The Marketing & Growth office reviewed the account, proposed each change with its reasoning, and made the changes Nydus Foundation approved.
- 01
Make results measurable
Aptic made sure the account could see the reader actions that matter, so it had a clear signal to improve against.
- 02
Build for two languages
A new account structure served readers in English and Spanish, organized around what people were actually looking for.
- 03
Reach the right readers
Aptic focused the ads on searches from people looking for free books and learning, and kept refining them as results came in.
- 04
Write and test the ads
Mission-led ad copy in both languages was drafted, approved, and measured against what ran before.
- 05
Put the grant to work
Spending was paced against the monthly grant, so more of it went to work each month while the cost of each result fell.
More than an ad campaign.
Google Ads was the first visible win, but every Aptic office worked on the foundation, from weekly reviews to a strategic roadmap.
Marketing & Growth
Led the Google Ad Grant work in English and Spanish, from account structure to ad copy.
Strategy & Transformation
Built a strategic roadmap, refreshed each month, and set the next priority: turning readers into supporters.
Product Management
Made a simple, reliable donation journey on the website the first product priority.
Management Consulting
Ran weekly and monthly operating reviews and turned ideas into clear, step-by-step plans for new programs.
Operations Consulting
Kept recurring work moving and proposed a simpler way to track supplies and deliveries for the foundation’s programs.
Finance Consulting
Set a clear financial checkpoint for growing fundraising with confidence. Advice only; no money movement.
Brand, Design & Communications
Recommended a focused brand refresh under the Nydus Foundation name, with a clear, evidence-led voice.
Technology & Cloud
Reviewed the website and systems and recommended building on the current platform rather than replacing it.
Security & Compliance
Recommended practical steps to strengthen access controls across the foundation’s connected systems.
More readers, at a fraction of the cost.
The account went from a handful of clicks to a steady flow of readers, and the cost of each conversion fell by 94%.
Consecutive four-week periods. Source: the Nydus Foundation Google Ads account.
More readers
People who found the foundation through search went on to open and read books in its free library.
Ahead of target
Website visits passed the foundation’s reach goal and kept growing.
Pages that deliver
The library pages turned most ad clicks into conversions in both languages.
Efficient clicks
Strong ad relevance kept the cost of each click low while reach grew.
Two markets
Mexico became the largest source of readers, alongside a growing audience in the United States.
Well within the rules
Click-through rate stayed at about three times the level Google Ad Grants requires.
From readers to supporters.
With a steady flow of readers, the Finance, Product, and Technology offices are working with Nydus Foundation to connect donations to the campaigns that bring readers in, so the grant can grow support for the foundation’s programs as well as its library.
Results are from the Nydus Foundation Google Ads account and Aptic’s workspace record, read on September 24, 2026, comparing consecutive four-week periods.
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