How to Regain Access to a Google Ad Grant Account Set Up by Someone Else

This is one of the most common and most frustrating Google Ad Grant problems: your nonprofit has a Grant account, but the person who set it up is no longer with the organization. Maybe it was a previous marketing manager, a former volunteer, an old agency, or a board member who has since moved on. They took the login credentials with them, and now nobody at your organization can access the account.

Meanwhile, your $10,000/month in free advertising is sitting unused (or worse, running campaigns nobody is monitoring).

This guide walks through every recovery scenario and shows you how to regain control of your account.

Key Takeaways - Recovery is almost always possible; it just requires the right approach for your situation - Start with your Google for Nonprofits account, not the Google Ads account directly - Google support can help if you can prove your organization's identity - Once recovered, set up multiple admins to prevent this from happening again

Scenario 1: You Know Which Google Account Was Used

If you know the email address that was used to create the Grant (even if you can't log into it), recovery is straightforward:

Option A: The Email Is an Organizational Email You Control

If the Grant was set up with an email on your organization's domain (e.g., marketing@yournonprofit.org):

  1. Reset the password for that email account through your email provider (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, etc.)
  2. Log into Google Ads at ads.google.com with that email
  3. You now have access to the Grant account
  4. Immediately add your own email as an admin user (Admin, then Access and security, then + button)

Option B: The Email Is a Personal Gmail

If the Grant was set up with someone's personal Gmail (e.g., janedoe@gmail.com):

  1. Contact the person and ask them to either log into Google Ads and add your email as an admin, or transfer ownership of the account
  2. If they're unresponsive, proceed to Scenario 3 below (contacting Google support)

Scenario 2: You Don't Know Which Account Was Used

If nobody at your organization knows which email address controls the Grant:

  1. Log into your Google for Nonprofits account
  2. Check which Google account is associated with your nonprofit's profile
  3. Look for any record of the Ad Grants activation, which may reference the controlling email
  4. Check old emails from Google for Nonprofits or Google Ads for any account-related communications
  5. If your organization uses Google Workspace, check the admin console for any Google Ads accounts linked to organizational emails

Scenario 3: You Can't Reach the Previous Account Holder

This is the hardest scenario but still solvable:

  1. Contact Google Ads support directly.
  1. Explain the situation. Tell them your nonprofit has an existing Ad Grant account that you've lost access to. Provide your organization's name, website URL, and any account details you have (Customer ID if known).
  2. Prove your identity. Google will likely ask for:
  1. Request access transfer. Google can add your email as an admin on the existing Grant account or help you transfer control.

This process can take several days to a few weeks depending on how quickly Google can verify your identity.

Scenario 4: A Previous Agency Controls the Account

If an agency set up and managed your Grant, and the relationship has ended:

  1. Contact the agency directly. Most reputable agencies will transfer access when a client relationship ends. Ask them to add your email as an admin and then remove their own access.
  2. If the agency is unresponsive or refuses: This is unfortunately common. Contact Google Ads support (Scenario 3) and explain that a former agency is not relinquishing access to your organization's Grant account.
  3. Check your contract. Your service agreement with the agency may include terms about account ownership and access transfer. If the account was created under your organization's Google for Nonprofits profile, ownership belongs to your organization regardless of who manages it.

Important note: If the agency created the Grant under their own Google for Nonprofits account (not yours), recovery is more complicated. This is a red flag that should be addressed in any future agency relationship.

Scenario 5: The Account Is Suspended and Dormant

If the account has been suspended (likely due to compliance violations from being unmanaged) and you've recovered access:

  1. Don't worry about the suspension yet; focus on access first
  2. Once you have admin access, follow our suspension reactivation guide to fix compliance issues and request reactivation

A suspended account doesn't mean a lost account. Your data, campaigns, and history are preserved.

Nonprofit office manager successfully regaining access to their organization's Google Ad Grant account

Once You Have Access: Prevent This from Happening Again

After recovering your account, take these steps immediately:

1. Add Multiple Admins

Add at least 2-3 people from your organization as account administrators:

  1. In Google Ads, go to Admin, then Access and security
  2. Click + to invite new users
  3. Add at least one executive-level staff member and one marketing team member
  4. Set their access level to Admin (not just Standard)

2. Use Organizational Email Addresses

Ensure the primary account email is an organizational address (e.g., marketing@yournonprofit.org), not a personal Gmail. If staff members change, you retain control of the organizational email.

3. Document Account Details

Create an internal document recording:

Store this securely and ensure it's accessible to leadership.

4. Set Up a Shared Google Workspace Email

Consider creating a shared email like googleads@yournonprofit.org specifically for Google Ads management. This email doesn't belong to any individual and persists through staff changes.

Starting Fresh vs. Recovering

If recovery efforts fail after several weeks, you may need to start a new Grant application:

  1. Go to Google for Nonprofits and register
  2. Complete Goodstack verification
  3. Apply for the Ad Grant fresh
  4. Build new campaigns from scratch

This loses your historical campaign data, but it gets you back online. The old account will eventually be cancelled by Google due to inactivity.

Get Help Recovering or Rebuilding Your Grant

If you're stuck in the recovery process or need help rebuilding after regaining access, our team can help navigate the process.

Start Your Free Grant Audit

Prefer to hand it off to an expert? Our Google Ad Grant management services include account recovery assistance and complete rebuild when needed. Explore Grant Services

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does account recovery take? If you can access the email: minutes. If you need Google support: 1-3 weeks depending on verification requirements. If starting fresh: 2-4 weeks for the full application process.

Will I lose my campaign data during recovery? No. Recovering access doesn't delete anything. All campaigns, keywords, ads, and historical data remain intact. Even suspended accounts preserve their data.

Can I have a Grant on a different Google account than my Google for Nonprofits account? It's possible but not recommended. The Grant should be connected to the Google for Nonprofits account that's verified through Goodstack. Having them on different accounts creates management complexity.

How do I prevent an agency from taking my account with them? Ensure the Grant is created under your organization's Google for Nonprofits profile, not the agency's. Add your own organizational email as an admin on the Google Ads account. Include access transfer terms in your agency contract.

Does this process differ by country? The account recovery process is the same worldwide. Google support may have different contact methods by region, but the steps (prove identity, request access transfer) are universal.

Key Takeaways

Published: March 2026 | Last Updated: March 2026 | Author: GrantMax Category: Getting Started | Tags: Account Setup, Troubleshooting