Nonprofit Keyword Research: How to Find the Terms That Bring in Supporters”

Website Hostage Situations Are Real – And They’re Uglier Than You Think
April 10, 2025
On-Page SEO for Nonprofits: How to Turn Visitors Into Supporters
April 11, 2025
Show all

Person working with search engine optimization : SEO with social media content and advertisement from website.

Keywords Are Your Compass

When someone searches “how to help at-risk youth” or “donate winter coats Toronto,” they’re not just browsing—they’re ready to take action. Your job? Show up.

This guide breaks down how to find and use the keywords that actually bring in donors, volunteers, and advocates.

What Makes Keyword Research Different for Nonprofits?

You’re not selling sneakers or SaaS. You’re promoting causes, inviting action, and trying to build trust. So your keywords need to:

  • Align with your mission and values
  • Match search intent (info, action, local help, etc.)
  • Be language real people use, not internal jargon
  • Balance between volume, competition, and relevance

4 Types of Keywords That Work for Nonprofits

1. Mission-Driven Keywords

Examples:

  • “refugee resettlement programs Canada”
  • “climate change education nonprofit”

These are broad but show alignment with user interests.

2. Local Intent Keywords

Examples:

  • “homeless shelters near Hamilton”
  • “donate used toys Oakville”

Great for local orgs or chapters.

3. Supporter Actions

Examples:

  • “where to donate gently used clothes”
  • “volunteer tutoring kids online”

High-converting, high-value, and often overlooked.

4. Awareness & Education Keywords

Examples:

  • “signs of elder abuse”
  • “how to help kids in foster care”

These attract people earlier in the journey—prime for content marketing.

Tools We Like (And Actually Use)

  • Google Keyword Planner – Free, solid baseline
  • Ubersuggest – Easy UI, good for small teams
  • AnswerThePublic – Goldmine for “how” and “what” questions
  • Google Search Console – See what’s already working
  • People Also Ask (Google SERPs) – Underrated gem

How to Choose the Right Keywords

  1. Map them to a goal (Awareness, Engagement, Action)
  2. Group them into content themes
  3. Check search volume + competition
  4. Prioritize long-tail phrases for quick wins
  5. Avoid generic or “vanity” terms like “charity” or “help others”

Quick Wins: Keyword Ideas for Your Homepage

  • “Support [cause] in [city]”
  • “How to get involved with [your org name]”
  • “[your org name] donation options”
  • “Volunteer with [your org name]”
  • “Local [cause] nonprofit near me”

Pair these with clear, well-optimized content and internal links back to your core service or donation pages.

What to Do Next

✅ Audit your current site: What are you already ranking for?
✅ Build a simple keyword map for your top pages
✅ Start creating content that matches user intent
✅ Link internally to your core mission and donation pages

Need Help with the Strategy?

We’re happy to walk you through it—or build the whole map for you. Whether you need a one-time keyword audit or a full SEO strategy aligned to your mission, we’ve got your back.

🎯 Let’s talk nonprofit SEO