I'd recruit someone that is learning SEM, and just let them have a blast with your account (it is free, right?). It is hard to learn SEM without an account, and the only way to create an effective campaign is to spend a lot of time and try many different things.

IMO, for most organizations Google Grants is a waste of time. SEM is a useless tool for building "awareness", which is what most organizations try to achieve with Google Grants.