In-N-Out Donation Request: Fundraising Bundles, Sponsorships, and School Programs (2026 Guide)

In-N-Out donates fundraising bundles of meal cards and branded merchandise to local nonprofits and schools for raffles and auctions. You apply online through In-N-Out's community application portal at least 60 days before your event, and each organization can receive one donation per calendar year. About 45% of In-N-Out donation requests tracked on TheShareWay succeed. In-N-Out also runs youth sports sponsorships, Youth Recognition Awards, and School Fundraiser Cookouts. Start on In-N-Out's community page, and track your request on In-N-Out's TheShareWay page.

What are your odds?

Figures as of October 2026, from applications tracked on TheShareWay.

Those are good odds for a brand this popular. The catch is time: In-N-Out wants 60 days' notice, and about a quarter of responses take more than two months to arrive. Among the In-N-Out declines where nonprofits recorded a reason on TheShareWay, the two most common were applying too close to the event and not being a local organization.

What In-N-Out donates

In-N-Out's donation program gives fundraising bundles: merchandise and meal cards meant to be raffled or auctioned at your fundraiser. In practice, most approved requests tracked on TheShareWay are a set of In-N-Out Valued Guest meal cards, most often around ten, and about a third also include an auction pack of branded merchandise such as shirts, cups, and bags.

In-N-Out donations tracked on TheShareWay are typically worth $80–$150, with a median of $104.

In-N-Out is just as clear about what it won't give. Its community page rules out:

• Financial contributions
• Food donations, so no catering or food for your event
• Incentives
• Requests from individuals, including scholarships, stipends, fellowships, personal assistance, and mission trips
• For-profit ventures
• Lobbying or political activities

One more rule: 100% of the proceeds from the raffle or auction where you use the bundle must go back to your organization.

Who is eligible for an In-N-Out donation

In-N-Out publishes four guidelines for fundraising bundles. To be considered:

1. Your organization is a local nonprofit or school that provides support in a state where In-N-Out operates.
2. All proceeds from the raffle or auction go directly to your organization.
3. You apply at least 60 days before the fundraising event.
4. Your organization has not already received an In-N-Out donation this calendar year. The limit is one per calendar year.

In-N-Out has restaurants in 10 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Tennessee and Washington are the newest, so nonprofits there are newly in range. The word "local" matters: a regional or national charity holding an event in an In-N-Out state is a weaker fit than a school or nonprofit that serves the community where the restaurants are.

How to submit an In-N-Out donation request

1. Count back 60 days from your event. That is the minimum. Because responses often take a month or more, aim for three months ahead if you can.
2. Check your calendar-year limit. If your organization already received an In-N-Out donation this year, save your request for an event next year.
3. Create a new portal login. Applications go through In-N-Out's Community Engagement Portal, which is where "Apply Now" under Fundraising Bundles on in-n-out.com/community takes you. In-N-Out has updated the portal, so even past applicants need to create a new login and password.
4. Describe your fundraiser. Have your organization's details, the event name and date, and a short description of the raffle or auction ready, and confirm that all proceeds go to your organization. TheShareWay's donation request letter template covers the points a request like this needs.
5. Log the request on In-N-Out's TheShareWay page, which links to the same portal, so you have a record of the date you applied and a reminder to follow up.

Questions about fundraising bundles go to community@innout.com or (949) 509-2556.

When to apply

The 60-day rule is a floor, not a target. For a March 15, 2027 gala, the latest you can apply is January 14, 2027. In-N-Out responds to donation requests in a median of 33 days, based on applications tracked on TheShareWay, so a request sent right at the deadline may not get an answer until a few weeks before your event.

Because the limit is one donation per calendar year, decide which event gets your In-N-Out bundle. A spring gala and a fall raffle in the same year can't both receive one.

After you apply

Most approved In-N-Out donations tracked on TheShareWay arrive by mail, so you don't need someone to pick them up from a restaurant. Every nonprofit that has reviewed In-N-Out on TheShareWay rated the experience five out of five.

Once the bundle arrives, a silent auction bid sheet helps you display it, and a thank-you letter keeps your organization in good standing for next year. For ways to put meal cards and merchandise to work, see the raffle fundraiser guide.

If you are declined, check the timing and local-organization rules before your next request. The once-a-year limit counts donations received, so a decline doesn't use it up.

Other In-N-Out programs for schools and youth sports

The community page lists four more programs. Details below are as published on in-n-out.com/community in October 2026.

Sports sponsorships. High school and youth athletic programs in communities where In-N-Out operates can apply for financial support through a sponsorship. Unlike fundraising bundles, sponsorships provide money rather than merchandise. You'll need a completed W-9, and the application runs through a separate Sports Sponsorship Application. Questions go to sponsorships@innout.com or (949) 509-4060.

Youth Recognition Awards (K–8). In-N-Out gives K–8 schools "Awards of Excellence": Valued Guest Cards, each good for a free hamburger or cheeseburger, to reward students for things like perfect attendance and honor roll. Only the principal can order them, the quantity is based on K–8 enrollment, and principals can order twice a year: once between August 1 and December 10, and again between January 1 and June 15.

School Fundraiser Cookouts. In-N-Out brings its Cookout Truck to your campus and provides the food, labor, and promotional materials at no cost. Your school pre-sells at least 300 tickets at $8 each; 75% of the money raised goes to the school and 25% to the In-N-Out Burger Foundation. Sell the 300-ticket minimum and your school keeps $1,800. Cookouts are available in Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside, San Bernardino, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Colorado Springs, and Las Vegas, with service limited to parts of some of those areas. Schools apply between February 1 and May 1 for a random drawing for the following school year, and In-N-Out emails results between late May and early June. Each school can apply once a year.

School restaurant tours. Students in grades 1 through 8 can take a behind-the-scenes morning tour of a restaurant before it opens, between September 1 and May 31. Requests go through the restaurant tour form or In-N-Out Customer Service at (866) 997-7676.

The In-N-Out Burger Foundation

In-N-Out's charitable foundation, the In-N-Out Burger Foundation, funds nonprofits that serve children and youth affected by abuse and neglect. Since 2026 it has worked on an invitation-only basis, so there is no open application. To be considered, organizations must be 501(c)(3)s with at least two years of operation and a budget of at least $100,000, serving a county with an In-N-Out restaurant.

In-N-Out also backs two sister foundations for other causes: Slave 2 Nothing, for substance abuse and human trafficking programs, and His Eyes Foundation, for homelessness. Slave 2 Nothing's grants are also by invitation; see TheShareWay's Slave 2 Nothing Foundation grants page for details. For most schools and community nonprofits, the fundraising bundle is the realistic way to get In-N-Out's support.

If In-N-Out isn't the right fit

If your event is less than 60 days away, or you've already used this year's In-N-Out donation, these restaurant donors on TheShareWay answer faster, typically within about a week:

• Raising Cane's approves about 56% of requests tracked on TheShareWay. Our Raising Cane's donation request guide covers its fundraisers, gift baskets, and sponsorships.
• Black Bear Diner approves about 59% and gives merchandise and certificates, with restaurants in most of the same Western states and Texas.
• Portillo's approves about 56% and gives food and gift cards, including at its Arizona, California, and Texas locations.

For more options, see restaurants that donate gift cards for fundraisers, 20+ restaurant donation request links, and companies that donate to schools and PTA/PTOs.

How TheShareWay helps with your In-N-Out request

In-N-Out's page on TheShareWay keeps the application details, lead time, and outcome data in one place, and lets you track your In-N-Out request next to every other ask for your event. To fill out the rest of your prize table, browse the most-requested donors in California, Texas, or nationwide.