Does Living Desert Zoo and Gardens donate to fundraisers?

The Living Desert considers charitable donation requests from qualified organizations and reserves the right to grant or deny any request.

Its policy is to donate a family four-pack of daytime admission, valid one year from the date of issue.

Priority is given to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations; only schools in the immediate Coachella Valley are considered.

Not eligible: individuals or individual families, for-profit organizations and businesses, and political campaigns or fundraisers.

Requests are limited to one per year, per organization.

The zoo asks organizations to acknowledge The Living Desert in marketing materials and/or programs for the event.

All requests must go through the online form; phone, email, mail and drop-in requests are not accepted.

Tips from the program page: If selected, you are notified about 30 days before your event; staff reach out only when a request is granted and cannot reply to follow-up emails or calls. · The form lets you choose mail or pick-up for the donation; it cannot be sent by email. · You can attach event flyers or valuation forms to the request.

What Living Desert Zoo and Gardens donates

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens has typically donated: Admission tickets.

Who can apply

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens donates to organizations with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. Living Desert Zoo and Gardens does not donate to individuals. Living Desert Zoo and Gardens does not support events run for profit.

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens limits donation requests by area: Regional.

How to apply

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens asks every request to include the following.

• 501(c)(3) status (or a school or government agency in the immediate Coachella Valley)
• Federal Tax ID number
• Event name, date, estimated attendance, fundraising goal, and how the donation will be used
• An explanation of how you will acknowledge the donation at your event

When to ask

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens states a lead time of 45 days. Count back that far from your event date and send the request no later than then.

Across more than 25,000 fundraising events in our own records over fifteen years, March, April and May are the busiest months for fundraisers, October is the next busiest, and July and December are the quietest.

Work backwards from your event rather than forwards from today, and if your event falls in the spring peak, ask earlier than the stated lead time rather than later.

Common questions

Do I need to be a 501(c)(3) to request a donation from Living Desert Zoo and Gardens?

Yes. Living Desert Zoo and Gardens' donation program is limited to organizations with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, so you will need your determination letter and Tax ID before you apply.

How far ahead should we ask Living Desert Zoo and Gardens for a donation?

Living Desert Zoo and Gardens' stated lead time is 45 days. Work backwards from your event date: count back that far from the day of the event and send your request before that point.