Does Minnesota Vikings donate to fundraisers?

The Vikings support organizations that benefit residents of the five-state Vikings region: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Donated items must be used for fundraising only, such as silent auctions, live auctions and raffles. They cannot be sold for profit.

Game seats are not donated, because of high demand and the small number of regular season games. The team also cannot accept items sent in to be autographed by players.

Each organization may make one request per calendar year.

Ineligible: requests from a for-profit organization on behalf of a nonprofit, and awards, door prizes, incentive programs, or events where fundraising does not support a charitable cause (for example PTOs, graduation or after-prom parties, employee appreciation).

Also ineligible: operating expenses or monetary donations; religious, fraternal, labor or political groups; specific student scholarships; operating expenses for athletic teams, clubs or programs; and third-party fundraising such as walks and runs, fundraising teams, booster clubs and scout troops.

All requests depend on inventory. Submitting a request does not guarantee a donation or any specific item or autograph, and decisions by the Community Relations Department are final.

Using the Vikings name, logos or trademarks, or any advertising that implies the team supports your event, must be approved in writing.

Tips from the program page: Donations are mailed on a rolling basis and filled in order of event date, so apply early rather than at the 8-week mark. · Submit once. The team asks you not to send a second request, call or email about its status. · The team recommends that your event not rely on a Vikings item. Treat it as an extra, not the centerpiece. · Give a street address on the form, not a PO Box.

What Minnesota Vikings donates

Minnesota Vikings donates item.

Minnesota Vikings has typically donated: Vikings items for charitable fundraising (auctions and raffles).

Who can apply

Minnesota Vikings donates to organizations with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

Minnesota Vikings limits donation requests by area: Five-state Vikings region: Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

How to apply

Minnesota Vikings asks every request to include the following.

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and a valid tax ID.
• Your organization benefits residents of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota or Wisconsin.
• A request made through the online application. Faxes, emails, phone calls and mailed requests are not considered.
• The form submitted at least 8 weeks before the event.
• A street address. Requests with a PO Box are declined.

What Minnesota Vikings will not fund

Minnesota Vikings states in its own published guidelines that it will not fund the following.

• Requests from a for-profit organization on behalf of a non-profit organization
• Awards, door prizes, incentive programs, or events where fundraising does not support a charitable cause (e.g. PTOs, graduation/after-prom parties, employee appreciation)
• Operating expenses or monetary donations
• Religious, fraternal, labor, or political groups
• Specific student scholarships
• Operating expenses for athletic teams/clubs/programs
• Third-party fundraising requests or campaigns (walks/runs, fundraising teams, booster clubs, scout troops)

This covers only what Minnesota Vikings states. A request can still be turned down for reasons a company does not publish.

When to ask

Minnesota Vikings states a lead time of 8 weeks. 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 Minnesota Vikings?

Yes. Minnesota Vikings' 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.

Can a school, team, or individual apply to Minnesota Vikings?

Minnesota Vikings states that it will not fund: Requests from a for-profit organization on behalf of a non-profit organization; Awards, door prizes, incentive programs, or events where fundraising does not support a charitable cause (e.g. PTOs, graduation/after-prom parties, employee appreciation); Operating expenses or monetary donations; Religious, fraternal, labor, or political groups; Specific student scholarships; Operating expenses for athletic teams/clubs/programs; Third-party fundraising requests or campaigns (walks/runs, fundraising teams, booster clubs, scout troops). Check your organization and your event against that list before you apply — those are the restrictions Minnesota Vikings publishes itself.

How far ahead should we ask Minnesota Vikings for a donation?

Minnesota Vikings' stated lead time is 8 weeks. Work backwards from your event date: count back that far from the day of the event and send your request before that point.