Does Tacala Companies donate to fundraisers?

Tacala's donations are issued through its nonprofit foundation, Team Tacala Charities. The goal is to promote educational opportunities for teens and to raise high school graduation and post-secondary education rates.

Most funds are allocated through an annual grant process and are awarded as programming dollars.

Donations are considered only for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that align with this mission and serve the communities where Tacala does business.

Tacala responds only to requests from states where it operates Taco Bell restaurants.

Incomplete or inaccurate requests are not considered.

Tips from the program page: Submit at least four weeks before you need a response. Tacala states that as its minimum. · Lead with how your program helps teens stay in school or move on to further education. That is the foundation's stated focus. · Fill in every field: Tacala will not consider incomplete or inaccurate requests.

What Tacala Companies donates

Tacala Companies has typically donated: Programming grants through Team Tacala Charities for teen-serving organizations.

Who can apply

Tacala Companies donates to organizations with 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

Tacala Companies limits donation requests by area: States where Tacala operates Taco Bell restaurants.

How to apply

Tacala Companies asks every request to include the following.

• 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
• Submission through the Donation Request Form on tacala.com. Tacala says the form is the only way to submit a request.
• The number of teens your organization serves.
• For an event request: the date and time, description, location, estimated attendance and the amount or support requested. You can attach a DOC or PDF file.

What Tacala Companies will not fund

Tacala Companies states in its own published guidelines that it will not fund the following.

• Organizations that are not 501(c)(3) nonprofits
• Requests from states where Tacala does not operate Taco Bell restaurants
• Incomplete or inaccurate requests

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

When to ask

Tacala Companies states a lead time of 4 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 Tacala Companies?

Yes. Tacala Companies' 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 Tacala Companies?

Tacala Companies states that it will not fund: Organizations that are not 501(c)(3) nonprofits; Requests from states where Tacala does not operate Taco Bell restaurants; Incomplete or inaccurate requests. Check your organization and your event against that list before you apply — those are the restrictions Tacala Companies publishes itself.

How far ahead should we ask Tacala Companies for a donation?

Tacala Companies' stated lead time is 4 weeks. Work backwards from your event date: count back that far from the day of the event and send your request before that point.