Does Tillamook donate to fundraisers?

Tillamook focuses its giving on three areas: Agricultural Advocacy, Food Security and Healthful Children.

Projects must create impact where its farmers and employees live and work, including Tillamook, Boardman and Portland, Oregon, and Decatur, Illinois. Tillamook funds only a small percentage of out-of-state requests.

For specific product for a short-term event or program, such as snack-size yogurt or cheese for participants, or a gift basket for a fundraiser auction, use the online form.

Gift certificates for the Tillamook Creamery gift shop in Tillamook, Oregon, can be requested and are mailed to the organization. They are not valid at the cafeteria or ice cream counters.

The Healthful Children category does not include healthcare-related causes, and Tillamook does not fund sports team uniforms.

Not eligible: organizations that discriminate, organizations with a publicly stated stance against animal agriculture or conventional farming, political candidates, parties or campaigns, and sectarian causes.

Tips from the program page: Apply at least 8 weeks before you need the donation, and allow up to eight weeks for a response. · For an auction or raffle, ask for Creamery gift certificates. Tillamook says they are a popular option for nonprofit fundraisers. · Tie your request to agricultural advocacy, food security or healthy, active kids, and say who it serves. Tillamook weighs projects that reach low-income, rural or underserved communities.

What Tillamook donates

Tillamook has typically donated: Product, Tillamook Creamery gift certificates, or cash.

Who can apply

Tillamook limits donation requests by area: Areas where Tillamook's farmers and employees live and work, including Tillamook, Boardman and Portland, Oregon, and Decatur, Illinois.

How to apply

Tillamook asks every request to include the following.

• Nonprofit status as a 501(c)(3), 501(c)(6) or 501(c)(7).
• A project that addresses a significant community need in one of the three funding areas.
• A completed online request form with the requested documents attached.
• For a large, ongoing product partnership, such as for a food bank, Tillamook asks you to contact its donations team instead of using the form.

What Tillamook will not fund

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

• Organizations that discriminate based on race, gender, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identification
• Organizations with a publicly stated stance that are anti-animal agriculture or anti-conventional farming
• Political candidates, parties, campaigns, or sectarian causes
• Healthcare-related causes (Healthful Children category)
• Uniforms for sports teams

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

When to ask

Tillamook 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

Can a school, team, or individual apply to Tillamook?

Tillamook states that it will not fund: Organizations that discriminate based on race, gender, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identification; Organizations with a publicly stated stance that are anti-animal agriculture or anti-conventional farming; Political candidates, parties, campaigns, or sectarian causes; Healthcare-related causes (Healthful Children category); Uniforms for sports teams. Check your organization and your event against that list before you apply — those are the restrictions Tillamook publishes itself.

How far ahead should we ask Tillamook for a donation?

Tillamook's 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.