What Gets a Donation Request Approved, and Why Do Companies Say No?
Last updated October 9, 2026
Most donation requests that fail are turned down for a reason the company has already published. The request benefits one person rather than an organization. The group can't show tax-exempt status, or sits outside the company's area. The request arrived too late, through the wrong channel, or after the organization had already received its one donation for the year. Or a required detail was missing. Check your request against those rules before you send it, and what remains is a request the company can say yes to. Some good requests will still be declined, because many programs say plainly that they receive more requests than they can fill.
This guide is part of our fundraiser donation answers library. For the step-by-step ask, see how to ask a company for a donation. This page is the other half: why requests fail, and how to avoid each reason.
Why companies say no: the reasons they publish
Every example below comes from the company's own donation page.
| Reason | What company pages say | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| The donation would help one person or family | Books-A-Million excludes donations that benefit specific individuals or families. Benihana does not donate to individuals seeking aid, and Topgolf does not donate to individuals. | Ask as an organization, for an organization's event |
| No proof of tax-exempt status | Benihana asks for a current IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter and proof of a federal tax ID. Crayola Experience requires a valid 501(c)(3). | Have the letter and EIN ready, or read do you need a 501(c)(3)? |
| Outside the company's area | Topgolf considers organizations within 40 miles of a location. The Philadelphia Eagles send items only to 501(c)(3)s in the Philadelphia region. The Boston Red Sox support organizations in New England. | Check the area rule first |
| Too late, or too early | The Eagles accept requests from six months to four weeks before the event, and not later. Crayola Experience asks for requests 30 days ahead and no earlier. | Plan by each program's own window |
| Already donated this year | The New York Giants give one item per organization each year. Big 5 Sporting Goods donates once a year to each organization, and Books-A-Million honors one request per organization a year. | Keep a record so two volunteers don't use up the same year |
| A group or event type the program excludes | Benihana excludes sports teams or leagues, conferences, seminars and reunions. Topgolf excludes religious groups and private schools. Wegmans excludes pageants and requests from faith-based agencies for religious purposes, though it can consider humanitarian aid. | Read the exclusions list before anything else |
| The wrong channel | Big 5 considers requests only through its online system, not at stores or by email, phone or fax. The Giants take requests online only. Benihana takes requests by mail only. | Use the one route the company names |
| An incomplete request | Benihana says requests missing any listed detail cannot be considered. Books-A-Million does not process incomplete applications. | Fill every field; attach every document asked for |
| Asking for something they don't give | Target donates GiftCards and does not donate merchandise. Books-A-Million does not donate specific books or merchandise. | Ask for what the program says it gives |
| Volume | Urban Air says it may not be able to donate to every event, and Olive Garden says it can't honor every request. | Ask several companies, not one |
A checklist before you send
Run every request through these questions. Each one matches a reason above.
- Who benefits? The request is for an organization's event, not for one person.
- Are we eligible? Our organization type, tax status and cause are ones the program accepts, and we are not on its exclusions list.
- Are we inside the area? The event or organization is within the radius or region the program names.
- Is the timing right? Today falls inside the program's window, not just before its deadline.
- Have we asked this year? Nobody else in our group has already asked this company this year.
- Is it the right route? We are using the form, portal, store or mailing the company names, and no other.
- Is it complete? Every required field is filled in and every document is attached, including the 501(c)(3) letter, EIN or letterhead if the program asks.
- Is the ask specific? We are asking for the kind of donation the program says it gives, and we've said how it will be used.
The donation eligibility checklist walks through eligibility by organization type, and what companies require before they donate covers the documents.
Asking a local manager in person
Some companies leave the decision to each location. Olive Garden, for example, asks for a written request to the general manager of your local restaurant, on your organization's letterhead, 30 days before the donation is needed. When the route is the store, a short visit at a quiet time helps. Bring the written request with you:
"Hi, I'm with [organization]. We're holding [event] on [date] to raise money for [purpose]. I know requests go to the general manager, so I've brought our request on letterhead. Could you tell me the best way to make sure it reaches them?"
Keep it short, leave the letter, and write down who you spoke to. Who approves donation requests explains which companies decide at the store and which decide centrally.
What silence means
Programs handle replies differently, so silence doesn't always mean the same thing:
- Great Wolf Lodge says every request is reviewed within two weeks and the organization is emailed whether or not it is approved. Silence past that point is worth one check-in.
- Urban Air says it will contact you if it is able to donate. Silence there usually means no.
- Books-A-Million emails a decline with the reason, and asks organizations not to phone or email about the status of a request.
For the full follow-up routine, see how to follow up on a donation request.
After a no
A declined request is still a contact. Thank the company for considering it, note the reason if one was given, and record it in the donation request tracker. If the reason was timing or a once-a-year limit, write down when you can ask again. The same company may say yes next season, and many other companies may say yes this season. The food category is a good place to find restaurant and grocery programs to add to your list.
Frequently asked questions
Why was my donation request denied?
Most declines match a rule the company published: the group or event type is excluded, the request came too late or through the wrong channel, the organization already received its donation for the year, or a document was missing. Some programs also say they can't fill every request.
Do companies donate to individuals or families?
Generally not. Books-A-Million excludes donations that benefit specific individuals or families, and Benihana and Topgolf say they do not donate to individuals. Programs give to organizations for their events.
If a company doesn't reply, did they say no?
It depends on the program. Urban Air says it will contact you if it is able to donate, so silence usually means no. Great Wolf Lodge emails every requester whether or not the request is approved.
Can we ask the same company again after a no?
Usually, yes. Record the reason, and if the decline was about timing or a once-a-year limit, ask again when the program's next window opens.
Does asking earlier improve the odds?
Asking inside the program's window does. Some programs set a minimum notice, and some also set a limit on how early you can ask: Crayola Experience asks for requests 30 days before the event and no earlier.