# Do Wineries and Breweries Donate to Fundraiser Auctions?

> Some do, but alcohol donations come with conditions other prizes do not: licenses, age limits, state law and home-area rules. Total Wine & More offers a private wine class as an auction item; Dogfish Head gives beer only to licensed Delaware groups.

Source: https://ultimatedonations.org/wineries-breweries-that-donate  
Last updated: 2026-10-26  
Publisher: Ultimate Donations

Some wineries, breweries and distilleries donate to fundraiser auctions, but fewer publish a program than you might expect, and every alcohol donation comes with conditions that other prizes do not. The companies in our directory set rules on licensing, the applicant's age, state law and their home area. The most auction-ready option we track is not a winery at all: Total Wine & More donates a private wine class as an auction item. Dogfish Head donates beer, but only to Delaware groups holding a state gathering license. Bacardi USA considers spirits requests only for events that offer product sampling.

This guide is part of our [fundraiser donation answers](https://ultimatedonations.org/fundraiser-donation-answers) library. Each company below links to its page in our donor directory, which records what its own donation page says. Programs change, so confirm there before you send anything.

## Wine, beer and spirits programs at a glance

| Company | What it gives | Notice | The condition to check first |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Total Wine & More](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/total-wine-and-more-donation) | A private wine class for 20 as an auction item; at-cost wines and spirits | 8 weeks | The applicant must be 21 or older, and availability varies by state |
| [Dogfish Head](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/dogfish-head-product-donation) | Beer, picked up at the Milton, Delaware brewery | 30 days | Delaware groups with a gathering license from the DE State ABC Office |
| [Bacardi USA](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/bacardi-usa-donation) | In-kind or cash contributions, auction or raffle items, where legal | Four months | The event must offer product sampling and fit one of five categories |
| [Mississippi River Distilling Company](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/mississippi-river-distilling-donation) | An in-kind donation | 5 weeks | 501(c)(3) status and a completed request form |

## Total Wine & More: an auction item, not a case of wine

Total Wine & More helps registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits in states with a Total Wine & More store. For fundraising events it donates a private wine class for 20 people, hosted in a store classroom and valued at $600 ($300 in New Jersey and Oklahoma). The class is not available in Michigan, South Carolina, Washington, Wisconsin or most of North Carolina.

It also sells its Winery Direct wines at cost (a 30% discount) and Spirits Direct spirits at cost (a 10% discount), with some states excluded. Total Wine notes the at-cost wines can be used for wine pulls and "start your own cellar" auction items — useful if your committee has a budget for event wine and wants to build a lot from it. The person applying must be 21 or older, and requests need at least eight weeks' notice through its online community request portal.

A class for 20 suits a live auction better than a raffle: it is a group experience a table of friends can bid on together. If you are deciding between formats, see [what type of auction is right for your event](https://ultimatedonations.org/what-type-of-auction-is-right-for-your-event).

## Breweries: local, licensed and picked up

Dogfish Head shows how narrow a brewery program can be. Through its Beer & Benevolence program it donates beer only to Delaware groups with a gathering license from the DE State ABC Office. Apply through its online form at least 30 days ahead — requests for events less than 30 days away are declined automatically — and plan to collect the donation at the Milton brewery during prearranged weekday hours. It chooses not to donate to motorsports groups, children's groups, bands, or athletes and sports teams, aside from a few local, family and brewery teams.

Not every brewery publishes a route. We found no program for [River Styx Brewing](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/river-styx-brewing-donation) at our last check. For a local brewery with no published program, the owner or taproom manager is the person to ask, in person and with your request in writing.

## Spirits and distilleries

Bacardi USA considers online requests from 501(c)(3) charities, or events benefiting one, in five categories: health and social services, higher education, arts and culture, environmental and conservation, and heritage. A committee reviews each request, and events must offer product sampling and reach the company's consumer audience. Submit at least four months ahead; processing takes six to eight weeks. Bacardi USA says it can support only a small portion of the requests it receives and often turns down applicants who fit its guidelines.

Mississippi River Distilling Company says it is asked to support hundreds of causes each year and cannot accommodate every request that fits its guidelines. It asks for a request form with your organization and contact details, whether the donation benefits a 501(c)(3), a description of the event and a mailing address, and it lists a lead time of five weeks.

## Wine bars and restaurants

Some restaurants with a wine focus decide donations location by location. Each [Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/flemings-prime-steakhouse-donation) restaurant handles donation requests in its own community: send a request on letterhead with your tax ID to the restaurant nearest your event, and call that location first for its instructions. What each location gives is its own decision. For more restaurant options, see [which restaurants donate to fundraisers](https://ultimatedonations.org/restaurants-that-donate-to-fundraisers).

## Before you put alcohol on the prize table

Every program above ties its donation to the law: Total Wine's class and discounts vary by state, Dogfish Head requires a state license, and Bacardi gives only where legal. Your event has the same obligation. Before you plan a wine pull or a beer basket, check your state's rules on raffling, auctioning and serving donated alcohol, and decide who will check winners' ages. Many organizers find an experience — a wine class, a tasting, a brewery tour certificate — simpler to offer than bottles.

For the rest of the auction table, our guide to [companies that donate silent auction items](https://ultimatedonations.org/companies-that-donate-silent-auction-items) covers experiences, merchandise and gift cards.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does Total Wine donate to fundraisers?

Yes, for 501(c)(3) nonprofits in states with a store: a private wine class for 20 as an auction item, plus at-cost wines and spirits. See [Total Wine & More](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/total-wine-and-more-donation).

### Will a brewery donate beer to a school or kids' fundraiser?

Not Dogfish Head: it does not donate to children's groups, and it gives beer only to licensed Delaware groups. See [Dogfish Head](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/dogfish-head-product-donation).

### How far ahead should we ask a spirits company?

Bacardi USA asks for at least four months, with six to eight weeks of processing. See [Bacardi USA](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/bacardi-usa-donation).

### Can we raffle donated wine?

That depends on your state's alcohol and raffle rules. Check them before you plan the prize, and consider an experience such as a wine class instead.