# Should You Ask Companies for Donations at Year-End or on Giving Tuesday?

> Yes, if you ask for what company programs actually give: a restaurant give-back night on Giving Tuesday itself, and product requests for winter and spring events. Do not count on last-minute December prizes.

Source: https://ultimatedonations.org/year-end-giving-tuesday-company-donations  
Last updated: 2026-10-24  
Publisher: Ultimate Donations

Yes, but ask for what company programs actually give at that time of year. On Giving Tuesday itself, the best fit is a restaurant give-back night, because several programs in our directory run them on Tuesdays. The rest of the year-end stretch is the send window for winter and spring events, plus a check on which annual limits are about to reset. What year-end is not good for is a last-minute December prize: most programs ask for weeks of notice, and across more than 25,000 fundraising events in our own records over fifteen years, July and December are the quietest months for fundraisers.

## What companies can do for a Giving Tuesday campaign

Giving Tuesday, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, is mostly a day for online gifts from individual supporters. We found no program in our directory built around the day itself, so do not send a company a request that leans on it. What does fit is a company program that already runs on a Tuesday, or one that works online.

### A give-back night on the day

A give-back night turns your supporters' dinner into a gift: the restaurant donates a share of the sales your group brings in. These programs in our directory can fall on a Tuesday or run online:

| Program | Days | What your group receives |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [P.F. Chang's](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/pf-changs-donation) Dine to Donate | Monday, Tuesday or Thursday | 10% of food and non-alcoholic beverage sales from your guests |
| [Runza](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/runza-donation) fundraiser night | Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday evening | A percentage of sales; Nebraska, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and South Dakota |
| [Papa Gino's](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/papa-ginos-donation) Raise Some Dough | Sunday to Thursday, 11 AM to 9 PM | 20% of pre-tax sales, once the event reaches $250 |
| [Panda Express](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/panda-express-product-donation) Virtual Community Fundraiser | Online | Listed by Panda as a 28% giveback |

A virtual fundraiser suits an online campaign best, because supporters can take part from wherever they read your appeal. Book early: Runza, for example, asks for at least four weeks' notice. For more options, see [restaurants that donate to fundraisers](https://ultimatedonations.org/restaurants-that-donate-to-fundraisers).

### Donated items as thank-you gifts: read the rules first

Some groups want a donated prize to reward online givers. Check the program's own rules before you ask. [LEGOLAND Florida Resort](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/legoland-florida-product-donation), for example, says it does not donate for prizes, incentives or what it calls opportunity drawings. A request that describes a use the company has ruled out is an easy no.

## Year-end is the send window for winter and spring events

March, April and May are the busiest months for fundraisers in our records, so the weeks around the holidays are when spring events should be sending their longest-lead requests. Hotels, travel and experiences need the most notice; our guide to [how far in advance to request donations](https://ultimatedonations.org/when-to-send-donation-requests) sets out windows by donor type. If you run a December event yourself, our roundup of [companies that donate for holiday fundraisers](https://ultimatedonations.org/holiday-fundraiser-donations) covers who to ask and how early.

## Watch the calendar: annual limits and review cycles

The turn of the year changes what you can ask for, and programs count the year in different ways.

- **Calendar-year limits reset in January.** [Universal Orlando](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/universal-orlando-donation) takes one request per organization per calendar year. [Whole Foods Market](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/whole-foods-market-donation) gives priority to groups that have not had another donation that calendar year. If you already used one of these on a fall event, a request for an event in the new year may be back in reach. Read the program's page for how it counts before you send.
- **Rolling limits do not reset in January.** The [Atlanta Symphony Orchestra](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/atlanta-symphony-orchestra-donation) allows one request per 12 months, so a donation you received last spring still counts until twelve months have passed.
- **Some programs review on a cycle.** [Ingles Markets](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/ingles-markets-donation) says its Corporate Giving Committee reviews requests quarterly. [Wawa](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/wawa-donation) accepts grant requests over $2,500 in January, April, July and October, while its in-kind requests for local events need about three weeks.
- **Some programs are closed for now.** The [Kansas City Royals](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/kansas-city-royals-donation) page says requests for this season are closed and to check back at the start of the next one. Note the reopening on your calendar rather than sending into a closed queue.

## A year-end checklist

1. Book a give-back night for Giving Tuesday, or set up a virtual one, at least four weeks out.
2. Check any donated item you plan to use as a thank-you gift against the company's stated rules.
3. Send the longest-lead requests for winter and spring events before the holiday weeks.
4. List which programs you used this year and whether each counts by calendar year or rolling twelve months.
5. Put review cycles and reopening dates on your calendar.
6. Thank every company that gave this year before the year closes; our guide to [how to thank a company for a donation](https://ultimatedonations.org/thank-a-company-for-a-donation) covers what to say.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do companies donate for Giving Tuesday?

We found no program in our directory built around Giving Tuesday itself, but restaurant give-back nights that run on Tuesdays or online, such as [P.F. Chang's Dine to Donate](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/pf-changs-donation), fit the day well.

### Is December a good time to ask companies for donations?

It is a good time to send requests for spring events, but a poor time to ask for a December prize, since most programs want weeks of notice.

### Do company donation limits reset on January 1?

Only for programs that count by calendar year, such as [Universal Orlando](https://ultimatedonations.org/donor/universal-orlando-donation); programs that allow one request per 12 months keep counting from your last donation.