Costco Grants | Eligibility and Application Process

Costco Grants – Overview

Costco Wholesale is a strong supporter of education. It has been a prominent supporter of the trusted College Success Foundation. The Costco Scholarship Fund supports students through initiatives like the Costco Scholarship Breakfast, benefiting underrepresented students at specific universities.

This aims to find support for under-represented students of color at Seattle University and the University of Washington.

The Costco scholarship program results from the collaboration between Costco Wholesale, Seattle University, the University of Washington and the College Success Foundation.

Costco has run several charitable efforts focused on programs that support children, education, and health and human services in the communities it serves. Throughout the year, Costco receives many requests from nonprofit organizations working to make a positive impact in the community.

In addition, Costco has supported numerous types of nonprofit and educational organizations with its grants and donations.

Eligibility Guidelines for Costco Grants

To apply for a Costco grant, organizations typically must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits focusing on children, education, health, and human services. However, depending on the program, Costco may consider other forms of support beyond monetary requests, such as in-kind donations. Costco accepts and reviews applications for grants and funds requests throughout the year. Organizations that qualify for eligibility can submit one application per fiscal year (Sep-Aug).

General Information on Costco Grants

Costco Grants are only offered to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations registered with the IRS. The company provides charitable programs and community-improvement activities in its business markets.

While 501(c)(3) nonprofits focusing on these areas are eligible, Costco’s grant programs may prioritize organizations operating in regions where Costco has a significant presence or operational interest.

Remember, Costco accepts and reviews grant requests on a rolling basis throughout the fiscal year.

Applying for Costco Grants

Before applying for a Costco grant, the first step is to check if your organization fits within Costco Wholesale’s Charitable Contributions organizations, as per their prescribed guidelines mentioned above.

Once you have read through the guidelines and the resource materials and believe that your organization falls within these parameters, you can effectively review the funding options and decide the proper level of your organization’s funding limit.

If you have a planned fundraising event or program with a specific time limit or deadline, then make sure to apply to Costco grants at least three months before the program or event. This will allow Costco enough time to evaluate and process your funding application.

According to the size and scope of your organization or fundraiser, you can apply for Costco grants using one of two appropriate levels for funding requests:

1 – Warehouse donations – These are meant for local organizations and causes. You can send an application for this Costco grant at the nearest location.

2 – Grant applications are for large organizations with a bigger scope or cause. You will need to submit applications for this grant online on the company’s official website at https://forms.benevity.org/eb5f89d4-4631-4c20-8681-0186712671a0.

To apply for these grants, you will need to provide the following materials:

W-9 letter
Cover letter
Program budget information (of the current and previous year, if applicable)
Organization’s budget information (of current and past year)
Measurable Results/Impact Report (most recent year of Costco support, required if your organization has received Costco funding in the past)

In addition, keep in mind that the following entities, organizations, individuals, and reasons are not eligible to apply or receive Costco Grants:

Individuals (GoFundMe, Crowdfunding pages, etc.)
Transportation and Travel expenses
Capital campaigns, building projects or equipment
Religious organizations for religious purposes
Political organizations
Loans or investments
Salaries or staff training
Research studies
Athletic teams, events, booster clubs, or sponsorships
Animal-related programs (shelters, etc.)
Merchandise for auctions and fundraisers
Conferences, symposiums, professional association meetings and conventions
Individual primary and secondary schools, PTA’s or PTOs
Merchandising promotion, advertising or partnerships
Parties, celebrations, festivals, parades and raffles
General awareness campaigns/advocacy programs
Deficit funding
Production/development of books, videos, films, television programs, social media or websites
Awards, memorials or monuments

Conclusion

Costco grant sizes vary, but applicants must submit applications for funds that are not more than 10% of their program’s budget. For new applicants, Costco advises submitting conservative requests for the grant amounts.

To find more information and details on eligibility and the application process for Costco Grants, we urge you to visit the official website at https://www.costco.com/charitable-giving.html.

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