Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation
Between its 2020–2024 filings, Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation made 68 grants to Florida organizations totaling $3,802,066 — median $10,000. Here is what they actually funded, from their IRS 990-PF filings. A note on dates: 990-PF filings become public one to two years after the fiscal year they cover, so 2024 is the newest year on public record — giving patterns persist, but always confirm current priorities with the funder.
Winnability verdict
Apply Our reading as of October 11, 2026, from filings through 2024.
- Their filing publishes an application route — the door is open (details under “How to approach them” below).
- A real pattern, not a one-off: 37 grants in education & literacy on their Florida record ($147,066).
- Size the ask from their record: median grant $10,000, largest $500,000.
Deadline: Deadline, per their filing: “HOW THE PROJECT'S SUCCESS WILL BE DETERMINED | Deadlines: N/A”
The verdict is our judgment from public filings — the funder’s own process statements are quoted where they exist, and funders make their own decisions. Verify with the funder before applying.
What they actually fund
- Education & literacy — 37 grant(s), $147,066
- Youth & family services — 37 grant(s), $147,066
- Food security & nutrition — 14 grant(s), $440,000
- Arts & culture — 5 grant(s), $1,215,000
A grant that serves more than one cause is counted under each cause it fits, so the totals above can overlap — the headline grant count above is the true total.
Where their Florida grants land: Orlando, Winter Park, Sanford, Winter Garden, Tampa.
Grants on the record
The largest itemized Florida grants in their filings, one row per recipient. “Grants” counts how many times they funded that recipient in the years on record; the amount and purpose are from the largest of those grants.
| Years | Recipient | Grants | Largest grant | Stated purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida Inc | 1 | $500,000 | Grants Payable |
| 2020–2024 | Heart of Florida United Way | 5 | $300,000 | Grants - Healthy Communities |
| 2020–2024 | United Arts of Central Florida Inc | 5 | $265,000 | Grants - Healthy Communities |
| 2022 | Volunteer Florida Foundation Inc | 1 | $200,000 | Grants - Healthy Communities |
| 2020–2024 | Seniors First Inc | 5 | $110,000 | Grants - Healthy Communities |
| 2020–2024 | Second Harvest Food Bank | 4 | $100,000 | Grants - Healthy Communities |
| 2020–2024 | The Monarch Learning Academy Inc | 4 | $23,000 | Grants - Education Gift Match |
| 2020–2024 | Coalition for the Homeless of Central Fl Inc | 5 | $10,000 | Grants - Healthy Communities |
How to approach them
Apply: PROPOSALS WILL BE CONSIDERED ONLY IF THEY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION: 1. NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION 2. CONTACT PERSON AND TITLE 3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION INCLUDING HISTORY AND PURPOSE OF THE CHARITY 4. COPY OF THE IRS EXEMPTION LETTER VERIFYING 501(C)(3) TAX-EXEMPT STATUS 5. LATEST AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT 6. CURRENT OPERATING BUDGET AND SOURCES OF INCOME 7. LIST OF NAMES AND PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS OF DIRECTORS AND TRUSTEES 8. W-9 FORM ADDITIONALLY, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION REGARDING THE PARTICULAR PROGRAM FOR WHICH FUNDING IS BEING SOUGHT MUST BE PROVIDED: 1. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM 2. THE NEEDS BEING ADDRESSED 3. PLAN OF ACTION AND TIME FRAME 4. TOTAL FUNDING REQUIRED AND PROJECTED RESOURCES 5. THE AMOUNT REQUESTED 6. HOW THE PROJECT'S SUCCESS WILL BE DETERMINED | Deadlines: N/A | Restrictions: DARDEN RESTAURANTS, INC. FOUNDATION GENERALLY DOES NOT FUND THE FOLLOWING: 1. ORGANIZATIONS WHICH DO NOT HAVE 501(C)(3) TAX-EXEMPT STATUS 2. EVENT SPONSORSHIPS (WALKS, RUNS, ETC.) 3. RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES 4. POLITICAL CANDIDATES OR LOBBYING ORGANIZATIONS 5. NATIONAL OR LOCAL CHAPTERS OF DISEASE-SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS 6. NATIONAL CONFERENCES, SPORTS EVENTS AND OTHER ONE-TIME, SHORT-TERM EVENTS 7. ATHLETIC TEAM SPONSORSHIPS OR SCHOLARSHIPS 8. ANTI-BUSINESS GROUPS 9. TEAM SPONSORSHIPS OR ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS 10. CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS 11. TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR GROUPS OR INDIVIDUALS 12. INDIVIDUALS SEEKING SCHOLARSHIPS 13. HEALTH-RELATED FUNDING REQUESTS 14. FUND-RAISING ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS GALAS, BENEFITS, DINNERS AND SPORTING EVENTS 15. GOODWILL ADVERTISING, SOUVENIR JOURNALS OR DINNER PROGRAMS 16. DONATIONS TO FRATERNITIES OR SORORITIES 17. ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES AND ITS TERRITORIES OR CANADA | ~27 grants/yr, median $10,000
Source: 990-PF Part XV via grantmakers.io.
Full filings on ProPublica · EIN 593332929
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Data: itemized grants from IRS 990-PF filings through 2024, via public records. Page updated October 11, 2026. Winnable Grants is not affiliated with Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation; figures are our reading of public filings — verify with the funder before applying. Nothing here is legal or financial advice.