Please review the following Panera Fundraising Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions, please reach out to us at fundraising@panerabread.com.
Step 1: Submit a registration form and create your Panera Fundraising Account. Please ensure you have a completed W9 to upload with your submission.
Our team will review your request and respond within 10 business days.
Step 2: Once your event is approved, you may begin promoting your event. We provide flyers and social media assets to make advertising easier.
Step 3: Have your event!
Either 20% or 25% of the total net sales from your designated and registered fundraising event will be donated to your approved organization. The percentage amount of net sales that will be donated varies by bakery-cafe. Minimum sales required. Minimum sales requirement varies from $100 – $150 per fundraising event based on bakery-cafe. Details on percentage of net sales to be donated and the minimum sales requirement will be provided during the event registration process. You do not need to be present during your event. Guests dining in cafe should provide a physical or digital copy of the flyer to the cashier. Guests ordering online should enter the promo code found on the flyer prior to electronic payment.
Step 4: Results
We will receive an email and can review in your account the results of your fundraising event within 7 business days of the event. A check will be mailed to the mailing address on file and will arrive within 45 business days.
Either 20% or 25% of the total net sales from your designated and registered fundraising event will be donated to your approved organization. The percentage amount of net sales that will be donated varies by bakery-cafe. Minimum sales required. Minimum sales requirement varies from $100 – $150 per fundraising event based on bakery-cafe. Details on percentage of net sales to be donated and the minimum sales requirement will be provided during the event registration process.
At this time, we are only able to partner with tax-exempt, 501C3 organizations. We wish you and your organization the best of luck. Should your status ever change, we welcome you to partner with us in the future!
No, it is not necessary to contact the bakery-cafe. Your fundraising coordinator will arrange all of the details with your organization and the bakery-cafe.
Each organization is limited to one event every 30 days, assuming past events have been successful. Please note this ruling may vary based on cafe location.
Please click on the link in your confirmation email to cancel your event. We understand life happens, but as a courtesy, please try to cancel your event at least 72 hours prior to your event.
Please click on the link in your confirmation email. Here you will be taken to our Fundraising Portal where you can request a date change.
At this time, we are unable to adjust the time of the event. All in-cafe events will take place from 4PM – 8PM. Remember, online/mobile orders placed all day will count towards your event. Guests should enter the promo code found on the promotional flyer prior to online payment.
A link to download your flyer is found in your confirmation email. You can also access the flyer by logging into the Panera fundraiser portal and clicking on your approved event. The flyer can be found in the “create” tab in your event reservation. If you are having trouble obtaining it, please reach out to us.
Please allow our fundraising team 10 business days from the date of your submission to review your event request. If you have not received a response after this time you may need to re-submit as the event request may not have gone through correctly.
Please allow 45 - 60 business days for your check to arrive following your Panera fundraising event. If it has been more than 45 - 60 business days, please reply to your confirmation e-mail. A check will not be issued until a valid tax exempt form has been submitted, so please confirm with your fundraising coordinator that your submitted form was an acceptable document.
We would be happy to cancel the current check and reissue a new one. Please send us a message and let us know you never received your check. Please provide the best mailing address for our finance team to reissue your check.
Provided the required minimum sales amount was met, either 20% or 25% of the total net sales brought in by your organization will be donated back. The percentage amount of net sales that will be donated varies by bakery-cafe. You will receive an email with the donation total within seven business days of your scheduled event.
Panera is proud to participate in gift card (aka scrip) fundraising, helping schools and non-profit organizations raise money. This popular fundraising program invites schools and non-profit organizations to purchase Panera Bread® Gift Cards and eGift cards at a reduced cost, and then re-sell the Panera Bread Gift Cards at full price. To enroll in a program or to learn more information, you can contact RaiseRight (formerly ShopWithScrip) at 1-800-727-4715 or learn more at www.raiseright.com (or UnitedScrip, Inc. at 1.866.611.9701 or info@unitedscrip.com).
Gift cards, catering orders, and third-party delivery orders are excluded and will not count towards event sales total.
No, the purchase of a gift card will not count towards event sales. You may however, use a gift card as a form of payment.
We love to partner with our communities! While we do not currently have an event donations or sponsorship program, we care for our communities by donating to charities dedicated to fighting hunger and food insecurity through our Day-End Dough-Nation program, as well as providing grants to local non-profits from The Panera Bread Foundation. Refer to those pages to see if your organization qualifies. We look forward to partnering with you!
Simply follow the "Forgot your password" link on the login screen.
Yes. From the User Management within the Profile section, click on the Invite New User button and follow the prompts.
Yes, can modify or change the name on the marketing flyer by editing the file in the creative section of the reservation.
Yes, you can change the mailing address for the donation in the payment section of the reservation.
Yes, slimply change the name and email address to the new contact in personal details in the profile section.
In order for our cafe teams to provide the best service during your event we ask that all organizations to book a min. of 2 - 3 week prior to the event. The registration request process will let you know the soonest date available based on the cafe you select for the event.