H-E-B donation request

Community Investment Program: store request ($200 or less)

A charitable donation of $200 or less requested at a local store. The program as a whole gives in-kind product, volunteers or money, depending on the need.. $200 or less

Who can apply

• The Donation Guidelines require valid IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
• Operates within the immediate H-E-B, Central Market or Mi Tienda service area
• Supports one of these focus areas: arts and humanities, disaster relief, diversity and inclusion, education and literacy, environmental and sustainability programs, health and wellness, hunger relief, military and veteran support, or general social services

Not eligible

• Organizations whose 501(c) status is pending
• Asking more than one H-E-B, Central Market, Mi Tienda or Joe V's Smart Shop store for the same event or program, or applying both at a store and online for it

How to apply

1. Go to your local H-E-B, Central Market or Mi Tienda store.
2. Ask a store Partner (employee) for a donation application and submit it in person at the store.
3. Ask only one store, and do not also apply online for the same request.

Official page

newsroom.heb.com/application-faq/

Community Investment Program: My Community Investment (MCI) online portal (more than $200)

In-kind product, volunteers, or monetary funding, depending on the need. Requests greater than $200. An approval is not necessarily for the whole amount requested.

Who can apply

• A nonprofit with a valid IRS 501(c) designation, a municipality, or a school education foundation (application FAQ). The donation guidelines say an organization must maintain valid 501(c)(3) status to receive donations.
• Operates within the immediate H-E-B, Central Market or Mi Tienda service area
• Supports one of these focus areas: arts and humanities, disaster relief, diversity and inclusion, education and literacy, environmental and sustainability programs, health and wellness, hunger relief, military and veteran support, or general social services
• The event or program has a start date or deadline at least eight weeks after the application is submitted
• The organization has not applied to its local H-E-B, Central Market or Mi Tienda for the same request

Not eligible

• Advertising
• Individuals
• Operating expenses
• School trips
• Sports events
• Teams
• Third-party fundraisers
• Organizations whose 501(c) status is pending
• Asking more than one H-E-B, Central Market, Mi Tienda or Joe V's Smart Shop store for the same event or program, or applying both at a store and online for it
• Mailed or emailed applications (H-E-B accepts requests only through MCI)

How to apply

1. Read the Donation Guidelines and Application FAQ. Questions about eligibility go to your regional H-E-B Public Affairs office before you apply (phone numbers are on the newsroom Contact Us page).
2. Create an account on My Community Investment (MCI), H-E-B's online donation portal. H-E-B recommends using Google Chrome.
3. Answer a few preliminary questions, then complete three pages: Contact Information, Organization Information and Request Details. You can save and finish later; an in-progress application with no updates is deleted after 90 days.
4. Review the application, add attachments and select Submit. You should receive a confirmation email; if you do not, the application was not submitted.
5. Re-apply online every year if you want to be considered again, whatever your giving history.

Lead time

The application must reach MCI at least eight weeks before the date you want an approval or decline notice, and at least eight weeks before the event or program's start date or deadline. Larger requests may take longer to review.

Deadlines

No fixed application window is stated. Organizations must re-apply online every year to be considered.

Response

H-E-B Partners review the application and respond within eight weeks with an MCI notification saying whether it was approved or declined. Approved funds are mailed by USPS to the W9 address on the application unless otherwise indicated.

Official page

heb.my.site.com/MCI/s/login/

Write the request

Before you open the form, write down what the donation is for, the date, how many people it reaches and how you will thank H-E-B. If H-E-B asks for a letter, adapt the donation request template or a youth sports sponsorship letter. After a yes, send a sponsor thank-you letter.

Questions

Does H-E-B Public Affairs sponsor youth sports teams?

No. H-E-B's donation guidelines say Public Affairs does not fund sports events, teams, school trips, individuals, advertising, operating expenses or third-party fundraisers.

How far ahead should we apply to H-E-B?

Online requests must be received at least eight weeks before your deadline date, and the event or program must have a start date or deadline at least eight weeks after you submit. Larger requests may take more time to review.

How long does H-E-B take to reply?

H-E-B says it responds within eight weeks of an online submission, with a notification from the My Community Investment portal saying whether the request was approved or declined.

Can we email or mail our request to H-E-B?

No. Requests over $200 must go through the My Community Investment online portal, and H-E-B does not accept mailed or emailed applications. Requests of $200 or less go to a local store.

Can a school apply to H-E-B?

For online requests, H-E-B's application FAQ lists school education foundations, 501(c) nonprofits and municipalities as eligible. Its online eligibility criteria exclude requests for school trips.

Sources

• H-E-B | Apply for Support (Community Investment Program) (H-E-B)
• H-E-B | Donation Guidelines (H-E-B)
• H-E-B Donation Application FAQs (H-E-B)
• Contact Us (Public Affairs regional contact list) (H-E-B)
• My Community Investment Login (H-E-B (Salesforce site))

Other grocery stores companies

• Aldi donation request
• Kroger donation request
• Meijer donation request
• Publix donation request
• Wegmans donation request
• Whole Foods donation request

All 32 companies that donate