Can we ask Nike or a Nike store to donate shoes or gear?

No. Nike says it does not accept unsolicited requests for product donations. It directs schools and organizations to its product donation partners: Good360, Good Sports and Soles4Souls.

Will Nike sponsor our team or event?

Nike says it does not accept unsolicited sponsorship requests. It seeks out the athletes it sponsors.

When can we apply for a Nike Community Impact Fund grant?

Applications open in January, and organizations hear back by the end of May. Nike lists Atlanta, Boston, Mid-South/Memphis, Portland/Pacific Northwest and St. Louis as the U.S. areas for the January 2027 round.

Can a youth sports team get a Nike Community Impact Fund grant?

In the Pacific Northwest, the applicant must be a 501(c)(3) public charity, a federally recognized Indian tribe or a government entity, or apply through a fiscal sponsor with that status. The guidelines exclude elite or private sports camps, programs or teams.

Can individuals apply?

The 2026 Pacific Northwest Nike Community Impact Fund guidelines exclude individual support, including scholarships, stipends, fellowships and personal assistance.

Nike donation request

Nike does not accept unsolicited requests for product donations or sponsorships. It gives products through nonprofit partners (Good360, Good Sports and Soles4Souls), which organizations apply to directly, and it gives cash grants through the Nike Community Impact Fund in five U.S. areas, with the next applications opening in January 2027. A school or youth program outside those areas should apply to Good Sports or Good360 first.

Checked against NIKE, Inc.'s own pages on October 5, 2026 by With Help From. Not affiliated with NIKE, Inc..

Status: Accepts requests
What it gives: Nike products and other donated goods, handed out by Nike's product donation partners. Good360 lists Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse gear in its catalog for member nonprofits. Good Sports gives new sports equipment, footwear and apparel to schools and youth programs (up to 8 donations over two years for approved organizations). Soles4Souls is the third partner Nike names. (Product donations through Nike's donation partners)
Cash grants to nonprofits and schools for projects that get more kids active through sport or other physical activities. The fund is run with the Oregon Community Foundation, which says it awards at least $550,000 per year. (Nike Community Impact Fund: Portland, Oregon and Pacific Northwest)
Grants to local nonprofit organizations and schools that make play and sport possible for youth in their communities. (Nike Community Impact Fund: Atlanta, Boston, Mid-South/Memphis and St. Louis)
Who decides: Unclear

Apply on about.nike.com

Product donations through Nike's donation partners

Nike products and other donated goods, handed out by Nike's product donation partners. Good360 lists Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse gear in its catalog for member nonprofits. Good Sports gives new sports equipment, footwear and apparel to schools and youth programs (up to 8 donations over two years for approved organizations). Soles4Souls is the third partner Nike names.

Who can apply: Good360: nonprofits approved as Good360 members. Good360 lists 501(c)(3) public charities, faith-based organizations with IRS documentation, and schools with an NCES school or district ID
Good Sports: schools and youth-serving organizations located in the U.S. that directly serve youth ages 3 to 18 in high-poverty areas, charge a participation fee of $299 or below, and provide consistent access to physical activity or play
Good Sports, schools only: more than half of the student body is eligible for free or reduced lunch, and the school does not charge tuition
Not eligible: Requests sent to Nike itself: Nike does not accept unsolicited requests for product donations
Good360: private foundations, other 501(c) classifications, government agencies and for-profit schools
Good Sports: individual families or children
Good360: reselling, exchanging or bartering donated goods
How to apply: Do not send a product request to Nike. Nike says it does not accept unsolicited requests for product donations and directs schools and organizations to its donation partners.
For sports equipment for a youth program or school in a high-poverty area, apply to Good Sports using the form for community organizations or the form for schools. Approved organizations pay a shipping and handling fee equal to 5% of the value of the equipment (some exceptions may apply), submit an evaluation after each donation and sign a release form.
For general goods, register your nonprofit with Good360 (registration is free), then order Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse items from the Good360 catalog when they are available. Good360 charges an administrative fee when a member places an order.
Soles4Souls (soles4souls.org) is the third donation partner Nike lists.
Response: Good360 says membership approval usually takes a few business days, based on eligibility. Good Sports notifies applicants of their status by email within 2-3 weeks after submission; holiday breaks may affect timing. Meeting its minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance.
Official page: about.nike.com/en/resources/product-donations

Nike Community Impact Fund: Portland, Oregon and Pacific Northwest

Cash grants to nonprofits and schools for projects that get more kids active through sport or other physical activities. The fund is run with the Oregon Community Foundation, which says it awards at least $550,000 per year.. Awards will range from $5,000 to $25,000 each (2026 guidelines).

Who can apply: 501(c)(3) public charities, IRC 7871 federally recognized Indian tribes, or government entities
Groups without that status can apply through a fiscal sponsor that has it. A group expecting nonprofit status soon that has no fiscal sponsor cannot apply
Projects must serve at least one of these counties: Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Yamhill, Columbia, Linn, Benton, Marion or Polk in Oregon, or Clark County in Washington
Projects must get more kids active through sport or other physical activities
Schools can apply, including schools with relatively few low-income students, though the FAQ says projects serving high-need children and youth are more compelling
You do not need to know a Nike employee to apply
Not eligible: Projects that do not serve one of the ten listed counties
Organizations that discriminate based on age, ethnicity or race, political affiliation, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, physical or other disability, or national origin
Individual support, including scholarships, stipends, fellowships and personal assistance
Group or individual travel
Research projects
Sponsorship of fundraising events
Elite or private sports camps, programs or teams
One-day events, unless the project focuses on programs leading up to a culminating event
Endowments, memorials, budget deficits or fundraising activities
Religious organizations whose programs do not have a secular and community focus
Lobbying, political or fraternal activities
Capital projects, unless Nike's award would be the final funding needed
Projects and events that take place before the grant is paid
The 2026 guidelines exclude organizations that received a Nike Community Impact Fund grant in the past two years, but the FAQ says a different project may apply sooner. Ask OCF to resolve this conflict before applying.
Projects to improve a nonprofit's fundraising, marketing, or staff or board infrastructure
How to apply: Read the NCIF Program Guidelines and FAQ on the Oregon Community Foundation's Nike Community Impact Fund page.
If your nonprofit has never applied for an Oregon Community Foundation grant, click MyOCF on oregoncf.org and choose 'Create a Nonprofit Account' well before the deadline. OCF says you will hear from its Grants Administration team within one week about next steps.
Submit one application during the announced application window. The 2026 cycle is closed, and Nike lists January 2027 for the next opening; a 2027 closing date is not stated. You can use your own project budget layout or OCF's template.
Send questions about eligibility or your project to OCF-NikeFund@oregoncf.org and technical questions to grants@oregoncf.org.
If you receive a grant, email a report to OCF-NikeFund@oregoncf.org within one year of payment with the number of youth served by gender and age, any significant project changes, and a short impact story.
Lead time: First-time Oregon Community Foundation applicants need extra time to set up a MyOCF nonprofit profile before they can submit; OCF replies within one week about next steps.
Deadlines: 2026 cycle: the application opened January 8, 2026 and closed February 17, 2026 at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, and it is now closed. Nike says the next application period for Portland, Oregon/Pacific Northwest opens in January 2027.
Response: For 2026, OCF's webpage listed notification and award distribution in mid-May, while its guidelines scheduled payments for the week of May 25. The guidelines ask applicants to allow two working days for replies to emailed questions.
Official page: oregoncf.org/grants-and-scholarships/grants/nike-community-impact-fund-program

Nike Community Impact Fund: Atlanta, Boston, Mid-South/Memphis and St. Louis

Grants to local nonprofit organizations and schools that make play and sport possible for youth in their communities.

Who can apply: Local nonprofit organizations and schools in Atlanta, Georgia; Boston, Massachusetts; Mid-South/Memphis, Tennessee; or St. Louis, Missouri
How to apply: Nike names Charities Aid Foundation of America (CAF America) as the grant partner for these four areas and says applications open in January 2027.
Nike's page does not link to the CAF America application. Check Nike's Community Impact Fund page in January 2027 for the application details.
Deadlines: Nike says to apply for a grant in these cities in January 2027.
Response: Nike says organizations are notified about their grant requests, and grants are paid, by the end of May.
Official page: about.nike.com/en/mission/initiatives/nike-community-impact-fund

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 Nike. If Nike 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

Can we ask Nike or a Nike store to donate shoes or gear?: No. Nike says it does not accept unsolicited requests for product donations. It directs schools and organizations to its product donation partners: Good360, Good Sports and Soles4Souls.
Will Nike sponsor our team or event?: Nike says it does not accept unsolicited sponsorship requests. It seeks out the athletes it sponsors.
When can we apply for a Nike Community Impact Fund grant?: Applications open in January, and organizations hear back by the end of May. Nike lists Atlanta, Boston, Mid-South/Memphis, Portland/Pacific Northwest and St. Louis as the U.S. areas for the January 2027 round.
Can a youth sports team get a Nike Community Impact Fund grant?: In the Pacific Northwest, the applicant must be a 501(c)(3) public charity, a federally recognized Indian tribe or a government entity, or apply through a fiscal sponsor with that status. The guidelines exclude elite or private sports camps, programs or teams.
Can individuals apply?: The 2026 Pacific Northwest Nike Community Impact Fund guidelines exclude individual support, including scholarships, stipends, fellowships and personal assistance.

Sources

Product Donations (NIKE, Inc. Resources) (NIKE, Inc.)
Making Play and Sport Possible Through Our Nike Community Impact Fund (NIKE, Inc.)
Does Nike Offer Grants or Donations? (Nike Help)
How can I Get Sponsored by Nike? | Nike Help (Nike Help)
Nike Community Impact Fund Program (Oregon Community Foundation (NCIF grant partner named by Nike))
2026 Nike Community Impact Fund for the Pacific NW Area: Guidelines (PDF) (Oregon Community Foundation (NCIF grant partner named by Nike))
Frequently Asked Questions, Nike Community Impact Fund (PDF) (Oregon Community Foundation (NCIF grant partner named by Nike))
Nike | Good360 (Good360 (donation partner linked from about.nike.com))
Nonprofit Membership | Good360 (Good360 (donation partner linked from about.nike.com))
Apply | Good Sports (Good Sports (donation partner linked from about.nike.com))

Other specialty retail companies

All 32 companies that donate

Ask local businesses too

Independent businesses near you have no national form: the owner decides. Post what you need so businesses on With Help From can find you, or read how to ask local businesses for donations.