McDonald’s Golden Grants Program

McDonald’s, through its Golden Grants program, offers financial support to educational and nonprofit organizations that serve children ages 5 to 18 in grades K–12. The program is designed to inspire and uplift students in specific communities across Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Oklahoma, and South Carolina. The initiative demonstrates McDonald’s commitment to investing in youth by funding creative, innovative, and impactful projects that directly benefit students. Golden Grants is managed in partnership with H/L Agency, and applications are accepted only from qualifying counties within the eligible states. The program provides grants in multiple award tiers. Most awards are valued at $10,000, $5,000, $2,500, or $1,000, with a special $20,000 tier available for the Atlanta and Columbus, Georgia areas. Funding is intended for activities in arts, education initiatives, mentorship and empowerment programs, after-school programs, community service, sports, and technology. Applicants must demonstrate need and ensure the funded activities directly support K–12 students in the approved geographic areas. Funds must be utilized within 12 months of receipt. Certain expenditures are not permitted, including deficit reduction, loan repayments, capital expenses, salaries, professional development, fundraising, hospitality, lobbying, tuition, scholarships, religious projects without a secular focus, and competition prizes. To be eligible, applicants must be the program’s leader representing an organization that serves K–12 students in one or more of the listed counties. Qualifying applicants may include nonprofit organizations, independent school districts, and other eligible entities, but only one application per program, initiative, or organization will be accepted. The application process requires full completion of the online form, including contact and organizational details, project name, selected award category, project description, estimated student impact, program duration, grade levels served, student demographics, program category, itemized budget, and tax identification number. A W-9 form in PDF format must be uploaded with the submission. Applications that are incomplete, late, or not from eligible locations will be disqualified. For the 2025 cycle, applications open on June 2, 2025, and close at 11:59 PM Eastern Time on October 10, 2025. Review of applications begins October 13, 2025. Winners will be announced in November 2025, followed by grant recipient celebrations in November and December. Grants will be awarded based on creativity, innovation, and community impact of the proposed projects. Potential recipients will be notified by email in November and must return a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release within seven days. The application process is fully online at www.McDGoldenGrants.com. Entrants must follow the provided guidelines and agree to the program’s terms and conditions. The program has strict eligibility rules, geographic limitations, and spending restrictions, ensuring that funding supports programs aligned with its mission. McDonald’s and H/L Agency may reassign submitted programs to different award tiers to best serve community needs. Questions about the program can be directed to goldengrantsinfo@hl.agency. The sponsor’s address is McDonald’s ℅ H/L Agency – 95 Merrick Way Ste. 720, Coral Gables, FL 33134. The Golden Grants program is offered annually, making it a recurring opportunity for eligible organizations in participating states and counties to seek support for impactful educational and youth-focused initiatives.

Ensure the application is complete, aligns with eligibility requirements, and demonstrates clear community impact.