Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, a longstanding American restaurant and retail chain founded in 1969, centers its community engagement efforts around its mission of Pleasing People®. This mission informs its philanthropic activities, which include both in-kind donations and sponsorship funding for nonprofit organizations across the United States. In addition to these corporate giving efforts, the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Foundation has operated for over 25 years to provide grant funding to select nonprofit organizations aligned with its values.
The company’s charitable focus is on leveraging food as a medium for community care. In 2021, Cracker Barrel launched the Food for Families initiative, emphasizing three key areas: fighting food insecurity, supporting community needs through food, and reducing food waste. These areas guide the Foundation’s funding priorities and reflect a commitment to addressing systemic issues in food access and equity, particularly among underserved and minority communities. Cracker Barrel believes that by concentrating its giving in these areas, it can deliver meaningful and sustainable impact.
Grant support from the Foundation is aimed at nonprofits working directly to alleviate hunger or promote diversity and inclusion. Organizations applying for funding must demonstrate how their initiatives address one or both of these priorities. The program particularly emphasizes work within high-need and underserved minority populations. Cracker Barrel seeks partnerships with organizations that can show measurable contributions toward food-related community support or diversity-driven programming.
The application process is managed entirely through an online portal where applicants must create an account and submit a request for funding or in-kind donations. While the application requirements are not detailed in the source text, organizations are expected to clearly describe how their work aligns with Cracker Barrel’s philanthropic goals. Notably, the Foundation explicitly excludes funding for any programs that discriminate based on protected characteristics. It also does not fund member organizations of Feeding America, instead directing them to apply through a separate process.
Due to the volume of requests, not all applicants will receive support, and Cracker Barrel reserves the right to make funding decisions at its discretion. The organization encourages applicants to learn more about its giving priorities and past grantees through its charitable giving website. While specific timelines, award amounts, or application deadlines are not disclosed, the recurring nature of this opportunity implies that applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis.
