OVERVIEW: Panda Cares is the philanthropic vehicle of the Panda Restaurant Group. The organization supports pediatric hospitals, education and disaster relief. Funding is mainly limited to the U.S.
IP TAKE: Panda Cares runs open application programs for its scholarship programs; however, it is not accessible regarding other focus areas. Beyond scholarships, the foundation only accepts proposals by invitation. It’s relatively responsive, so reach out with general questions. This is a tough nut to crack.
PROFILE: Established in 1999, Panda Cares is the philanthropic vehicle of the Panda Restaurant Group, the parent company of the Panda Inn, Panda Express and Hibachi-San restaurant chains. Based in Las Vegas, the foundation aims “to serve the health and education needs of underserved youth and to foster the spirit of giving.” This funder makes grants for public health, K-12 education, higher education, racial justice and equity and disaster relief, prioritizing geographic areas where its parent company operates restaurants. In addition to its philanthropic activities, Panda Cares runs extensive food and supplies donation programs.
Grants for Public Health
Since 2003, Panda Cares has given more than $85 million to over 100 Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. It has also bankrolled the establishment of Panda Cares Centers of Hope at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, California and the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, which received a $20 million grant in 2020. Panda Cares Centers of Hope aim “to inspire hope and promote healing by providing specially curated programs that address each child’s entire well-being.” It appears that this funder’s giving for public health follows only a handful of grantees with which it has partnered.
Grants for K-12 Education and College Readiness
Panda Cares’ K-12 funding prioritizes character education, academic success and college readiness and access programs, partnering with national organizations to bring programs to public and charter schools in 38 states. Recent funding has gone to the national program Leader in Me, which prepares K-12 students “with college, career, and life-readiness skills that are necessary to thrive in today’s ever-changing, fast-paced environment.” Panda Cares has also partnered with Reading is Fundamental, Reading Partners and the College Advising Corps to bring quality programs and enrichments to schools across the country. In 2022, it pledged to give $3.5 million to young people from low-income households through DonorsChoose.
Grants for Higher Education
Panda Cares supports higher education via the Panda Cares Scholars Program, which provides scholarships to high performing students involved in campus leadership and/or community service. The program currently runs two awards programs: Panda Cares First-Year Scholars and Panda Cares Scholars. The First-Year Scholars Program awards assistance to graduating high school seniors entering four-year accredited colleges and universities based on merit and need. The Scholars Program aims to support “outstanding students” who face financial barriers to college completion. In addition to financial support, the program provides recipients with leadership and career development opportunities.
Grants for Racial Justice and Equity
Panda Cares broadly supports racial justice and equity in the U.S. via its education funding programs, which prioritize students and communities of color. Grantees include UNCF and the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
Grants for Disaster Relief
Panda Cares has made donations of money, food and protective gear in response to several recent disasters, including the COVID-19 crisis of 2020. Recipients of disaster relief funding include Feeding America, the American Red Cross and the Tzu Chi Foundation.
Important Grant Details:
The Panda Cares Foundation makes about $20 million in grants, donations and scholarships each year. Grants range from $5 to $500,000. This funder generally provides ongoing support to well-known children’s hospitals and large national organizations. For additional information about its grantee-partners, see Panda Cares partners page.
Panda Cares accepts applications for its scholars programs and provides application information beginning in January of each year. It also accepts requests for food donations via its website. Applications for other types of funding are accepted by invitation only. General inquiries may be directed to Panda Cares’ staff via the organization’s online contact page.
PEOPLE:
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