What Is Kohl’s Volunteer Program and How Can Nonprofits Register for It?

For more than 20 years, Kohl’s department store has had a hand in donating more than $184 million in rewards to nonprofits across the country. The program, known as Kohl’s Volunteer Program, began in 2001 and was created as a way to encourage associates to volunteer more. The program does this by donating $25 for every volunteer hour tracked by each associate to a partnering 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Is Your Organization Eligible for Kohl’s Volunteer Program?

As long as your organization is a verified 501(c)(3) and has tax-exempt status with the IRS, it is eligible to register with the program.

However, not all nonprofits are eligible for the program offered by the retail chain. Below, we’ve included a list of ineligible organizations:

• Organizations that engage in political activities.
• Groups that discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, religion, sexual orientation, age, or have exclusionary practices.
• Organizations that do not follow the Business Partner Code of Conduct
• Organizations wh do not align with Kohl’s mission of giving back to our communities.
• Groups for which its tax-exempt status has been revoked by the Internal Revenue Service.
• Organizations that intend to use Kohl’s donation for a purpose other than its charitable cause. 

How to Register Your Nonprofit for Kohl’s Volunteer Program

Before participating in the Kohl’s Volunteer Program, eligible nonprofits must register through the Benevity Causes Portal. Step-by-step instructions on how to register your nonprofit on this portal.

How to Create a Volunteer Event

After registering with the program, nonprofits will be able to create a volunteer event for any upcoming events they have. This allows the company to list your event to help share it, generating further interest in attending and volunteering.

Kohl’s Care Merchandise

Kohl’s also has several books and plush toys that benefit nonprofits called Kohl’s Care Merchandise. The company gives 100 percent of the profit from these items to nonprofits to support their programs. Since starting, Kohl’s has raised more than $375 million from its Kohl’s Care Merchandise.

GrantNews Notes

Looking for other funding opportunities for your nonprofit to continue its volunteer work? Check out GrantWatch.com and become a paid subscriber to receive access to more than 8,000 grants for nonprofits, small businesses, and individuals. This includes full eligibility criteria, contact information for grant funders, and application links.

Here are some nonprofit grants for volunteer and community service projects currently available:

1. Firstly, there are grants to nonprofits for community benefit activities. A preference is open to organizations that are located near the funding source.
2. Grants of up to $1,000 to students ages 18 and under for service projects to benefit their local community. Funding may go to support a variety of creative projects, such as playgrounds, nature trails, animal shelters, school and community gardens, facemask donations, programs for seniors, and more.
3. There are also grants to nonprofits for a wide variety of environmental and community programs and projects.
4. In addition, grants are also available to government agencies and nonprofits for collaborative arts and cultural projects that address community issues.
5. Grants of $200 to individuals, teachers, and leaders for community-based initiatives. Funding is to support valuable work in local communities benefitting residents, animals, or the environment.