Red Wing Shoe Company Foundation

Direct Grants

Complete Grant Application

Download Direct Grant Guidelines

Partners in Sharing

Download Partners in Sharing Guidelines & Form for RWSC Retirees

Direct Grant FAQs

Are there restrictions on who can receive a grant?

The Red Wing Shoe Company Foundation grants to tax exempt 501(c)(3) organizations that:

Improve the lives and communities in which our employees and business partners live and work
Work on projects that enhance the education of our youth, particularly in the fields of the arts, science
and math
Increase the wellbeing of our youth, especially youth at-risk
Develop and enhance awareness, use and protection of our natural environment
Enhance job or career readiness

Are there restrictions on who can receive a grant?

Grants are NOT usually made to the following:

To individuals
To churches or sectarian religious purposes
To multi-sourced giving drives, such as “Walk for a Cure”
To political groups

What information should you include with your application?

Include the following information, where applicable, in narrative form on the grant application:

Description, history, and background summary of the organization
Names of members of the applicant’s Board of Directors
Explanation of the need and past or present attempts to meet that need
Goals and objectives of the project
A detailed description of the cost and financial projections of the project including an itemized project budget, and other sources of funds - including the applicant’s own funds. If applicable, plans for continued support of the project, copy of applicant organization’s annual budget, including source of other funds and earned income
Benefit to the RWSC employees and their communities, including the number benefited
If the program or event operates within a school, an endorsement by the school’s administration is required.
Method of evaluating success of the project. If the project impacts children, use of the Search Institute’s, 40 Developmental Assets Survey tools will result in a much higher likelihood of funding. For questions regarding the Search Institute see http://www.search-institute.org

What happens if my organization receives a grant?

If direct grant is awarded, evaluation information is required at program or project completion, or one year after award has been given, whichever applies.

Partners in Sharing FAQs

What is Partners in Sharing?

Partners in Sharing is a matching gifts program sponsored by the Red Wing Shoe Company Foundation (“Foundation”). Under the program, qualifying contributions of money and volunteer services by eligible employees of the Company (as defined below) to qualifying nonprofit organizations will be matched with Foundation contributions.

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The Foundation’s philosophy of matching gifts is that we have a responsibility to recognize and support the many services provided to our communities by nonprofit organizations. The program allows the Foundation to express its support of eligible employees who provide assistance to these important organizations.

Who can participate?

Employees, retirees and board members of Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc., Red Wing Brands of America, Inc., S.B. Foot Tanning Company and the St. James Hotel (individually and collectively the “Company”) are eligible to participate as partners in the Partners in Sharing program
Monetary donations and/or volunteer hours to qualifying organizations are matched with monetary gifts from the Foundation (up to $2,000 and/or 80 hours per year).
Employees that are citizens of other countries that participate in team philanthropic events and/or choose to make monetary donations to eligible U.S. non-profit organizations are also eligible.

How much will the Foundation match?

You must contribute at least $25* to a nonprofit organization in order for your gift to be matched.
The maximum cash contribution that will be matched in a calendar year is $2,000. You may divide your contributions among more than one organization as long as each receives at least $25, and the total of all your gifts doesn’t exceed $2,000 per year.
Qualifying volunteer service will be matched at a fixed rate of $25/hour. The maximum donated hours that will be matched in any calendar year is a total of 80 hours for a maximum dollar match of $200*. Gifts of service may be made to more than one nonprofit organization provided each organization receives at least one hour of service and the total of all gifts of service does not exceed 80 hours.

* If any portion of the gift is returned in the form of a gift certificate, tickets, or anything else of value, deduct that value from the donation to determine dollar amount of the gift. (For example, a $50 gift with a $10 ticket gift certificate sent back to donor by an association results in gift amount of $40.)

What does the Foundation match?

Qualifying contributions can be in the form of money or volunteer service. The money you give, and the matching funds from the Foundation, must directly benefit the nonprofit organization. That means your money should be useful to the nonprofit’s operating budget, expenses for special projects, materials or equipment relating to the organization’s operations.
Your gift may be in cash (check) or in marketable securities. (If you donate a security, the Foundation will match its value as quoted in The Wall Street Journal at the close of that business day.)
Qualifying volunteer service must be for activities beyond that of a mere spectator or fundraising participant in a fundraising event. Examples of qualifying volunteer service would include service as a board member, committee member, event organizer or assistance provider for a special event like a walkathon. Examples of volunteer service that would not qualify would be a walker in a walkathon or a spectator present to support a specific walker or the event in general.
Volunteers must not accept compensation for their time. Verification of volunteer hours and benefit received must be provided to the Foundation by the nonprofit organization.

Is my gift tax-deductible?

Generally, gifts to tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organizations are deductible as charitable contributions. The value of volunteer service is not considered a charitable contribution for which volunteers may take a deduction, and participants in the Partners in Sharing program may not take a deduction for the amount of the match provided by the Foundation. Other limitations and requirements apply, and you should consult your personal tax advisors before taking any charitable deduction.

Are there any other program limitations?

The Foundation: (i) reserves absolute discretion in making the determination of whether or not a contribution of money or services is eligible for a Partners in Sharing match; (ii) reserves the right to prorate its matching gifts according to available funds; and (iii) reserves the right to revoke, suspend or terminate the program at any time. The Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, or physical disability.

How do I participate?

Red Wing offers giving opportunities to match employee donations and volunteerism. To participate use one of the options below.

Simultaneous Donation and Match: If you are looking to donate and request a match simultaneously, make a donation on Impact Hub. In the giving activity, search for qualifying nonprofit organizations of your choice.
Retroactive Match: If you already donated to an organization on their organization led site previously, complete the Retroactive Match Request Form to request that the Foundation sends matching funds to the organization which you supported. Red Wing Foundation must review the request before sending funds to the organization. You will receive an email notification once approve or denied.
Volunteering: If your donation is in the form of volunteer service, log your volunteer hours in Volunteer History by clicking the Log Your Volunteer Hours orange button. Your hours will be matched by the Foundation on a quarterly basis so long as they meet the requirements stated in the action above. Upon meeting the requirement quarterly, you will receive an email with matching funds earned and instructions on how to donate.
Please note only employees are eligible to participate in our Partners in Sharing program.

To what kind of organizations may I give?

In order to receive matching funds from the Foundation, an organization must be recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Here are some examples of the types of organizations that commonly qualify*:

Education: Public or private elementary, secondary, or technical/vocational schools and nonprofit colleges and universities.
Health and Social Services: Community clinics, hospitals, health agencies, relief agencies, emergency shelters, and agencies for children and youth.
Community Development: Crime prevention programs, employment services, housing agencies and economic development organizations.
Arts/Cultural: Theaters, public television and radio, performing arts groups, libraries and museums.
Other: Environment and animal welfare.

*When searching for an organization in a Giving Activity or requesting a Retroactive Match, you are prompted to enter the Charity ID (EIN). If you do not know the identification number, most can be found using the IRS Organization Search tool. Once the Charity ID is established, If the organization is not found upon entering the correct Charity ID into the Giving Activity or Retroactive Match form, request to add the charity to Impact Hub's giving database here. Upon submitting the request form, you will receive an email notifying you of the vetting process completion within two weeks. The charity will then be available.

What types of contributions are ineligible for matching gifts?

Under some circumstances, your contribution to an otherwise qualifying organization is not eligible for a matching gift. Those gifts include:

Bequests.
Dues to alumni groups, fraternities, membership fees or subscription fees.
Insurance premiums, tuition, books or other student fees.
Gifts made to pay admission to benefit or fundraising events. The tax deductible portion is matched if it is $25 or more.
Gifts to religious organizations (such as churches, seminaries, and synagogues), when acting to further a religious cause; for example: capital campaigns, weekly offering. Note, however, that contributions to such organizations may be matched if the sponsored program or services are non-denominational in nature. For example, contributions to a food shelf or a Habitat for Humanity project sponsored by a religious organization may be eligible for a Partners in Sharing match by the Foundation.
Gifts to organizations that are ineligible to receive corporate contributions because of state or federal law, such as political groups.
Gifts to activities that represent a conflict of interest for the Company.
Gifts to fraternal organizations.
Gifts to religious educational institutions that limit enrollment to those of a particular faith.
Gifts to federated giving drives coordinated by the Company (for example: the United Way, which is part of the Company’s payroll deduction plan).
Gifts made by spouses/partners individually.
Gifts made by surviving spouse/partners of deceased retirees or employees.
Gifts made by employee-parents for the benefit of their own children, such as individual scouting groups and individual youth athletic teams. Gifts must benefit the organization, not just the child.
Gifts to organizations that have discriminatory practices not in keeping with the Company’s diversity strategies.
Gifts to programs that support pro-life, pro-choice or other controversial social issues. The Foundation maintains a neutral stance on these issues.

Grant Guidelines

Direct Grants

Complete Grant Application

Download Direct Grant Guidelines

Partners in Sharing

Download Partners in Sharing Guidelines & Form for RWSC Retirees

Direct Grant FAQs

Partners in Sharing FAQs

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