Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation
The Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation is a private, company-sponsored foundation established in 1995 and based in Orlando, Florida. It serves as the charitable arm of Darden Restaurants, Inc., a full-service restaurant company operating hundreds of locations across North America featuring brands including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, Eddie V's, and Yard House. The foundation works in partnership with more than 1,500 restaurants and 150,000 employees to support charitable causes in communities where Darden operates.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.1M
+8.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.6M
+303.4% YoY
Grant Count
27
+58.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$246K
+154.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation reported a distributable amount of $648K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on extending Darden's core values of service into the communities it serves. Primary funding focus areas include:
- Fighting Hunger – Food security and hunger relief initiatives
- Investing in Future Generations – Education and youth development
- Helping in Times of Need – Disaster relief and emergency assistance
- Making a Difference in Our Hometown – Community development in the Orlando area and other key markets
The foundation also supports organizations involved with arts and culture, the environment, and animal welfare.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $100 to $4,000,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Florida, Ohio, and New York, with particular emphasis on communities where Darden restaurants operate across North America.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024-2025):
- Total Assets: $12,061,877
- Total Annual Giving: $6,641,840
- Revenue: $8.5 million (2024)
- Expenses: $1.65 million (2024)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,061,877 | $11,136,074 | $4,282,271 |
| Revenue | $7,584,721 | $8,502,382 | $4,157,938 |
| Expenses | $6,658,918 | $1,648,579 | $4,241,731 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,641,840 | $1,646,549 | $4,241,652 |
| Net Investment Income | $567,643 | $500,344 | $145,796 |
| Distributable Amount | $648,064 | $472,538 | $323,296 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Feeding America ($4,000,000), Boys & Girls Clubs of America ($750,000), American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A GIFT FOR TEACHING INC ORLANDO, FL | GRANTS - EDUCATION GIFT MATCH | $4,000 |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS & ITS CONSTITUENT CHAPTERS AND BRANCHES NEW YORK, NY | GRANTS - HEALTHY COMMUNITIES | $500,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA ATLANTA, GA | GRANTS - HEALTHY COMMUNITIES | $750,000 |
| CHRISTIAN BROTHERS LASALLE HIGH SCHOOL WYNDMOOR, PA | GRANTS - EDUCATION GIFT MATCH | $500 |
| COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS OF CENTRAL FL INC ORLANDO, FL | GRANTS - HEALTHY COMMUNITIES | $10,000 |
| FEEDING AMERICA CHICAGO, IL | GRANTS - HEALTHY COMMUNITIES | $4,000,000 |
| FOUNDATION ACADEMY OF WINTER GARDEN WINTER GARDEN, FL | GRANTS - EDUCATION GIFT MATCH | $2,500 |
| HEART OF FLORIDA UNITED WAY ORLANDO, FL | GRANTS - HEALTHY COMMUNITIES | $250,000 |
| LAKE HIGHLAND PREPARATORY SCHOOL ORLANDO, FL | GRANTS - EDUCATION GIFT MATCH | $2,500 |
| MARIETTA COLLEGE MARIETTA, OH | GRANTS - EDUCATION GIFT MATCH | $500 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MONE ISAIA | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| SUSAN M CONNELLY | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| RICARDO CARDENAS | CHAIRMAN & TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW R BROAD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARY DARDEN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| NONI A HOLMES-KIDD | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JOE LEE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ANGELA M SIMMONS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE L GHERTNER | EXEC. DIR., ASST. SECRETARY, TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOHN MARTIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| THERESA WILLINGS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RAJESH VENNAM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SCOTT BROPHY | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| ANDREW RUSH | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2024:** Darden Restaurants announced its fourth consecutive year of food truck donations to Feeding America, providing 10 additional 26-foot refrigerated trucks (each with 12,000-pound capacity) to food banks in California, Texas, Kentucky, South Carolina, and North Carolina, among other states. This $2 million grant from the foundation continues the company's multi-year commitment to expanding food distribution capacity.
News Details - Darden Restaurants Inc. - Investor Relations**Ongoing Partnership:** The Darden Foundation has maintained a dedicated partnership with the American Red Cross since 1997, supporting disaster preparedness, relief, and recovery efforts.
Contact Information
- Address: 1000 Darden Center Drive, Orlando, FL 32837-4032
- Phone: 407-245-5542
- Website: www.dardenfoundation.com
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on extending Darden's core values of service into the communities it serves. Primary funding focus areas include: • **Fighting Hunger** – Food security and hunger relief initiatives • **Investing in Future Generations** – Education and youth development • **Helping in Times of Need** – Disaster relief and emergency assistance • **Making a Difference in Our Hometown** – Community development in the Orlando area and other key markets The foundation also supports o…
How do I apply for a grant from Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $100 to $4,000,000. **Recent Major Grants:** • $2 million grant to Feeding America (2024) for refrigerated food trucks to support food distribution and mobile pantry programs at food banks • $1.7 million donation to Feeding America (2017) to provide 18.7 million meals through nearly all 200 food banks in the Feeding America nationwide network **Grant Activity:** The foundation has provided 45 refrigerated trucks to 45 food banks across 21 states since …
Where does Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Florida, Ohio, and New York, with particular emphasis on communities where Darden restaurants operate across North America.
What size grants does Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation award?
In 2025, Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $6.6M — an average of about $246K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation reported a distributable amount of $648K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation's EIN?
Darden Restaurants Inc Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-3332929. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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