Cowabunga, pizza lovers! Today we’re exploring the California Pizza Kitchen fundraiser.
Straight from the sunny coasts of the Golden State, this restaurant fundraising idea is packed with tantalizing treats and heartwarming philanthropy.
In fact, you can turn a slice of heaven into a whole pie of hope with this idea that’s as hot as a wood-fired pizza oven.
So, grab your finest pizza slicer as we explain how CPK fundraising works and how to start your own!
Table of Contents
- What Is A California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser?
- Who Can Start A California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser?
- How Does A California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser Work?
- How To Start A California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser
- Is California Pizza Kitchen Fundraising Right For You?
What Is A California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser?
A California Pizza Kitchen involves collaborating with the casual dining chain to raise funds for a good cause.
There are only two options for fundraising with this restaurant:
- Dine To Donate events
- Gift card fundraising
Unlike a lot of other restaurant fundraisers we cover on this site, this company does not offer any guidance for submitting donation requests.
However, the options they do offer are great ideas that can help your group raise lots of funds.
We discuss how each California Pizza Kitchen fundraising method works later on this article.
Who Can Start A California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser?
To start a Dine to Donate fundraiser with California Pizza Kitchen, your group must be a tax-exempt nonprofit organization.
For example, types of groups the restaurants has worked with before include:
- Soccer clubs
- Schools
- Church groups
- PTO/PTA
- School bands
- Scouts
- Cheerleading squads
- Camps
- Student councils
- Little league teams
- High school sports teams
- Sororities/Fraternities
As long as you can prove your 501(c)(3) status via a W9 or IRS tax exemption confirmation letter, you should qualify.
It’s also worth noting that the restaurant only has offers fundraising at locations in the following states:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Nevada
- New york
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
Meanwhile, gift card fundraising is available nationwide. The following types of groups typically qualify:
- Schools
- Churches
- Sports Teams
- Booster Clubs
- PTO/PTA
- Bands
- Other Nonprofits
How Does A California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser Work?
California Pizza Kitchen doesn’t offer quite as many choices as some of the other restaurants we cover on this blog.
However, the options you do have are great ideas for raising funds to support your cause.
Below, we discuss how each type of CPK fundraiser works.
Dine To Donate
In a California Pizza Kitchen Dine to Donate event, you rally your patrons to eat at the restaurant at a specified date and time.
While date availability varies depending on the location, most restaurants hold events Monday through Wednesday. Additionally, be sure to give a minimum three-weeks’ notice.
20% of supporters’ food and beverage purchases (excluding tax, gratuity, gift card, and retail sales) is directed back to your organization.
Your organization receives a cut for all dine-in, take-out, and online orders. To get credit, supporters can either enter a promo code for online orders or present the event flyer in person.
Just remember that orders through third-party delivery partners (like DoorDash or GrubHub) are not eligible.
Also, be wary that not every location participates in this type of fundraiser. You can use this tool from GroupRaise to search for participating locations. It could also be worthwhile to directly reach out to nearby CPK locations as well.
Finally, once your event is over, you should receive your check within four to six weeks. If it’s a success, you’re allowed to host another one, but you must wait at least 30 days.
If your preferred restaurant isn’t participating, you can always explore others.
Gift Card Fundraising
In a California Pizza Kitchen gift card fundraiser, your supporters contribute to your cause by buying gift cards. To get credit for purchases, patrons use a unique code assigned to your organization.
For every gift card sold, up to 8% of the proceeds is automatically donated back to your group.
Moreover, supporters have the opportunity to buy gift cards from a wide range of companies, not limited to CPK. This allows them greater flexibility and increases the likelihood of multiple purchases.
To begin, simply register your team with RaiseRight. Once approved, you’ll receive a unique link and code that you can share with your backers.
Finally, you can easily track your fundraising progress and transfer funds to your organization through the platform’s dashboard.
How To Start A California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser
To start a California Pizza Kitchen Dine to Donate fundraiser, you can sign up directly with the restaurant by contacting them or filling out their online application.
Alternatively for gift card fundraisers, you can enroll directly on the RaiseRight website.
If you’re really looking to raise a lot of funds, fill out this form and we’ll connect you with one of our fundraising partners. They offer tons of great products to raise funds for your cause, and we believe it’s the most profitable type of fundraising venture.
Note: We do not work directly with any restaurant partners, so the best way to work with them is to contact your local restaurant directly. To work with our partners, fill out our form and we’ll help you get started in no time!
Is California Pizza Kitchen Fundraising Right For You?
Organizing a California Pizza Kitchen fundraiser isn’t just a fantastic restaurant fundraising idea, it’s also a truly fun and scrumptious way to bring people together.
When the smell of sizzling pizzas wafts through the air, hearts open and wallets follow suit.
If you like this idea, you may also want to check out these other awesome restaurant fundraisers:
- Little Caesars fundraiser
- Pizza Hut fundraiser
- Smashburger fundraiser
- Panera Bread fundraiser
- Chipotle fundraiser
- Chick-fil-A fundraiser
However, keep in mind that you can really maximize your fundraising capabilities by utilizing multiple types of fundraisers.
So, if you want to raise as much money for your cause as possible, fill out this form and we’ll help you get on the path to success!
