Panda Cares Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $51 million (recent year)
Total Raised Since 1999: $415+ million
Grant Range: $5,000 - $350,000+ (most grants; select organizations receive $1M+)
Geographic Focus: National (U.S. with some Canada support)
Application Process: No public application for most grants; invitation only
Key Programs: Scholarship programs accept applications

Contact Details

Website: www.pandacares.org
Contact Page: www.pandacares.org/contact
Physical Address: 1683 Walnut Grove Avenue, Rosemead, CA 91770

Note: Panda Cares handles inquiries primarily through online forms on their website rather than direct phone or email. Food donation requests can be submitted through their Food Donation Form, and general inquiries through their Feedback Form.

Overview

Established in 1999, Panda Cares Foundation Inc is the philanthropic arm of Panda Restaurant Group, founded by Andrew and Peggy Cherng. With over $20 million in assets and $51 million in annual grant distribution, the foundation has raised more than $415 million since inception to serve the health and education needs of underserved youth and support worldwide disaster relief efforts. Panda Restaurant Group underwrites all administrative costs, ensuring 100% of donations go directly to programs. The foundation focuses on strategic partnerships with major national organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of America (with whom they've invested $62+ million since 2020), Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (over $172 million since 2003), UNCF, and Communities In Schools. Recent strategic initiatives include the Centers of Hope program and expanded scholarship opportunities. The foundation has impacted over 15 million youth nationwide.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Panda Cares Centers of Hope - Boys & Girls Clubs

Grant Amount: $45,000 per Center
Purpose: Funding to refresh a room within the Club to create multi-functional learning spaces
Scale: 159 Centers of Hope established nationwide by end of 2025, with goal of 400+ total locations
Method: Competitive application process through Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Panda Cares Centers of Hope - Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

Partnership Since: 2003
Total Investment: $172+ million to 136 hospitals in U.S. and Canada
Recent Commitment: $25 million commitment for Centers of Hope at children's hospitals
Purpose: Specially curated programs addressing children's mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being
Method: Invitation only

Project Learn Grants - Boys & Girls Clubs

Total Awarded: 2,500+ grants totaling $38+ million
Recent Investment: $30+ million since 2020 to nearly 2,000 Clubs
Purpose: Support academic success programming including Power Hour, Summer Brain Gain, STEM programming, and college/career readiness
Method: Competitive application process through Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Scholarship Programs (Applications Accepted)

Panda Cares Scholars Program (UNCF): Renewable scholarships up to $3,500 (sophomores), $5,000 (juniors), $7,000 (seniors) annually; 400 students receive funding each year
Panda Cares First Year Scholars (UNCF): One-time scholarships up to $2,500 for rising college freshmen
Panda Cares Scholars Program (Boys & Girls Clubs): $5,000 scholarships; $750,000 awarded annually; over $1.5 million to be awarded by end of 2025
Method: Direct online application through UNCF or Boys & Girls Clubs portals

Disaster Relief Grants

Recent Example: $2.2 million for Hawaii wildfire relief
Approach: Food donations, hot meals to relief workers, monetary grants
Partners: American Red Cross, Tzu Chi Foundation, Feeding America
Method: Foundation-initiated in response to disasters

Priority Areas

Health

Children's hospitals and pediatric healthcare
Mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being of youth
Healing environments for hospitalized children

Education

Academic success programming for underserved youth
College access and scholarships for low-income students
After-school enrichment and academic support
STEM programming
College and career readiness

Youth Development

Safe learning spaces for underserved communities
Character development and leadership
Programs serving youth from low-income families

Disaster Relief

Emergency response and recovery
Food and financial support for disaster-affected communities

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, research indicates:

Organizations outside their strategic partner network receive limited consideration
Grants are typically invitation-only except for scholarship and food donation programs
Focus is exclusively on youth-serving organizations; adult-focused programs unlikely to be funded
Individual support (except through scholarship programs)

Governance and Leadership

President, Treasurer & Director: Peggy Cherng
Director: Andrew Cherng
Director: Tina Hsing

About the Founders: Andrew and Peggy Cherng are first-generation immigrants who founded Panda Express in 1983. The company has grown to over 2,200 locations and remains family-owned and privately held. The Cherngs are also major philanthropists beyond Panda Cares, having donated $100 million to City of Hope for cancer treatment and $25 million to Huntington Hospital.

Leadership Quotes on Philanthropy:

Peggy Cherng: "Giving is essential for us. Giving allows us to show our appreciation to communities that embraced us."

Peggy Cherng: "As first-generation immigrants, Andrew and I have been so fortunate to have had amazing opportunities, and we want to pay it forward for generations to come."

Andrew Cherng: "I think that when our neighbors are doing well, when our community is doing well, when our country is doing well, everybody is doing well."

Andrew Cherng: "Our mission is about creating better lives. Our job is to build an environment where, through learning and personal growth, you naturally become a better, stronger, and wiser person."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Most Grant Programs: Panda Cares Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates primarily through strategic partnerships with large national organizations and makes grants by invitation only. Direct grant applications from individual nonprofits are not accepted.

For Scholarship Programs (Public Applications Accepted):

UNCF Scholarships: Apply directly at uncf.org or through the Panda Cares Scholars Program portal
Boys & Girls Clubs Scholarships: Apply through bgca.scholarsapply.org/bgcpandacares
Eligibility: Minimum 3.0 GPA, demonstrated financial need, U.S. citizen or permanent resident, full-time enrollment at accredited four-year institution
Required Materials: Transcript, financial aid award letter

For Food Donation Requests: Submit through the Food Donation Form at pandacares.org/contact

For Boys & Girls Clubs: Local Clubs can apply for Project Learn grants and Centers of Hope funding through competitive application processes administered by Boys & Girls Clubs of America national office.

Getting on Their Radar

Panda Cares has specific documented pathways for organizations to connect:

Through Local Panda Express Restaurants: The foundation specifically recommends that organizations "speak to management at a local Panda Express or Hibachi-San restaurant to get on this funder's radar." Local restaurant managers can facilitate introductions and pass along information about potential partnerships.

Strategic Partnership Model: Panda Cares works through established national networks. Organizations affiliated with their key partners have the best access:

Boys & Girls Clubs of America member clubs
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals member hospitals
Communities In Schools affiliate organizations
UNCF scholarship applicants

Associate Giving Campaign: In 2025, Panda Express associates pledged over $399,000 to their communities, suggesting that organizations serving communities where Panda Express operates may benefit from employee-driven giving.

Disaster Response: During disasters, Panda Cares activates emergency funding and food donations. Organizations involved in disaster relief (American Red Cross, Feeding America, etc.) may receive support during crisis periods.

Decision Timeline

Scholarships: Specific application deadlines vary by program; decisions typically made within 2-3 months of deadline

Strategic Grants: No standardized timeline as grants are made by invitation based on strategic partnerships and trustee discretion

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. Given the invitation-only model for most grants, traditional success rate metrics do not apply. The foundation maintains long-term relationships with key partners:

2,500+ Boys & Girls Clubs have received Project Learn grants
159 Centers of Hope established in Boys & Girls Clubs by end of 2025
136 hospitals supported through Children's Miracle Network partnership
400 scholarship recipients annually through UNCF programs

Reapplication Policy

For Scholarships: The Panda Cares Scholars Program through UNCF specifically offers renewable scholarships for up to three years for college sophomores, juniors, and seniors, indicating successful applicants can and should reapply annually.

For Organizational Grants: Given the invitation-only model, reapplication does not apply in the traditional sense. However, the foundation demonstrates strong commitment to ongoing support—many partners receive multi-year, sustained funding.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Partnership Focus

Panda Cares operates through a strategic partnership model rather than open grantmaking. Organizations most likely to receive support:

Are affiliated with their major national partners (Boys & Girls Clubs, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, UNCF, Communities In Schools)
Serve communities where Panda Express restaurants operate
Focus on health and education for underserved youth
Can demonstrate capacity to implement programs at scale

Recent Funding Examples

Major Grant Awards:

$8.8 million single-year donation to Boys & Girls Clubs of America (2024) - the largest in Panda Cares history
$45,000 grants to individual Boys & Girls Clubs for Centers of Hope (159 awarded by end of 2025)
$30,000 grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of San Leandro for youth education and health programming
$25 million commitment to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals for Centers of Hope
$2.2 million for Hawaii wildfire relief

What Panda Cares Values

From Their Mission and Programs:

Community integration: Programs must serve communities where Panda operates; Peggy Cherng stated giving is their way "to show our appreciation to communities that embraced us"
Measurable impact on youth: Over 15 million youth impacted since 1999; they track specific outcomes
Holistic approach: Centers of Hope address "mental, emotional, physical and spiritual needs" of children
Academic achievement: Strong emphasis on educational outcomes, STEM programming, college readiness
Safe, inspiring spaces: The Centers of Hope create "environments kids want to be in" that encourage youth to "dream big, reenergize, express their emerging identities"

Language and Terminology

When aligned with Panda Cares' mission, use their specific terminology:

"Underserved youth" rather than "at-risk" or other deficit-based language
"Centers of Hope" for learning spaces
"Academic success" and "academic enrichment"
"Better lives" (from Andrew Cherng: "Our mission is about creating better lives")
"Health and education needs"

For Scholarship Applicants

What Matters:

Strong academic performance (minimum 3.0 GPA required, but competitive applicants likely have higher)
Demonstrated financial need with documentation
Community service and leadership activities
Connection to Boys & Girls Clubs or UNCF network increases chances
Character demonstration and commitment to goals
For Boys & Girls Clubs scholarships: being Youth of the Year or attending a Club that receives Panda Cares grants

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application for organizational grants: Panda Cares does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Focus efforts on building relationships through their established partner networks (Boys & Girls Clubs, Children's Miracle Network, UNCF, Communities In Schools).
Local connection matters: Organizations can connect through local Panda Express restaurant management. Given the founders' emphasis on community appreciation, proximity to restaurant locations may be advantageous.
Scale and partnership readiness: Recent grants show preference for organizations that can implement programs across multiple sites or that are part of national networks. The $8.8M grant to Boys & Girls Clubs national office and 159 Centers of Hope demonstrate they fund at scale.
100% of donations reach programs: With administrative costs covered by Panda Restaurant Group, emphasize how funding directly impacts youth when communicating with potential introducers.
Long-term relationships over one-time grants: Evidence shows sustained, multi-year commitments to partners ($62M+ to Boys & Girls Clubs since 2020, $172M+ to Children's Miracle Network since 2003). If you gain access, focus on building lasting partnership.
Youth health and education exclusively: Stay tightly focused on programs serving underserved youth in education and health. Adult services, capacity building, general operating support outside these areas unlikely to align.
Scholarships are the accessible entry point: For organizations helping students, promoting the scholarship opportunities to eligible youth is a way to align with Panda Cares' mission and potentially build awareness of your work.

References

Charity Navigator - Panda Cares Foundation Inc Profile, https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/812094929
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"Panda Cares - Boys & Girls Clubs of America," https://www.bgca.org/about-us/our-partners/panda-cares/, accessed December 2024
"Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Panda Cares Foundation Celebrate Five Years of Partnership," BGCA News, October 2025, https://www.bgca.org/news-stories/2025/October/boys-girls-clubs-of-america-and-panda-cares-foundation-celebrate-five-years-of-partnership-advancing-youth-education-and-opportunity/
"Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Panda Cares Celebrate Opening of 100th Center of Hope Learning Center," BGCA News, October 2024, https://www.bgca.org/news-stories/2024/October/boys-girls-clubs-of-america-and-panda-cares-celebrate-opening-of-100th-center-of-hope-learning-center/
"Panda Cares Foundation to Award Over $1.5M in Scholarships," BGCA News, June 2025, https://www.bgca.org/news-stories/2025/June/panda-cares-foundation-to-award-over-1-5m-in-scholarships-to-americas-youth-by-the-end-of-2025/
"Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Celebrates 10-year Commitment to Panda Cares Centers of Hope," CMN Hospitals Newsroom, https://newsroom.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.org/childrens-miracle-network-hospitals-celebrates-10-year-commitment-to-panda-cares-centers-of-hope/, accessed December 2024
"About the Panda Cares Foundation," UNCF, https://uncf.org/pages/about-the-panda-cares-foundation, accessed December 2024
"Panda Cares Foundation Expands Its Mission of Support for Education by Partnering with UNCF," UNCF, https://uncf.org/news/panda-cares-foundation-expands-its-mission-of-support-for-education-by-part, accessed December 2024
Panda Cares Scholars Program Application Portal, https://bgca.scholarsapply.org/bgcpandacares/, accessed December 2024
"Contact," Panda Cares, https://www.pandacares.org/contact, accessed December 2024
Cause IQ - Panda Cares Foundation Profile, https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/panda-cares-foundation,812094929/, accessed December 2024
Inside Philanthropy, "A Closer Look at the Philanthropy of Panda Express Founders Andrew and Peggy Cherng," August 2024, https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2024-8-12-a-closer-look-at-the-philanthropy-of-panda-express-founders-andrew-and-peggy-cherng
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