How to fill out a W-9 form (5 steps)

Some restaurants require organizations to fill out a W-9 form before a donation can be processed. If required, it will be listed in their policies on the Meal Details page while making a request and on your Meal Management Page after a request has been submitted.

For more information about tax forms and why they are required, check out this article. For uploading tax forms to your profile, follow the steps shown in this guide. 

How to fill out a W-9 form (editable form here):

1. Fill in the name of your organization in Box 1.

2. In Box 3, check "Other". In the box next to it write ‘Nonprofit corporation exempt under IRS Code Section ____'. Complete this with the appropriate classification for your organization--i.e. 501(c) or 501(c)(3).*

3. In Boxes 5-7, enter the address associated with your organization.

4. In Part I, enter your organization's Employer Identification Number (EIN). This is a number given to non-profit organizations registered with the IRS. It functions for the organization the way that a Social Security number does for individuals, and can be found on the IRS letter of determination or by consulting the leader of your organization.

5. In part II, sign (with electronic or printed signature) and enter the date. 

And that’s it! A few things to keep in mind:

DO:

• Double check that all information on the form is correct.
• Reach out to the restaurant if you are unsure whether your organization qualifies to fundraise with the restaurant.

DO NOT:

• Upload an incomplete or blank W-9 form--many restaurants will not disburse the donation until this is submitted correctly.
• Upload random images in order to make a request.

*Not sure of your status? 501(c)(3) is the most common nonprofit entity under the IRS code. You can learn more about this here.