The MGM Resorts Foundation distributed more than $4.6 million to 211 nonprofit organizations this year, channeling employee and guest contributions into communities where MGM Resorts International operates properties. Grant recipients span Nevada, Michigan, Ohio, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
How Employees Drive Giving
What sets the Foundation's model apart is its reliance on internal volunteer councils. This year, 87 Community Grant Council members drawn from across the company reviewed hundreds of applications and helped identify organizations creating measurable impact in their local markets. The structure gives property-level employees direct influence over how philanthropic dollars flow into the communities they work in — a design that resonates particularly well within a hospitality organization whose workforce is deeply embedded in those regions.
"What makes the Foundation special is that our employees are invested in this work in every sense. They contribute their own dollars, understand the needs in their communities and help ensure those dollars reach organizations making a real difference," said Maria Jose Gatti, Vice President of Philanthropy at MGM Resorts. "It's a model that puts our employees, and the communities they call home, at the heart of our giving."
Multi-Region Recipients
Several organizations received support across multiple MGM Resorts markets. Shoes That Fit, which provides new athletic shoes and other essentials to children facing financial hardship, was funded in five regions including Southern Nevada, Southern Mississippi, New Jersey, Westchester and Bronx Counties, and Western Massachusetts. Gamers Outreach, which delivers therapeutic gaming experiences to hospitalized children, received funding across six regions: Southern Nevada, Southern Mississippi, Michigan, New Jersey, Westchester and Bronx Counties, and Western Massachusetts.
For the hospitality industry broadly, the Foundation's approach illustrates how large multi-property operators can structure corporate social responsibility programs to be both scalable and locally relevant — a growing priority as operators compete for talent and seek to strengthen ties to the communities that anchor their customer base. Employee-led giving programs are increasingly recognized as tools for workforce engagement, particularly in a sector where labor retention remains a persistent challenge. As hospitality industry analysis continues to highlight the link between corporate purpose and employee satisfaction, models like MGM's grant council structure offer a replicable framework for operators of varying sizes.
The full list of 2026 grant recipients is available on the MGM Resorts Foundation website.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
