About
The Burger King Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Burger King brand, headquartered in Miami, Florida. The Foundation believes in empowerment through education and lending a helping hand when needed: it provides scholarships to students and emergency relief to Burger King employees and their families.
What they do
- BK Scholars Program: the Foundation's flagship program, awarding scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $60,000 to deserving high school seniors and Burger King employees and their families to offset the cost of college or post-secondary vocational and technical school. Recipients are selected based on GPA, work experience, extracurricular activities, financial need, and community service.
- James W. McLamore WHOPPER Scholarship Award: created by the McLamore family in 2011, granting three $60,000 awards to deserving students each year.
- BK Emergency Fund: established in 2004, providing short-term, immediate assistance to Burger King team members and their families facing medical illnesses, natural disasters, house fires, and other emergencies. The fund is prepared to help BK families in 30 countries.
- Crown A Classroom: launched in 2023, providing kits of critical classroom supplies to schools in underserved communities.
History
The Foundation's story began with Burger King co-founder James (Jim) W. McLamore's philosophy of giving back to his community. His dedication inspired a group of franchisees to create the BK Scholars Program in 2000. The BK Emergency Fund followed in 2004, and in 2005 both programs came together under the creation of what is now known as the Burger King Foundation. The Foundation is supported by franchisees, vendor partners, restaurant guests, and BK Scholars alumni.
Scale and impact
- The BK Scholars program has awarded nearly $64 million to over 54,000 students across North America since 2000; in 2025 alone, the Foundation awarded over $4.8 million in scholarships to nearly 4,500 students.
- The Emergency Fund has provided more than $4 million in grants to members of the BK family around the world, including more than $890,000 in emergency relief grants in 2025.
- Through Crown A Classroom in 2025, the Foundation distributed over $1.6 million in school supplies, reaching more than 250,000 students at over 1,300 schools.
Financials
Per IRS Form 990 data on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (fiscal year 2023): total revenue of $8.7 million, total functional expenses of $6.5 million, and total assets of $35.3 million. The Foundation publishes its annual report, audited financial statements, and Form 990 on its website. Burger King Foundation Inc is a 501(c)(3) organization, EIN 06-1765327, based in Miami, FL.
Governance
The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors of franchisee and Burger King company leaders, co-chaired by Tom Curtis (President, BK US and Canada) and Dan Fitzpatrick (Chairman and CEO, Quality Dining, Inc.). Katie Lewis serves as Executive Director.
