Official Rules
Overview of Hamburger Helper’s MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM:
General Mills Sales, Inc. (“General Mills”) and Hamburger Helper are searching for people in your hometown that are raising funds to help the community. Hamburger Helper will fund initiatives to help hometowns across America with monetary grants of up to $15,000.00 per project during the time frame of August 1, 2007 - September 31, 2007 (“Wave 1”) and February 1, 2008 – March 31, 2008 (“Wave 2”). Hamburger Helper will give funds directly to the public school, 501(c)(3), or 501(c)(4) entity, such as civic leagues and social welfare organizations (see list of qualifying organizations below), that sponsors an application for funding (“Qualifying Organizations”). Visit www.myhometownhelper.com for more information.
Initiatives Supported by MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM:
When evaluating requests, MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM review committee will favor organizations meeting the following criteria:
Demonstrate a need in the broader community
Illustrate a helpful, creative or innovative concept that meets this need
Clearly identify change/s that can be made as a result of receiving the award
Organizations Outside of MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM Guidelines
A decision to decline a request does not imply that the applicant’s program is not needed or valued, but simply that it does not fall within our giving guidelines or priorities, or that funds are not available. As a standard practice, Hamburger Helper does not grant funding to the following:
Organizations without 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4) or public school status
Individuals
Religious organizations for religious purposes
Private Foundations
Political causes, candidates or legislative lobbying efforts
Process for Submitting Applications for Funding:
During Wave 1 and Wave 2, , Hamburger Helper will be conducting a national essay writing campaign (“Campaign”) encouraging you to (i) register online at www.myhometownhelper.com, (ii) complete an essay of two hundred and fifty (250) words or less describing how your hometown needs help and (iii) provide verification that the registering entity is a Qualifying Organization.
Applicants can request an award for a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $15,000 during each Wave. Qualifying Organizations may submit applications to receive funding beginning August 1, 2007 for Wave 1, and February 1, 2008 for Wave 2. Wave 1 winners will be announced on or before November 15, 2007. Wave 2 winners will be announced on or before May 15, 2008. Wave 1 entries will not roll over to Wave 2 applicant pool. Two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00) in total grant money shall be awarded during the Campaign. General Mills shall award up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) to Qualifying Organizations during each Wave. Certification of a Qualifying Organization’s status must be included with the application for the winners to receive the grants.
Funding Criteria and Conditions:
Awards will be made payable to each winning Qualifying Organization, subject to proper documentation and verification of Qualifying Organization’s status. Eligible organizations include, but are not limited to: nonprofit old-age homes, parent-teacher associations, charitable hospitals or other charitable organizations, alumni associations, schools, chapters of the Red Cross or Salvation Army, Boys’ or Girl’s clubs, social welfare organizations, homeowners’ and tenants’ associations, Veterans’ organizations, organizations supported by the Government, social and recreational activities organizations, police and firefighters’ relief organizations, health care organizations, and local associations of employees.
Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Demonstrate a strong and sustained need in a community
Illustrate a creative and innovative concept that meet's a community's need
Clearly identify change/s that can be made as a result of receiving the Award
Applicants must be willing to have photos, names, quotes and other materials included in General Mills’ print publications.
This Campaign is open to all Qualifying Organizations in the U.S. (except Puerto Rico). To enter, the applicants must log on to the myhometownhelper.com website and follow the directions to participate in the Campaign and enter a chance for their Qualifying Organization to win an award. This Campaign is sponsored by General Mills, Number One General Mills Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55426. Employees of General Mills, its parent and affiliated companies, advertising and promotion agencies, and partners and the immediate family and household members of each are ineligible. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
Applications must be received by the last day of each Wave to be considered for that Wave’s funding: Wave 1 applications must be received by September 31, 2007, and Wave 2 applications must be received by March 31, 2008. Wave 1 entries will not roll over to Wave 2 applicant pool.
Applications will be collected only via online submission at Myhometownhelper.com.
Selection will be based on a qualitative analysis of each applicant’s creative proposal. Selection of award winners will be conducted by a selection committee, including initial screening by a third-party agency. Decisions regarding the Campaign and awards shall be made at the sole discretion of General Mills and its third party agency and are final and binding. Selected award recipients must meet all eligibility requirements, must execute any necessary documentation, and must be solely responsible for reporting and payment of any applicable federal, state and local taxes. The selection committee will review applications during each Wave.
All applications become the property of General Mills, with all rights to copy, edit, broadcast, publish and use, in whole or in part, any such nomination and related materials, including all ideas, copyrighted or copyrightable materials, trademarks and concepts, in any manner without further consideration. General Mills has the right to use all or part of submitted applications on MYHOMETOWNHELPER.COM.
By participating, all applicants agree to the following: the selection committee’s decisions are final and legally binding in all matters relating to this event. General Mills (which includes its affiliates and each of their agents, officers, employees, licensees and all other parties associated with this contest) is not responsible for lost, destroyed, delayed, incomplete, undelivered, stolen, postage due, illegible, misdirected materials or other errors or problems of any kind which may limit or affect an applicant’s ability to participate in the Campaign. In the event of sabotage, acts of God, terrorism, computer virus, mechanical, technical or operational defect or error or other events or causes beyond General Mill’s reasonable control, which corrupt the integrity, administration, security or proper operation of the Campaign, General Mills reserves the right to cancel, modify or suspend the Campaign. In the event of cancellation, grants will be awarded from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to the event requiring such cancellation. All applications become the property of General Mills upon receipt and will not be acknowledged or returned. Applicants agree to allow General Mills to use their Qualifying Organization’s name and likeness for publicity purposes without further compensation, where legal. As a condition of participation, Award winners agree that: (1) any and all claims, judgments and awards are limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred in participating in this event; and (2) honoree waives all rights to claim any other damages, including punitive, incidental and consequential damages and attorneys' fees. This event is subject to all laws of the United States.
For a list of the Campaign’s grant winners visit www.myhometownhelper.com on or before November 15, 2007 (Wave 1) and on or before May 15, 2008 (Wave 2).
Timing of Awards:
The selection committee will review applications beginning August 1, 2007. Funding awards will be made on or before November 15, 2007 (Wave 1) and on or before May 15, 2008 (Wave 2).
Selection will be based on qualitative analysis of each applicant’s proposal as described above.
Please direct any questions to: bettycrocker@mail.genmills.com
