MGM Resorts Employees Give $4.6M to Local Charities Where They Work and Live

Key Points

  • MGM Resorts Foundation awarded more than $4.6 million in grants to 211 nonprofits in communities surrounding the company's casinos
  • Most of the funding comes from MGM employees, who contribute through the company's workplace giving program
  • The 2026 grants support causes including affordable housing, homelessness, health and wellness, family services, and veterans programs

Employees of MGM Resorts International, the largest US casino operator by gaming revenue, are giving back to the communities where they live and work.

MGM Resorts Foundation charity grants
The exterior of MGM Grand Detroit is pictured. MGM Resorts, through the MGM Resorts Foundation, has given more than $4.6 million to local nonprofits, with most of the giving coming from the casino company’s employees. (Image: Shutterstock)

Las Vegas-based MGM Resorts announced on Tuesday (Aug. 18) the recipients of more than $4.6 million in charitable and nonprofit giving through the company’s MGM Resorts Foundation. The casino operator said 211 organizations have been awarded Community Grants, with the money primarily coming from employee contributions.

The beneficiaries are located within regions where MGM Resorts properties are located, including Nevada, Michigan, Ohio, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Springfield, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC.

“What makes the MGM Resorts 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,” Gatti added.

2026 MGM Recipients

The MGM Resorts Foundation caps funding at $80,000 per award for organizations in Southern Nevada, and $15,000 elsewhere, with exclusions including $10,000 limits in Massachusetts and the Washington Metropolitan Area.

MGM says among the largest beneficiaries this year is Shoes That Fit, a nonprofit that provides new athletic shoes to children living in families facing financial hardship. Shoes That Fit received grants in Las Vegas, Biloxi, Miss., Atlantic City, New York City, and Springfield, Mass.

Shoes That Fit says a “new pair of shoes can be a life-changing event for a child,” improving school attendance, self-esteem, and behavior.

Gamers Outreach was another major recipient, receiving allocations in six regions. Gamers Outreach provides hospitalized children with video games. The nonprofit says it seeks to “restore joy and normalcy in the lives of hospitalized families through the power of video games.”

Each year, the MGM Resorts Foundation conducts a request for proposals from nonprofits located near an MGM casino.

The Foundation gives priority to funding for agencies and programs involved with affordable housing, homelessness, family services, economic opportunity, health and wellness, and veterans and military family services. Government agencies, public and private schools, religious organizations without 501(c)(3) status, endowments, and athletic/recreational programs do not qualify for consideration.

For a complete list of the 2026 grants, click here.

Foundation Funding

The MGM Resorts Foundation was created in 2002 as a workplace giving initiative. The Foundation makes giving easy and convenient for the company’s more than 62,000 domestic employees.

MGM assumes all administrative costs, allowing 100% of employee donations to reach community causes.

As of the end of 2025, MGM reported approximately 44,000 full-time and 18,000 part-time employees in the US across its 16 domestic casinos.

Devin O'Connor
Devin O'Connor Senior Reporter

Devin O'Connor is a senior reporter for Casino.org, covering politics, casino business, and gaming news.

Devin came on board with Casino.org in 2014. He lives in Arlington, Va.

Comments icon

Conversation (0)

+ Add a comment

Be the first to comment on this article.

Write a comment

Your email address will not be published.