Box Tops Program
Clipping Box Tops
Box Tops MarketplaceSM
Box Tops Reading Room
Bonus Box Tops
Coupons
Your School
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Is my school currently enrolled in Box Tops for Education? |
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Over 90,000 K-8 schools are enrolled in the Box Tops program. To find out if your school participates, click the Sign Up Now link at the top right corner of the home page, and follow the prompts to search by ZIP code or by city and state.
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Is my school eligible for the Box Tops for Education program? |
The Box Tops for Education program is available to the following schools:
* Any accredited public, private or parochial school, for grades K-8, in the United States that is organized and primarily operated for educational purposes.
* United States military schools, for grades K-8, worldwide.
* Accredited home school associations, K-8, in the United Sates that are organized and operated primarily for educational purposes and have 15 or more students.
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Does my school have to participate in every part of the Box Tops for Education program? |
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Being involved with Box Tops for Education is completely voluntary. No school is required to participate in Box Tops or any or all of its program components. However, only schools that participate are eligible to receive donations from General Mills. Participating schools receive donations to the extent that they take part in any of the Box Tops for Education opportunities.
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What if my school does not participate in Box Tops for Education? |
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Over 90,000 K-8 schools are enrolled in Box Tops for Education. However, not every K-8 school participates. If your school is not currently involved in Box Tops and you would like it to be, contact your school principal or administrator and ask them to enroll by calling Box Tops for Education toll free at 1-888-799-2444 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CST, five days a week.
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How much money can my school earn with Box Tops for Education? |
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Your school can earn up to $60,000 each year—up to $20,000 from each of the three Box Tops for Education program components (Clip, Shop and Reading Room).
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How can I earn cash for my school through the Box Tops program? |
The Box Tops program has three main components through which you can earn cash for your school:
Box Tops Coupons – Clip Box Tops coupons from hundreds of participating products found in your local grocery store and send them to your school. Your school earns 10¢ for each Box Top redeemed. Learn more about Clip.
The Box Tops MarketplaceSM – Shop online at your favorite stores like JCPenney and Lands’ End through the Box Tops for Education Marketplace. Your school earns a percentage of each qualifying purchase at no additional cost to you. Learn more about the Box Tops Marketplace.
The Box Tops Reading Room – Buy books through the Box Tops Reading Room and your school earns up to 6% of your purchase. Learn more about the Box Tops Reading Room.
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What can my school do with the money it earns from Box Tops for Education? |
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Your school can use the money for anything it wants. Computers, books, playground equipment and classroom parties are just some of the ways schools have chosen to use the funds raised through Box Tops for Education.
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How much money has Box Tops for Education given to schools? |
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Box Tops for Education has contributed over $250 million to participating schools since the launch of the program in 1996.
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How does my school get paid for Box Tops earnings? |
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Schools are issued two checks per year. The December 15th check includes all Box Tops earnings accrued from March 1 to October 31 totaling $20.00 or more. (If the total is less than $20.00, this amount will be carried over and paid in the April 15 check.) The April 15 check includes Box Tops earnings accrued from November 1 through February 28.
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Which products participate in the Box Tops for Education program?
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Box Tops are found on hundreds of participating products throughout your grocery store. Although Box Tops coupons appear on most participating brands’ sizes and flavors, there are some exceptions. For the most current information, see the complete list of Participating Products.
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How much are Box Tops for Education coupons worth?
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Each Box Tops coupon is worth 10¢ for your school.
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What are Bonus Box Tops or Box Tops Bonus Certificates?
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Occasionally, participating brands may carry Bonus Box Tops on packaging. Bonus Box Tops may be a different value than regular Box Tops coupons. Box Tops Bonus Certificates may be obtained from any number of sources. The value appears on the certificate.
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How do I turn in the Box Tops for Education coupons I've collected? |
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Send the Box Tops Coupons, Bonus Box Tops or Box Tops Bonus Certificates you’ve collected to your designated school. Your school's volunteer Box Tops coordinator will send them to Box Tops for Education.
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Can I turn in expired Box Tops for Education coupons?
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We appreciate your inquiry; however, we cannot honor expired Box Tops coupons.
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What is the Box Tops for Education Marketplace?
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The Box Tops Marketplace allows you to earn cash for your school when you shop online. Start at the Box Tops Marketplace at boxtops4education.com. Click on the link to any one of the more than 70 favorite online stores; you’ll be automatically sent to that store’s web site. Shop and check out as you normally would and a portion of your qualifying purchase is donated to your school.
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How does it work?
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First, you must sign up online through the Box Tops website and designate a school to support. Second, you must start your online shopping at the Box Tops for Education Marketplace in order for us to credit purchases to your school. Finally, be sure that "cookies" are enabled on your Internet browser. The use of "cookies" is necessary to accurately track your purchases from participating stores. If you set your Internet browser to disable or reject cookies, we will not be able to track and confirm your purchases and make the proper donation to your school. By default, cookies are enabled in major Internet browsers, including Microsoft® Internet Explorer, Mozilla®, Firefox and AOL®. For more information about cookies, consult the "Help" function of your Internet browser.
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Do I need to start at the Box Tops Marketplace every time I shop in order to earn cash for my school?
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Yes. In order to ensure that all of your purchases are credited to your designated school, you must start at the Box Tops Marketplace before making a purchase. If you don't start at the Box Tops Marketplace, your designated school will not receive credit for your purchase.
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What if I forget to shop through the Box Tops Marketplace?
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Purchases made online that don't originate through the Box Tops Marketplace will not be credited to your designated school. To ensure that your school earns cash every time you shop online, be sure to always start at the Box Tops Marketplace. Bookmark the page or place it in your browser's favorites to make it easier to remember.
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Do I pay more for purchases made through the Box Tops Marketplace?
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No. There are no extra fees when you shop through the Box Tops Marketplace. Prices are set by the individual stores and are the same whether you make your purchase through the Box Tops Marketplace or directly from store web sites. You'll have access to sale prices, promotions and deals just like any online shopper. In addition, many stores may offer special sales and promotions just for Box Tops supporters on the Deals & Discounts page.
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How do I track purchases I've made through the Box Tops Marketplace?
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Log in to the Box Tops website and go to the Box Tops Marketplace. Click on See Marketplace Earnings. This will show you your earnings for all the designated schools in your account through the date noted. Your account will be updated on the 15th of each month to report the previous month’s reported purchases. (For example, April purchases reported to Box Tops will be posted on May 15.) Please note that it may take six to eight weeks for some stores to report purchases to Box Tops for Education.
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Transactions reported on or before: |
Earnings posted: |
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January 31 |
March 15 |
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February 28 |
April 15 |
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March 31 |
May 15 |
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April 30 |
June 15 |
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May 31 |
July 15 |
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June 30 |
August 15 |
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July 31 |
September 15 |
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August 31 |
October 15 |
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September 30 |
November 15 |
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October 31 |
December 15 |
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November 30 |
January 15 |
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December 31 |
February 15 |
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What should I do if a purchase I've made isn't reflected in my Marketplace earnings?
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We're committed to making sure that your purchases help support your designated school. If you've made a purchase and don't see it reflected in your donation totals, first determine how long it's been since your purchase was made. Because of the way some stores report data to Box Tops, it can take six to eight weeks for information to be posted to your account. We will update your account on the 15th of each month for the month prior. If you feel that a donation has not been credited to your designated school after eight weeks from the date of purchase, let Box Tops know so that we can investigate. We want to ensure that your school receives the correct donation for your qualifying purchases.
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Are there any types of purchases that won't result in a donation to my school?
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Donation percentages for purchases made at Box Tops Marketplace stores are clearly listed. Donations to your school are most often calculated excluding charges associated with sales taxes, shipping costs, gift certificates, packaging or handling fees, gift-wrapping services, governmental fees and certain other charges. If you have questions regarding the restrictions at a particular store, click on "Some restrictions may apply" at the Box Tops Marketplace to visit the Donation Calculations and Restrictions page or click on "Some restrictions may apply" at the Box Tops Marketplace for a full description.
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What if I return something purchased through the Box Tops Marketplace?
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Each store has different rules regarding merchandise returns. However, when you purchase an item and your school receives a donation based on that purchase, that donation will be deducted from a future payment to your school if you return your purchase.
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My children attend different schools. Can I support multiple schools with the Box Tops Marketplace?
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You can only designate one school to receive the donations from any given purchase. However, you can easily change your designated school whenever you wish. To change your school, go to Your Profile in the top menu. On the You & Your School page, click on Change School and follow the prompts. Thereafter, your newly designated school receives donations based on your qualifying purchases. To shop for another school, or to switch back to the previous school, follow the above steps and switch to the school you prefer to receive your donation before you make your next purchase.
Using this method, you can rotate between two or more schools as often as you like, but you cannot shop for different schools at the same time¬—that is, a single purchase cannot be split between schools.
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We have relatives in another state. Can they earn cash for my school through the Marketplace?
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Yes! This is actually one of the easiest ways to get others to help make a difference for your school. Friends, relatives or even businesses can shop to support any school, whether it's in the next state or across the country. All they need to do is sign up online at the Box Tops website with your school’s name and state or ZIP code. Once registered, every qualifying purchase they make through the Box Tops Marketplace will earn cash for your school.
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What if I'd like to shop at a store not listed in the Box Tops Marketplace?
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We hope that you'll find your favorite stores at the Box Tops Marketplace, but there are some that don't participate. Purchases made at stores outside the Box Tops Marketplace will not benefit your school. We encourage you to shop at stores that are part of the Box Tops Marketplace so that your purchases will benefit your designated school.
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What is the Box Tops for Education Reading Room?
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The Box Tops Reading Room allows you to earn cash for your school when you shop online at Barnes & Noble. First, you must start at the Box Tops Reading Room at boxtops4education.com. When you click on the Shop Now link, you will be sent to the Barnes & Noble website, where you can shop as you normally would. Barnes & Noble has agreed to automatically donate a portion of each qualifying purchase to your school.
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How does
it work? |
The Box Tops for Education Reading Room works exactly the same way as the Box Tops for Education Marketplace.
First, you must sign up online through the Box Tops website and designate a school to support. Second, you must start your online shopping session at the Box Tops for Education Reading Room or Marketplace in order for Box Tops to credit purchases to your school. Finally, you must have "cookies" enabled on your Internet browser. The use of cookies is necessary to accurately track purchases from participating stores. If your Internet browser is set to disable or reject cookies, we will not be able to track and confirm purchases or make the proper donation to your school. By default, cookies are enabled in major Internet browsers, including Microsoft® Internet Explorer, Mozilla® Firefox and AOL®. For more information about cookies, consult the "Help" function of your Internet browser.
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What is the difference between the Box Tops Reading Room and the Box Tops Marketplace?
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The Reading Room works exactly the same as the Box Tops Marketplace. The Reading Room section includes additional information on reading and makes it easier to shop online at Barnes & Noble specifically.
Your school will earn the same donation if you shop at Barnes & Noble through the Box Tops Reading Room or the Box Tops Marketplace. If you shop Barnes & Noble through the Reading Room, earnings will appear in the Reading Room section of your earnings report. If you shop Barnes & Noble through the Marketplace, earnings will appear in the Marketplace section of your earnings report.
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What if I purchase through the Marketplace instead of the Reading Room? Will I still receive the same donation for my school?
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Yes. Your school will earn the same donation if you shop online at Barnes & Noble through the Box Tops Reading Room or the Box Tops Marketplace. If you shop Barnes & Noble through the Reading Room, earnings will appear in the Reading Room section of your earnings report. If you shop Barnes & Noble through the Marketplace, earnings will appear in the Marketplace section of your earnings report.
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Do I need to start at the Box Tops Reading Room every time I shop in order to earn cash for our school?
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Yes. In order to ensure your purchase is credited to your school, you must start at either the Box Tops Reading Room or the Box Tops Marketplace. If you don't click the store’s link through the Box Tops Reading Room or Marketplace before shopping and completing your transaction, your school will not receive credit for your purchase.
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What if I forget to shop through the Box Tops Reading Room?
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Purchases made online that don't originate through the Box Tops Reading Room or the Box Tops Marketplace will not be credited to your school. To ensure that your school earns cash every time you shop online, you must be sure to always start at the Box Tops Reading Room or the Box Tops Marketplace. Bookmark the page or place it in your browser's favorites to make it easier to remember.
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Do I pay more for purchases that I make through the Box Tops Reading Room? |
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No. There are no extra fees when you shop through the Box Tops Reading Room. Prices are set by Barnes & Noble and are the same whether or not you make your purchases through the Box Tops Reading Room. You’ll have access to sale prices, promotions and deals just like any online shopper. In addition, Barnes & Noble may offer special sales and promotions just for Box Tops supporters.
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How do I track purchases I have made through the Box Tops Reading Room? |
Log in to the Box Tops website and go to the Box Tops Reading Room. Click on My Reading Room Earnings. This will show you your earnings for all the designated schools in your account through the date noted. Your account will be updated on the 15th of each month to report the previous month’s reported purchases. (For example, April purchases reported to Box Tops will be posted on May 15.) Please note that it may take six to eight weeks for purchases to be reported to Box Tops for Education.
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Transactions reported on or before: |
Earnings posted: |
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January 31 |
March 15 |
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February 28 |
April 15 |
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March 31 |
May 15 |
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April 30 |
June 15 |
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May 31 |
July 15 |
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June 30 |
August 15 |
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July 31 |
September 15 |
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August 31 |
October 15 |
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September 30 |
November 15 |
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October 31 |
December 15 |
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November 30 |
January 15 |
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December 31 |
February 15 |
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What should I do if a purchase isn’t reflected in my school’s Reading Room earnings? |
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We're committed to making sure that your purchases help support your school. If you have made a purchase and don’t see it reflected in your donation totals in My Reading Room Earnings, first determine how long it's been since your purchase was made. Because of the way data is reported to Box Tops, it can take six to eight weeks for information to be posted to your school’s account. We update Reading Room donations on the 15th of each month for the month prior. If you feel that a donation has not been credited to your school after eight weeks from the date of purchase, let Box Tops know so that we can investigate. We want to ensure that your school receives the correct donation for qualifying purchases.
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Are there any types of purchases that won’t result in a donation to my school? |
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When you start your Barnes & Noble online shopping at the Reading Room, your school will be credited 6% on new books, magazines, and textbooks, and 3% on all other items. Donations to your school are most often calculated excluding charges associated with sales taxes, shipping costs, packaging or handling fees, gift-wrapping services, governmental fees and certain other charges. If you have questions regarding the restrictions, visit the Donation Calculations and Restrictions page or click on "Some restrictions may apply" at the Box Tops Reading Room for a full description. Additionally, once your school exceeds its yearly maximum of $20,000, purchases will no longer result in a donation for that year.
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What if I return something purchased through the Box Tops Reading Room? |
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When you purchase an item and your school receives a donation based on that purchase, that donation will be deducted from a future payment to your school if the item is returned.
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My children attend different schools. Can I support multiple schools with the Box Tops Reading Room? |
You can only designate one school to receive the donations from any given purchase. However, you can easily change your designated school whenever you wish. To change your school, go to Your Profile in the top menu. On the You & Your School page, click on Change School and follow the prompts. Thereafter, your newly designated school receives donations based on your qualifying purchases. To shop for another school, or to switch back to the previous school, follow the above steps and switch to the school you prefer to receive your donation before you make your next purchase.
Using this method, you can rotate between two or more schools as often as you like, but you cannot shop for different schools at the same time¬—that is, a single purchase cannot be split between schools.
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I have relatives in another state. Can they earn cash for my school through the Reading Room? |
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Yes! This is actually one of the easiest ways to get others to help make a difference for your school. Friends, relatives or even businesses can shop to support any school, whether it's in the next state or across the country. All they need to do is sign up online at the Box Tops website with your school’s name and state or ZIP code. Once registered, every qualifying purchase they make through the Box Tops Reading Room or Box Tops Marketplace will earn cash for your school.
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What if I would like to shop at a store not listed in the Box Tops Reading Room? |
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Barnes and Noble is the only merchant included on the Box Tops Reading Room. We encourage you to check the Box Tops Marketplace for additional merchants.
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What kinds of promotions does Box Tops run? |
Box Tops runs lots of different kinds of promotions, including sweepstakes, contests, coupons, Bonus Box Tops offers, Marketplace deals and discounts, special partner offers and more.
For fun sweepstakes, contests and other ways to earn Bonus Box Top, or to find local promotions and events in stores near you, check the Bonus Box Tops section. Find Marketplace Deals & Discounts in the Marketplace section. And click the Coupons link in the links at the upper right corner of every page for this month’s money-saving coupons. All of these promotions change continually, so check back often to see what’s new!
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I don’t see a promotion I saw a few days ago. Did it move somewhere else? |
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Box Tops promotions change all the time. However, every promotion that is currently active will always be listed in the Bonus Box Tops section or on the Marketplace Deals & Discounts page. If a promotion no longer appears, it has ended or expired.
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How are the winners determined in Box Tops sweepstakes? |
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Selection process and other details may vary by event and are provided in the Official Rules for each contest or sweepstakes. Look for the Rules link on the sweepstakes entry page.
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How does my school get Box Tops if I win a sweepstakes? |
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Schools are awarded Bonus Box Tops electronically. You must select a school to support by signing up on the Box Tops site. It may take 4 to 6 weeks for these Bonus Box Tops winnings to appear on your school’s earnings page.
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Where can I find Box Tops coupons on the website? |
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You’ll find a link to the Coupons page in the links at the upper right corner of every page, above the tabs.
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How do I print my own coupons? |
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You must print out coupons with a printer connected to your home computer. Check the box under each coupon you want, click “Print Selected Coupons” at the bottom of the screen and take the coupons to your local grocery store.
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Will my grocery store accept these coupons? |
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Not all grocery stores will accept coupons printed from your home computer. In fact, not all stores within the same chain have the same policies on these coupons. Before presenting coupons at your local grocery store, please check with the store’s manager or customer service desk.
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Do I have to do anything special with my computer to print coupons? |
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Yes. If this is your first time printing online coupons, you’ll need to install a small application that allows our website to communicate with your computer. Click “Yes” when the install window appears. Even with a 56K modem, the application takes only seconds to download.
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I tried to download coupons with the computer at my place of employment, but it didn’t work. Why? |
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Due to security settings, you may not be able to print coupons if you are on a network. We recommend you print your coupons at home.
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A coupon I selected wouldn’t print out. Why? |
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Quantities of coupons for download are limited and selections change often. Check back every month for new coupons.
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Can I download coupons with my Apple computer? |
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Yes. You can download and print coupons using Apple’s Safari browser. Other Macintosh browsers are not supported at this time.
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How does Box Tops calculate my school's earnings? |
Your school’s volunteer Box Tops Coordinator must total all Box Tops coupons and Bonus certificates that have been collected by your school and submit them to Box Tops for Education. Schools will be credited 10¢ for each Box Top coupon and the face value of each Bonus Box Top submitted.
For donations made through the Box Tops Marketplace and the Box Tops Reading Room, the amount of the donation to your school varies depending on the merchant and depending on the item or service purchased. Your account will be updated on the 15th of each month to reflect the previous month’s reported purchases. (For example, April purchases reported to Box Tops will be posted on May 15.) Please note that it may take six to eight weeks for some stores to report purchases to Box Tops for Education.
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Transactions reported on or before: |
Earnings posted: |
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January 31 |
March 15 |
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February 28 |
April 15 |
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March 31 |
May 15 |
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April 30 |
June 15td>
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May 31 |
July 15 |
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June 30 |
August 15 |
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July 31 |
September 15 |
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August 31 |
October 15 |
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September 30 |
November 15 |
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October 31 |
December 15 |
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November 30 |
January 15 |
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December 31 |
February 15 |
To learn more, please refer to Box Tops Official Rules page.
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How much has my school earned through Box Tops?
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In the upper right corner of the Your School page you’ll see your school’s earnings for the current year, the previous year, and their total earnings since they enrolled in the program. Keep in mind that the earnings for this year may not be current based on submissions and reporting methods.
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How do you calculate my school's goal?
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Your school’s earnings goal may have been determined either by your school’s coordinator or by Box Tops. Box Tops calculates a goal for your school in one of two ways. If your school’s earnings last year were less than $500, your school’s goal will be set at $500. If your school’s earnings last year were greater than $500, Box Tops will increase your school’s goal by adding 20%. This helps challenge schools to earn more and truly make a difference for students.
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How do you calculate my personal goals in the "Do Your Part" section?
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"Do Your Part" makes it easy to understand how you can help your school reach its goal. Your school's overall earnings goal is broken down to the individual student level to help you see exactly how much you would need to participate per month over a typical 9-month school year.
Clipping Box Tops:
The Clip goal equals your school’s overall goal divided by the number of students in your school*, divided by the value of one Box Top, divided by nine months.
[Overall school goal ÷ number of students ÷ 0.10 ÷ 9] = your monthly Clip goal
Shopping at the Box Tops Marketplace:
The Marketplace goal equals your school’s overall goal divided by the number of students in your school*, divided by the average percentage donated on qualifying purchases, divided by nine months.
[Overall school goal ÷ number of students ÷ 0.05 ÷ 9] = your monthly Marketplace goal
(.05 is the average donation percentage from Box Marketplace stores)
The Box Tops Reading Room:
The Box Tops Reading Room goal equals your school’s overall goal divided by the number of students in your school*, divided by average percentage donated on qualifying purchases, divided by nine months.
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Can I see my school's earnings compared to other schools? |
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Yes. On the Your School page you can see how your school’s earnings compare to schools in your area, in your state and across the nation.
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How do I change my personal information?
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Click on Your Profile in the top menu (above the tabs) on any page.
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How do I change the school I am supporting through the Box Tops website?
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The Your School page indicates the name of the school you are currently supporting. To change your designated school, go to Your Profile in the top menu. On the You & Your School page, click on Change School and follow the prompts.
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When will my school receive payment for its earnings?
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Payments are made twice each school year, on December 15 and April 15. Each payment will include amounts earned by schools from clipping Box Tops, shopping online through the Box Tops Marketplace, buying books through the Box Tops Reading Room and Bonus programs. The December 15 payment will reflect the amounts earned from March 1 through October 31, and the April 15 payment will reflect the amounts earned from November 1 through February 28. Schools that accrue total earnings of less than $20.00 from March 1 through the following October 31 will not be issued a December 15 payment. Instead, those earnings will carry over and a payment will be issued for the entire school year (March 1 through February 28) to those schools in the April 15 payment. It takes approximately 2 to 4 weeks for checks to arrive.
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How can I find out what my school does with the cash it earns from Box Tops?
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Contact your school’s Box Tops coordinator to learn more about how they spend their earnings.
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What can I do to help spread the word about Box Tops?
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