NEW YORK STATE — The New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) on Thursday, October 22 announced a new policy allowing alcoholic beverage brand labels to identify and promote charitable organizations.

Under updated SLA policy, labels may state that a specified amount or portion of sales or proceeds from a particular product will be donated to a named charitable organization. The change updates a longstanding policy that effectively prohibited charitable references on brand labels, limiting the ability of businesses to use their products to raise awareness and financial support for important causes.

This policy change is part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s EXPRESS NY Initiative, which is focused on eliminating outdated policies, reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens and improving the delivery of government services.

“New York’s alcoholic beverage industry has a long history of supporting charitable causes and giving back to their communities,” said SLA Chair Lily M. Fan. “This new policy provides a clear path for licensees to highlight legitimate charitable partnerships on their products, creating new opportunities for manufacturers and charitable organizations to work together, raise awareness and generate resources for important causes. This is a win for the industry, charitable organizations and most importantly, the communities and causes these partnerships will support.”

To qualify under the revised policy, charitable donation references must relate to a bona fide religious, charitable, educational, fraternal or service organization, or a bona fide organization of veterans or volunteer firefighters, where contributions to the organization are deductible for federal income tax purposes.

Applicants seeking approval for a brand label containing a charitable donation reference will be required to provide documentation establishing the charitable organization’s eligibility, information about the relationship between the licensee and organization, details regarding the donation arrangement and documentation authorizing use of the organization’s name, logo or identifying marks when applicable.

The SLA will also continue to review labels for compliance with its regulations governing deceptive or misleading statements.

More information regarding Charitable Donation References on Brand Labels is available on the Authority’s website.

New York State Brewers Association Executive Director Paul Leone said, “Craft breweries invest in the small towns and cities where they live, and by doing so, they regularly donate their time and money to nonprofit organizations in their communities. The ability to now promote that good work towards great causes is a win-win for both the brewery and the nonprofits they are supporting. We applaud Governor Hochul and SLA Chair Fan for removing outdated regulations in their continued support of the craft beverage industry in New York State.”

New York Wine & Grape Foundation Executive Director Sam Filler said, “Wineries are more than businesses—they're neighbors, and giving back to their communities is part of who they are. For too long, an outdated policy kept that generosity off the label. By allowing charitable partnerships to be recognized right on the bottle, this policy lets wineries share the causes they care about with every customer. We're grateful to Chair Fan and the State Liquor Authority for this practical reform, and to Governor Hochul's EXPRESS NY Initiative for the work of clearing out policies that no longer serve New York's businesses or communities.”

New York Cider Association Executive Director Scott Ramsey said, “Community is the heart and soul of NY Cider, and our growers and producers are deeply connected to the people, places, and causes that make our state so special. This new policy gives our cideries a meaningful way to celebrate and amplify those connections. Governor Hochul, Chair Fan, and the entire team at the State Liquor Authority continue to demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to supporting our industry and finding thoughtful ways to help us grow our businesses. We applaud their leadership and thank them for continuing to champion New York's craft beverage industry.”

New York State Distillers Guild President Brian Facquet said, “New York’s distillers have always played an active role in their communities, supporting local organizations and causes that matter to the people they serve. This change allows our small businesses to tell a more complete story about who they are, what they stand for, and the communities they are a part of. This means a great deal to us at Do Good Spirits and to distillers across the state who have made charitable giving part of their ethos. On behalf of the New York State Distillers Guild, I want to thank the State Liquor Authority for working with our industry to make this happen. I look forward to seeing the positive impact this change can have by allowing distillers and the charitable organizations they support to spread the word on a much larger scale.”