Michigan Retailers Association Scholarship

Michigan Retailers Foundation, established in 1968, provides college scholarships annually to benefit retailers and their employees and families. The foundation is a nonprofit educational organization established by MRA. Donations are tax-deductible. View the list of MRA Foundation donors.

MRA’s college scholarship competition begins in January each year. Applications are due by April 1. To be eligible, the student applicant or a parent or guardian must work at a business that is a member of MRA. High school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors may apply.

Fourteen awards worth $3,500 will be given out in 2025. Financial need is not a consideration.

Eligibility

Those eligible to apply are high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are:

1. Dependent children of owners of MRA member businesses, or of full-time employees of MRA member firms. The parent-employee must have been employed by a MRA member firm for at least one year as of January 1 of the year in which the scholarships are awarded.
2. Part-time employees of MRA member businesses who are full-time students. Part-time employees must have been employed by a MRA member firm for at least six months as of January 1 of the year in which the scholarships are awarded.

Scholarship Awards

Fourteen awards worth $3,500 will be given out in 2025. These awards are for one year and are not based on financial need. Applicants may apply each year they are eligible. There is a new competition for these awards each year. Awards can only be won by those studying for an undergraduate degree. Winning a scholarship one year does not necessarily mean that a recipient will win a scholarship the following year. The scholarships will be applied to educational expenses at accredited, nonprofit colleges, universities, or approved educational and professional training institutes in the United States. A student may change colleges and retain the award.

Winner Selection

An independent selection committee made up of educators will select the winners during the month of April. In selecting the winners, the committee evaluates the applicants’ academic records, test scores and extracurricular activities, including, but not limited to, retail employment. The committee will not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion or national origin. Applicants are ranked largely on the basis of the qualifications described above. All applicants will be notified of the results of the competition in June.