Application Guidelines

The Ralph K. Morris Foundation Cooperative Leadership Fund provides financial support to help cover costs associated with training, professional development and educational programs for rural young leaders interested in the future of cooperatives and rural communities.

ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA

• Applicants must be sponsored by an organization.
• Typical grants range from $300 to $500.
• Organizations sponsoring participants must provide matching funds of at least 33% of the total program costs (including conference registration and travel expenses). 
• Funds will be used to cover costs associated with attendance at established cooperative education, professional development and training programs.
• Operational or vocational training & formal degree programs are ineligible uses of these funds.
• Scholarship recipients are eligible to receive only one scholarship in a calendar year.
• A recipient must be a legal resident of the United States.
• Morris Foundation trustees and staff, including their immediate families, are ineligible to apply for a scholarship.

EXAMPLES OF ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS FOR WHICH THE FUNDS MAY BE USED INCLUDE:

• Young producer programs of cooperatives and state cooperative councils.
• Graduate Institute of Cooperative Leadership (GICL).
• Association of Cooperative Educators Institute (ACE).
• Legal, Tax and Accounting Conference (National Council of Farmers Cooperatives) (NCFC/LTA).
• CooperationWorks.
• Farmer Cooperatives/NCERA-194.
• NASCO's Emerging Cooperative Leaders Program.
• Other programs may be eligible at the discretion of the Foundation.

Timelines

Preference will be given to those applications received at least 30 days prior to conference date.