Scholarships
2020 CRAF Scholarship Awards
The CRA Foundation awarded $109,000 in co-branded scholarship to 35 passionate students, 17 of them being ProStart students. Congratulations to all the 2020 CRAF Scholarship recipients! Enjoy our CRAF Scholarship Awards video below that highlights all our 2020 recipients.
The 2021 scholarship application will open January 2021.
Above: This video highlights the CRAF scholarship programs and 2020 recipients.
Right: Click on the scholarship announcement to see and hear from all the recipients!
CRAF Scholarships
Each year, the Foundation awards dozens of scholarships to deserving high school seniors and undergraduate students who dream of pursuing higher education to study the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality industries, as well as to instructors who want to continue their education.
This year, we awarded $109,000 in co-branded scholarships to 35 students. Since its inception in 1981, CRAF has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships and grants.
How to Apply: Students complete a single general CRAF scholarship application and check off boxes for the scholarships for which they qualify (requirements for each scholarship listed below). Please note, the Guy Fieri Cooking with Kids scholarship requires an additional video submission.
Awards: Students attending a 2-year degree program are eligible for a maximum award of $2,000 a year. Students attending a 4-year degree program are eligible for a maximum award of $4,000 a year.
Note: the Galardi Group Inc. Scholarship (Wienerschnitzel) is a separate application and is not included as an option in the general CRAF scholarship application. Scholarship criteria listed below.
go for it!
Applications will be live January 2021
CRAF Scholarships
Wienerschnitzel Scholarship
This scholarship is available to students who are current Wienerschnitzel Service Center, franchisees or crew members (referred to as “Wienerschnitzel Members” collectively throughout the application) or immediate family members of Wienerschnitzel Members and are interested in pursuing careers in culinary arts/hospitality management, business or education.
Guy Fieri Cooking with kids scholarship
The Guy Fieri CWK Scholarships are competitive and awarded to qualified applicants based on an application (the general CRAF scholarship application) and a 30 second video submission.
Apply via the general CRAF Scholarship application
BJ’s RestaurANTS fOUNDATION
BJ’s Restaurants Foundation awards $12,000 in scholarships to students, teachers and schools during the CA ProStart Cup.
CRA San Diego Chapter
- Apply via the general CRAF Scholarship application
Endowments
The CRA Foundation is fortunate to have partners who have made a long-term commitment to higher education. The following people and companies have established scholarship endowments with us.
- David C Tallichet, Jr. / Specialty Restaurants Corp (SRC) Scholarship
- Wendy Armour Scholarship
- Kieran Collins Burke Scholarship Endowment
- Keurig Dr Pepper
- Balestreri + Cutino Scholarship Fund
- American Express Scholarship Fund
- Don + Dolly Karcher Scholarship Fund
- M. Dariotis Scholarship
- Thomas + Jenny Fat Endowment
- RARE Chapter Endowment
- Mark Giovanini Scholarship Fund
- Rolf Lewis CCA Scholarship Fund
- Milla O. Naylor Scholarship Fund
- Arthur Wynne Scholarship Fund
- CRA Central Valley Endowment
- CRA Fresno Chapter Endowment
- CRA Los Angeles Chapter Endowment
- CRA Monterey Chapter Endowment
- CRA North State Endowment
- CRA Orange County Chapter Endowment
- CRA Sacramento Chapter Endowment
Apply via the general CRAF Scholarship application
Additional Scholarship Opportunities
National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF)
We encourage students to apply for other scholarships including the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF). The NRAEF scholarship application must be completed online.
Women of the Vine & Spirits Foundation, Ltd.
The Foundation provides scholarships and awards for the purpose of helping women advance their careers in the food, wine, spirits, brewing, hospitality, or viticulture industries through education, leadership, and professional development, as well as fostering gender diversity and talent development across the industry at large. Please check back for next year’s application in early 2021.
Meet Our 2020 Scholars
The CRA Foundation and the California Restaurant Association recently established the Wendy Armour Scholarship in memory of our dear colleague and friend who lost her battle with cancer. Wendy was the heart of the CRA Foundation for 19 years and inspired thousands of students to dream bigger. Her legacy will live on in this scholarship and the lives that it changes.