2024 Scholarships

Application Due Date: February 7, 2024
All winners will be notified on or before February 16, 2024

***Please DO NOT register for conference if you are applying for a scholarship until after you have been notified about your award status. We can not refund registrations***

The CRA is able to offer the following scholarship categories: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, South Carolina License Plate Fund, North Carolina Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (NC DEACS) for local government, Keep America Beautiful Affiliates, and Collegiate Recyclers Coalition. Applicants are welcome to apply from any sector, as are members of the general public, provided that they work or provide services in the Carolinas. Scholarships cover basic attendee registration for the 2024 CRA Conference. Please DO NOT register for the conference if you have applied for a scholarship until you’ve received notification from CRA of your award. CRA will honor the early bird rate if you do not receive a scholarship but would still like to register after the deadline.

General Selection Criteria: Scholarships are need based. As a result, applicants must describe their organization and why they are in financial need. For example, a city might only allocate funds for one staff member to attend. However, another staff member sees sessions that would benefit their current projects. That second staff member could apply for the scholarship.

Amount of Scholarships: CRA Conference Registration Equivalent (tours, workshops and additional conference events will incur additional fees)

Questions? Call 877.972.0007 or email [email protected].

Selection Criteria for Each Scholarship Fund

Minority Owned Business, Women Owned Business, and Minority Serving Institutions

As part of our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in all aspects of our organization, governance, and membership, CRA is providing 2023 Conference scholarships to Minority Serving Institutions and Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprises.

Who Can Apply: Any Minority-Owned Business, Women-Owned Business, or Minority Serving Institution located in and/or serving NC or SC

Eligibility: Applicants must provide appropriate documentation to certify their eligibility within this category as requested.

- Minority Serving Institutions include but are not limited to Minority Serving Institutions include but are not limited to: Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Predominantly Black Institutions, Native American-serving nontribal institutions, Colleges and Universities serving students with disabilities. (More info may be found at US Dept of Education)
- Minority-Owned and/or Women-Owned Businesses must be at least 51% minority and/or woman owned, operated and controlled by US Citizen(s) and located in the US.

SC Recycling License Plate Fund

The Carolina Recycling Association (CRA), in collaboration with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), The Recycling Market Development Advisory Council (RMDAC), and South Carolina Department of Commerce (SC DOC) is offering scholarships to attend CRA’s 2024 Annual Conference and Trade Show. These scholarship funds are available as a result of the South Carolina Recycling License Plate Fund.

Who Can Apply: Business, Local Government, Non-Profits, Students, and Individuals in the South Carolina Recycling industry or related field.

Eligibility: Applicants must provide verification of their eligibility as requested.

NC DEACS Local Government Scholarships

NC DEACS will provide scholarships for NC local governments to send representatives to CRA’s 2024 Annual Conference and Trade Show.

Who Can Apply: NC Local Governments only

Eligibility: Applicants must provide verification of their eligibility as requested. To be eligible for a conference registration scholarship, applicants must agree to attend at least two full days of the conference. Only one scholarship will be awarded per local government jurisdiction, and priority will be given to first-time CRA scholarship applicants. Scholarship funds will be paid directly to the Carolina Recycling Association by NC DEACS so that recipients do not have to pay their registration up front.

Keep America Beautiful Affiliates

The North Carolina and South Carolina Beverage Associations and Pepsico will award several scholarships to KAB Affiliate organizations.

Who Can Apply: State, regional and local KAB affiliates including directors, contractors, and volunteers for affiliates.

Eligibility: Applicants must be working or volunteering for a national, state or local KAB affiliate to qualify.

Collegiate Recyclers Coalition Scholarships

The CRA will fund scholarships to the conference for higher education institutions including students, faculty and staff.

Who Can Apply: Any NC or SC college, university, or other higher education institution staff member, faculty or currently enrolled student.

Eligibility: Applicants must be enrolled, working for, or on the faculty of a higher education institution in North or South Carolina.

Please Note: Applicants who register for the conference before their notification of their award will forfeit any scholarship award. These are need-based scholarships so need must be explained for all categories of funding.

Please read and follow the instructions carefully prior to submitting your application.

***Please DO NOT register for conference if you are applying for a scholarship until after you have been notified about your award status.***