Mission - Educational Foundation of the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation that promotes careers in the hospitality industry, creates educational opportunities for its members, and awards scholarships to qualified high school and college students who are seeking a degree in hospitality management.      

Membership - All hotels, motels, and bed & breakfast inns who are members in good standing with the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City are automatically members of the Educational Foundation. Colleges and Universities whose annual dues are current are also members of the Foundation.

Organization - The Educational Foundation was incorporated in 1991 under the laws of the State of Missouri as a 501 c (3) nonprofit charitable organization. An elected Board of Directors governs the business affairs of the Foundation. Board members are elected at the general membership meeting for a two-year term. Individuals selected to serve on the Foundation's Board represent the hotel industry, educational institutions with hospitality programs, and the community at large.

Scholarships - The Educational Foundation awards twelve (12) college scholarships annually to students pursuing degrees in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Students attending a four-year college or university are eligible for a $2,000 scholarship and students attending a two-year junior college receive $1,200. The four named scholarship awards are funded at $2,500.

The Educational Foundation also has direct oversight and coordination responsibility for the conduct of the following hotel association training programs.

Standard Scholarship Application
Provides financial assistance to local area students who are qualified high school graduates or currently enrolled college students that are interested in a hospitality management career.

Alternative Scholarships - Alternative scholarships are designed to help individual hotel employees in member hotels.These scholarships provide financial assistance to employees who want to attend college part-time, taking less than 12 credit hours, or those who need help with professional certification through the Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Alternative Scholarship Application
Designed to help hotel employees of member properties who need financial assistance to attend college on a part-time basis, enroll in an EI Continuing Education course of instruction, attend the Mid-American Hospitality Forum, and/or register for a personal Professional Certification program.

Educational Training Programs - No cost continuing education courses from the Educational Institute are conducted quarterly for hotel member employees. In addition, the Foundation conducts the " Mid-America Hospitality Forum & Pistilli Lecture Series " for all mid-west hoteliers. The Forum covers a variety of hot button topics that are of interest to hotel general managers, department heads and supervisors. The association office also maintains a variety of training videos and textbooks that are available to our members on a no cost loan basis.