
Advance the hospitality industry through education, community engagement, and career development; serve and support members by promoting, protecting, and educating Alabama’s restaurant, food service, and hospitality industry.
The Alabama Restaurant & Hospitality Association Foundation’s clearest pattern is its steady support for Alabama career pathways in hospitality, especially ProStart programs and scholarships tied to restaurant and lodging careers. Across recent grants, the foundation backs both classroom-to-career pipelines and postsecondary education, with awards reaching Auburn University, the University of North Alabama, and Coastal Alabama Community College alongside high school and career-tech programs. Its giving shows a strong preference for direct support to students and schools preparing people for work in culinary arts, food service, and hospitality management. The foundation’s grants often sit in the low-thousands, but it also makes larger education awards, including an $8,000 scholarship to Auburn University in 2025. Many of the school-based grants are designated as ProStart program contributions, indicating a focus on hospitality education in Alabama classrooms and career-tech settings. The Kirk Kirkland Memorial Scholarship adds another layer to that strategy, supporting Alabama students pursuing restaurant and lodging management education. Taken together, the recent record shows a funder that invests in both the pipeline and the destination: classroom training, scholarship support, and workforce development for the state’s hospitality industry.
Hospitality education is the foundation’s most visible grant area. It gave $5,000 to Limestone County Career Tech Center for a ProStart program contribution and $4,500 to University of North Alabama for an educational scholarship, showing support for both secondary and postsecondary routes into the field. Career and technical education is another major theme. The foundation awarded $5,000 to Pelham High School for a ProStart program contribution and $4,500 to Riverchase Career Connection Center for the same purpose, alongside grants to other Alabama CTE sites. Its support also reaches culinary and workforce development settings. Auburn University received $4,500 for an educational scholarship, while Coastal Alabama Community College received $4,500 for an educational scholarship, both tied to preparation for restaurant, lodging, and hospitality careers.
$101K
$746K
$751K
$407K
Most grants fall between $2K and $5K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Typical grant size is clustered tightly in the low thousands: p25 is $2,050, median is $2,500, and p75 is $4,500. The recent record includes both modest program contributions and a smaller number of larger scholarship awards, with one $8,000 grant appearing at the top of the list. The pattern is repeated giving to the same schools across multiple years, including Career Academies of Decatur, Limestone County Career Tech Center, Auburn University, and Albertville High School. The foundation operates as a grantmaker focused on Alabama, and it also runs the Kirk Kirkland Memorial Scholarship, which accepts unsolicited applications.
Giving is entirely in Alabama, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the state. Recent recipients cluster in cities and communities such as Auburn, Decatur, Athens, Pelham, Birmingham, Moody, Huntsville, Opelika, Florence, Bay Minette, Hoover, Albertville, Robertsdale, Seale, Tuscaloosa, Lexington, Jasper, Mobile, and Hueytown. That footprint reflects a statewide network of hospitality and career-tech programs rather than a single metro area.
It supports Alabama students, schools, and training programs connected to restaurant, food service, culinary arts, and hospitality careers. Recent grants include scholarships for universities and community colleges, plus ProStart contributions to high schools and career tech centers.
Typical award size is $2,050 at the 25th percentile, $2,500 at the median, and $4,500 at the 75th percentile. Recent grants also show some larger scholarship awards, including an $8,000 grant.
It gives to repeat recipients across multiple years. Examples in the recent grant list include Career Academies of Decatur, Limestone County Career Tech Center, Auburn University, and Albertville High School, each appearing in more than one year.
Yes. The Kirk Kirkland Memorial Scholarship supports Alabama students pursuing restaurant and lodging management careers, with awards of up to $2,000. The program accepts unsolicited applications.
Its grantmaking is entirely local to Alabama. The recipient country distribution shows 82 grants, all in the US, and 100% of grants go to recipients in Alabama.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUBURN UNIVERSITY | AUBURN, AL | $8,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| LIMESTONE COUNTY CAREER TECH CENTER | ATHENS, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| EDEN CAREER TECH CENTER | MOODY, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL | PELHAM, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| CAREER ACADEMIES OF DECATUR | DECATUR, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| OPELIKA HIGH SCHOOL | OPELIKA, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| AH PARKER HIGH | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| WENONAH HIGH SCHOOL | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $4,875 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL | LEXINGTON, AL | $4,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| RIVERCHASE CAREER CONNECTION CENTER | HOOVER, AL | $4,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| WP DAVIDSON HIGH | MOBILE, AL | $3,447 | 2025 | PROSTART |
| VIGOR HIGH SCHOOL | PRICHARD, AL | $3,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| MORTIMER JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL | KIMBERLY, AL | $3,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| HUEYTOWN HIGH SCHOOL | HUEYTOWN, AL | $3,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| TUSCALOOSA CAREER & TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY | TUSCALOOSA, AL | $3,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| ALBERTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL | ALBERTVILLE, AL | $3,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| LILIE B WILLIAMSON HIGH SCHOOL | MOBILE, AL | $3,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| SELMA HIGH SCHOOL | SELMA, AL | $3,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| BAKER HIGH SCHOOL | MOBILE, AL | $2,572 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| GULF SHORES HIGH SCHOOL | GULF SHORES, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| MORGAN COUNTY SCHOOLS TECHNOLOGY PARK | SOMERVILLE, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| MCADORY HIGH SCHOOL | MCCALLA, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| BALDWIN PREPARATORY ACADEMY | LOXLEY, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | CLASSROOM GRANT |
| AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL | AUBURN, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| HUNTSVILLE CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY | HUNTSVILLE, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| HAZEL GREEN HIGH SCHOOL CULINARY ACADEMY | HAZEL GREEN, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| GARDENDALE HIGH SCHOOL | GARDENDALE, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| JASPER HIGH SCHOOL FCCLA | JASPER, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| PD JACKSON-OLIN HIGH SCHOOL | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA | TUSCALOOSA, AL | $1,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA | FLORENCE, AL | $1,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| COASTAL ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | BAY MINETTE, AL | $1,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| RIVERCHASE CAREER CONNECTION CENTER | HOOVER, AL | $4,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| TUSCALOOSA CAREER & TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY | TUSCALOOSA, AL | $4,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL | PELHAM, AL | $4,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| HUNTSVILLE CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY | HUNTSVILLE, AL | $4,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| ALBERTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL | ALBERTVILLE, AL | $4,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL | LEXINGTON, AL | $4,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| RUSSELL COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | SEALE, AL | $4,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| AUBURN UNIVERSITY | AUBURN, AL | $4,500 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| EDEN CAREER TECH CENTER | MOODY, AL | $4,000 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| SOUTH BALDWIN CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY | ROBERTSDALE, AL | $4,000 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| LIMESTONE COUNTY CAREER TECH CENTER | ATHENS, AL | $4,000 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| MORTIMER JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL | KIMBERLY, AL | $2,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA | MOBILE, AL | $2,500 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP |
| CAREER ACADEMIES OF DECATUR | DECATUR, AL | $2,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| WENONAH HIGH SCHOOL | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $2,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| JASPER HIGH SCHOOL FCCLA | JASPER, AL | $2,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| GARDENDALE HIGH SCHOOL | GARDENDALE, AL | $2,500 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
| MCS TECHNOLOGY PARK | SOMERVILLE, AL | $2,000 | 2024 | PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION |
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
$8,000EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
LIMESTONE COUNTY CAREER TECH CENTER
$5,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
EDEN CAREER TECH CENTER
$5,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL
$5,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
CAREER ACADEMIES OF DECATUR
$5,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
OPELIKA HIGH SCHOOL
$5,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
AH PARKER HIGH
$5,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
WENONAH HIGH SCHOOL
$4,875PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
$4,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
RIVERCHASE CAREER CONNECTION CENTER
$4,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
WP DAVIDSON HIGH
$3,447PROSTART
VIGOR HIGH SCHOOL
$3,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
MORTIMER JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
$3,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
HUEYTOWN HIGH SCHOOL
$3,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
TUSCALOOSA CAREER & TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY
$3,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
ALBERTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
$3,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
LILIE B WILLIAMSON HIGH SCHOOL
$3,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
SELMA HIGH SCHOOL
$3,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
BAKER HIGH SCHOOL
$2,572PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
GULF SHORES HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
MORGAN COUNTY SCHOOLS TECHNOLOGY PARK
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
MCADORY HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
BALDWIN PREPARATORY ACADEMY
$2,000CLASSROOM GRANT
AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
HUNTSVILLE CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
HAZEL GREEN HIGH SCHOOL CULINARY ACADEMY
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
GARDENDALE HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
JASPER HIGH SCHOOL FCCLA
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
PD JACKSON-OLIN HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
$1,000EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA
$1,000EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
COASTAL ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$1,000EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
RIVERCHASE CAREER CONNECTION CENTER
$4,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
TUSCALOOSA CAREER & TECHNOLOGY ACADEMY
$4,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
PELHAM HIGH SCHOOL
$4,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
HUNTSVILLE CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY
$4,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
ALBERTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
$4,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
LEXINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
$4,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
RUSSELL COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
$4,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
$4,500EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
EDEN CAREER TECH CENTER
$4,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
SOUTH BALDWIN CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY
$4,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
LIMESTONE COUNTY CAREER TECH CENTER
$4,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
MORTIMER JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
$2,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
$2,500EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
CAREER ACADEMIES OF DECATUR
$2,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
WENONAH HIGH SCHOOL
$2,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
JASPER HIGH SCHOOL FCCLA
$2,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
GARDENDALE HIGH SCHOOL
$2,500PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION
MCS TECHNOLOGY PARK
$2,000PROSTART PROGRAM CONTRIBUTION