What is the Young Activist Scholarship Fund?

Biker “Freedom Fighting” activists have recognized for some time that our membership and leaders are aging, and that there is a need to encourage younger people to become involved in motorcyclists’ rights. To that end, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation Awareness and Education (MRFA&E) has created a scholarship fund to recognize deserving candidates who are a minimum of 18 years old and not over 30 years of age who otherwise may not be able to attend the MRF’s Meeting of the Minds conference.The MRFA&E has dedicated a limited amount of seed money to the scholarship fund to get things rolling.

The MRFA&E is looking for additional contributions from individuals, national, state and local organizations and businesses that would like to participate in the program. Click here to make an on-line contribution to the MRFA&E Young Activist Scholarship Fund. Checks made out to the MRFA&E Young Activist Scholarship Fund can be sent to: MRFA&E Young Activist Scholarship Fund, PO Box 581 Big Lake, MN 55309.Since 2004, the MRFA&E Young Activist Scholarship is a successful program to activate our youth into defending biker rights for the future. The program started with the MRFA&E donating $750.00 the first year to get it rolling and generous donations from MRF members. The first year the MRFA&E could afford to send one candidate and the second year this program doubled to two winning candidates with larger donations. Our third year we doubled the winning candidates to four. Individuals, National, State, and Local Organizations and Businesses are encouraged to continue their donations so we can grow this program even more for the future.

Grants are being explored as a way to fund this but it still is a ways down the pike.Nominations will be accepted from either state or local SMRO groups, and must be submitted on the MRFA&E-approved application form below.

Candidate Criteria:

1) Nominated candidates must be between the ages of 18 and 30 with a valid Motorcycle Endorsement on their Drivers License. 31st Birthday must fall after Meeting Of The Minds for that year.

2) Candidates must be a member in good standing of a State Motorcyclists’ Rights Organization (SMRO). Length of membership required in SMRO to be determined by its members if candidate is qualified.

3) Candidates must be nominated by their SMRO. Nominations will be accepted from either state or local (District / Chapter / Local) SRMO groups, and must be submitted on an MRFA&E approved application form.

4) Nominations must be submitted between October 1st and July 15th and postmarked no later than July 1st of the year for which the application is submitted.

5) Candidates are to submit a minimum three hundred (300)-word essay on why biker’s rights are important to them. A well written essay from the heart is like a picture or blueprint of who the candidate is; coming directly from the candidate, this gives the committee members a better perspective of the individual. Include the essay with the MRFA&E YAS Application Form.

Winning candidates will be announced via an MRF E-mail News Release on or about August 15th. All candidates will be notified with a letter of thanks and encouragement to re-submit their candidacy for the next year if they are not the selected winner.