News

Taco Bell scholarships doubled for year No. 4

November 12, 2018

The Taco Bell Foundation, which administers the brand's educational monies, said it's more than doubling its scholarship commitment to $21 million by 2021. The chain's foundation opened applications for its educational funding program's fourth year Monday, with more than $4 million available, a news release said. 

The $1 million increase over last year's available funds supports the brand's Live Más Scholarship program that primarily supports post-secondary education and opportunities for 16- to 24-year-old students to pursue their educational goals which often don't fit into the traditional academic and athletic scholarship categories. To apply, employees submit a two-minute video describing their goals and no grades, essays or test scores are required. 

This year's application period runs through Feb. 21 next year with winners announced next spring. Scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 per student, with $1 million going to Taco Bell team members' new and renewed scholarships, while $3 million will go to new and renewal scholarships for young people nationwide. 

The chain's foundation arm has already awarded $5.8 million in education support to nearly 600 students, many of whom are Taco Bell employees. Students can also access workshops to develop personal and professional skills and get into a valuable mentoring relationship, through the national mentoring partnership, Mentor.

Some of the past goals funded, include on employees' efforts to create a tool to help detect Parkinson's disease early as well as money to help an aspiring filmmaker create a Taco Bell commercial.