The Employee Ownership Foundation Charles R. Edmunson Scholarship
Applications for the Edumunson Scholarship may be submitted from June 1 - July 15, 2024
Charles Edmunson dedicated his life to the belief that all employees should be provided an opportunity to own a piece of the company where they work, and that each employee owner should be offered the respect and dignity of an owner. Charles believed that education was the cornerstone of this vision. The Charles R. Edmunson Scholarship helps to fulfill his goal by offering non-management employee owners the opportunity to attend motivational and educational programs that promote employee ownership and educate attendees on the rights, responsibilities, risks, and rewards of employee ownership. The scholarship can be used at Foundation Employee Ownership Retreats or The ESOP Association’s National Conference and The Association’s chapter programs, including multi-day conferences. The scholarships will be awarded to those companies that the Selection Committee deems could best benefit from the opportunity to attend an ESOP Association educational program as determined by the Selection Committee.
Download the Ownership Thinking Development Scholarship Application >>
Download the Recognition of Achievement Scholarship Application >>
Submit completed applications to info@employeeownershipfoundation.org from June 1 - July 15, 2024.
To see a listing of past Edmunson Scholarship recipients please click here.
Terms and Conditions
Award Amount
Each scholarship pays $2,000 to the employee-owned company selected for the Edmunson Scholarship, if used for an Employee Owner retreat or National Conference, and up to this amount for attendance at a Chapter or Regional Conference. The scholarship amount of $2,000 may be split between two employee owners should the winning company have more than one employee owner as winners.
Who Can Apply and How
Employee owned companies may apply on behalf of their employee owner(s). Each employee owned company may nominate up to two employee owners. The individuals nominated should not have a managerial role in the company. Employee owned companies must submit on behalf of their candidate(s) a fully completed application form, including a bio and photo. (Bios and photos will be used to share information about those who are awarded scholarships.) Scholarships will not be awarded to the same company two years in a row.
How the Scholarship Can be Used
The scholarship can be used to defray costs incurred when attending the employee ownership educational programs listed above. This can include, but is not limited to, registration, lodging, and travel. The scholarship must be used within 12 months of receipt. A certificate will be awarded to those selected for the scholarship and then a $2,000 scholarship will be paid upon registration for a Foundation Employee Ownership Retreat, or The ESOP Association’s National Conference, or up to $2,000 for an Association Chapter or Regional Program. The scholarship is not transferable.
Guidelines for Selection
The employee owned company shows interest in promoting the educational growth of their employees. Employee owners demonstrate an interest and passion in expanding their knowledge about employee ownership. Employee owners articulate how they will use the knowledge and experience gained to benefit their company as well as themselves personally. Employee owners within their company practice good citizenship and genuinely promote the beliefs of employee ownership with some demonstration of need or passion or something that is compelling.
How and When Recipients Are Chosen
Applications will be accepted between June 1 and July 15. Award recipients will be announced by early September. A sub-committee of the Board of Trustees will select the final award recipients from the applications received. The number of scholarships awarded each year will be determined by the Board of Trustees of the Foundation and will depend on the financial strength of the Foundation. In addition to the scholarships awarded through the application process, the Foundation will also award one scholarship each year to The ESOP Association national Employee Owner of the Year.