The National Independent Automobile Dealers Association Foundation was founded in 2006 by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association, a 77-year-old trade association, to “improve the independent motor vehicle industry by informing and educating consumers of the general public and training individuals associated with our industry.”
NIADA Foundation & Scholarship Opportunities

Historically, the association’s scholarship program was the responsibility of the NIADA’s Auxiliary. Now, as an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the Foundation has assumed the oversight of the scholarship program’s functions. Four regional scholarships are awarded each year.
The regions and states are as indicated below.
REGION I: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan.
REGION II: Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama.
REGION III: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
REGION IV: Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii.
The Foundation invites you as an eligible student to complete this application in pursuit of scholarship funds to be paid to the college of your choice in Fall 2023. Applications must be POSTMARKED no later than March 12, 2023, AND received no later than March 26, 2023.
Eligibility Criteria:
You must:
- Be classified as a high school senior during the current 2022-2023 school year and legally reside in one of the 4 regions indicated above.
- Have maintained an outstanding academic achievement record as reflected by an official high school transcript;
- A desire to work in the automotive industry.
Application Process:
Submit the completed application form with the required attachments in a 10-inch X 13-inch envelope, with adequate postage to:
Scholarship Selection Committee
C/O NIADA
4621 S. Cooper Street
Suite 131-524
Arlington, Texas 76017
All information MUST be included with the original application. No additional information will be accepted at a later date or if sent separately.
Staff will review the applications for completeness and will forward them to the Scholarship Selection Committee within NIADA and at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. They will be reviewed by region. One applicant will be selected from each of the four NIADA regions based on the merit of his/her scholarship application and will be notified by the Foundation office by mid-May 2023. The winners will be recognized at NIADA’s Annual Convention and Expo in July 2023.
About NIADA
The National Independent Automobile Dealers Association Foundation was founded in 2006 by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association, a 77-year-old trade association, to “improve the independent motor vehicle industry by informing and educating consumers of the general public and training individuals associated with our industry.”
The 501c3 nonprofit annually awards four regional scholarships for students with a desire to work in the automotive industry. The Foundation also awards one $10,000 scholarship to an exceptional Northwood University student completing their Automotive Marketing and Management degree. In the past 15 years, the Foundation has awarded $356,500 in college scholarships to help young people continue to their education in the automotive industry.
The Foundation also spearheads NIADA’s charitable efforts nationwide, donating to organizations that support, among other causes, veterans and their families, youth development and cancer research. The Foundation also established an emergency relief fund to provide a venue for NIADA to assist fellow dealers and others in the automotive community devastated by natural disasters. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised to help those impacted by hurricanes and floods in Texas and Florida in the past decade.
At the annual convention and expo, NIADA holds a live car auction, with all proceeds benefiting the NIADA Foundation. In the past 10 years, the auctions at the NIADA Convention and Expo have raised $252,000 for the Foundation.