The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association Foundation is VRLTA's 501(c)(3) foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is two-fold:
  • To support hospitality education across the state, including the Virginia ProStart program, designed to get more high school-aged young people interested in careers in the hospitality industry, and hospitality programs at the collegiate level, and
  • To offer scholarships to high school and college students studying in the hospitality industry. 
Support the Foundation
​When you donate to the Foundation, your commitment will help us grow our efforts and support the Virginia ProStart Program to include more schools and students which will help get more young people interested in careers in the hospitality industry. Supporting the Foundation and Virginia ProStart is the right choice when it comes to an ongoing commitment to feeding the dreams and building the futures of students and educators. Thanks for your continued support in our endeavors to promote the importance of hospitality education.
​Virginia ProStart
​ProStart is a career and technical education program that unites the foodservice industry and the classroom to teach high school students culinary skills and restaurant management principles, as well as employability skills such as communication, teamwork, professionalism and time management. ProStart is a key program of the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation (NRAEF). The program is a two-year career and technical education culinary and restaurant management program for high school students. This program addresses some of the most serious issues that our industry is facing, including training and identifying and nurturing future managers. High school students who participate in the School-to-Career program will be able to compete for higher wages and advanced skill level careers in the hospitality industry while providing a viable workforce for industry employers.

As of June 2020, there are 62 high schools in Virginia with ProStart programs, and more are added each year. Over 2,000 students participate in these programs.
Scholarship Program
​The VRTLA Foundation offers annual scholarships to provide financial assistance to worthy individuals studying in the hospitality industry. Scholarships are designed to provide assistance to deserving students seeking to further their knowledge at all levels of higher education. Through generous financial contributions from restaurateurs, hoteliers and hospitality suppliers throughout the Commonwealth, we have been able to provide over $200,000 in scholarship funding to high school students studying in the hospitality field.  
VRLTA Restaurant & Hospitality Relief Fund
​The Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association, through its 501(c)(3) foundation (Virginia Restaurant Lodging & Travel Association Foundation), has formed a new industry relief fund to aid workers displaced by the recent restaurant and hospitality industry shutdowns and also aid affected businesses. The Virginia Restaurant & Hospitality Relief Fund provides direct cash support to workers that were laid off due to the COVID19 pandemic. The Foundation funds the new trust with donations from individual donors and grants from local private foundations and corporate partners. Donations are disbursed to organizations around the state which can connect the support to individuals, or, in some cases, made directly to affected individuals and/or businesses. VRLTA is asking all of the industry’s suppliers, distributors, allied vendor partners, and other corporations to support the Fund. The restaurant and hospitality industries in Virginia are not only large employers, but also greatly contribute to the Commonwealth's economy. All donations to the Fund are fully tax-deductible, subject to applicable laws and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations. If you would like to direct your donation to a particular area, please reach out to [email protected] for assistance.
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