The Minnesota Association of Townships (MAT) is proud to announce its 2026 Scholarship Program, which will award up to five $2,000 scholarships to high school juniors. The Scholarship Program is designed to heighten awareness among young people about Minnesota’s grassroots township government.
All students currently enrolled in 11th grade, reside in a Minnesota township, and attend a Minnesota public, private, or parochial school, or a home-study program, are eligible to apply for this program. Since its inception in 2001, the MAT Scholarship Program has had over 2,4500 submissions and 108 winners.
Applicants should submit a written essay using critical thinking on the topic of promoting awareness of township government by June 1, 2026. Winners will be chosen by an independent panel of judges and will be notified in September 2026. They will also be invited to attend MAT’s Annual Conference in December 2026.
The 2026 essay question on promoting township government is, “Townships depend on safe and efficient roads for residents, farmers, businesses, and emergency services, and county road engineers play a vital role in helping many townships achieve this goal. What are the various ways in which townships work with and depend on county road engineers? Why are county engineers crucial for township road systems and community needs? Additionally, what steps can schools, local governments, and communities take to encourage more students to pursue careers in civil engineering and public works, especially in rural Minnesota?”
For more information and application details, please call the MAT offices at 1-800-228-0296 or visit the MN Association of Townships website and its scholarship page.
There are approximately 922,013 township residents in 1,776 townships in Minnesota.
