The mission of the Marketing Research Education Foundation (MREF) is to unify, inspire and activate the marketing research community to focus its collective resources to educate children and youth worldwide.
Education is a powerful thing,
yet many children lack access to it.
The Marketing Research Education Foundation (MREF) was established in 2015 to bridge the education gap for children globally, harnessing the passion of marketing research and insights professionals looking to make a lasting impact. MREF is an international foundation dedicated to enhancing the educational opportunities for children and youth worldwide.
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As an industry-wide initiative, the MREF involves researchers from every level of the marketing research industry across the globe. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses financial and human resources to provide the tools necessary to give children access to a quality education.
Now in its 10th year, MREF funds projects that promise to improve education, and the nonprofit seeks to unite researchers from around the world to help, whether through financial support during the annual Race Around the World for Education, building a school while on a Vision Trip, or simply reading to children during the annual Month of Service. Through these efforts and more, MREF will continue to transform the lives of children through education.​​​​
To date, the MREF has donated more than $1,000,000 to organizations throughout North America, Central America, Haiti, Europe and Africa, making a difference in the lives of thousands of children and their families.
In 2015, the Marketing Research Education Foundation (MREF) began its mission to unify, inspire and activate the marketing research community to focus its collective resources to educate children and youth worldwide with a brief ceremony in Brooklyn, N.Y. Five members of the MREF executive board gave out the first $5,000 grant.
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In 2024, we donated over $108,000 to provide backpacks for low-income children in the U.S. and purchased books and educational supplies for children throughout the United States, Ukraine, Costa Rica, and Haiti. We plan to continue our support of education for children around the world in 2025.
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Click here to learn more about where our 2024 donations were distributed!
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Interested in helping to support our mission?
Here are some of our upcoming fundraising campaigns:
We are proud to have provided grants to the organizations listed below.
Each of them is committed to improving the lives of children in their community.
Educational Access
Food Insecurity
The Joseph School, Cabaret, Haiti, is a primary and secondary school providing Haitian children with the opportunity to receive a world-class education. The mission of The Joseph School is to educate the future leaders of Haiti. The MREF is proud to support the class of 2029 and help them through their 12 years of education at The Joseph School. The annual donation will help provide school supplies, curriculum, uniforms and shoes, along with transportation to and from school and two meals a day.
Feeding America is a United States–based nonprofit organization that is a nationwide network of more than 200 food banks that feed more than 46 million people through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other community-based agencies. Their mission is to advance change in America by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for all in partnership with food banks, policymakers, supporters, and the communities they serve.