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 $986,000 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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