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Philanthropy

Building Better Roads
The NAPA Research and Education Foundation (NAPAREF) was established in 1978 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation. The Foundation raises, manages, and disperses funds to support a variety of programs, including those listed below.

Endowment Fund

Through income derived from the NAPAREF endowment fund, more than $16.7 million has been contributed to the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University in Alabama over the past 34 years. Industry has provided an additional $1 million to NCAT to, among other activities, conduct research, purchase laboratory equipment, conduct training programs, and develop and publish a textbook.

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Scholarship Fund

NAPAREF supports the development of future skilled asphalt industry professionals through its scholarship program. The program began in 1994 and currently administers scholarships for students in numerous states. Since inception, the fund has provided $3 million to more than 1,800 students. Currently, there are 50 active scholarships.

Pictured: NAPAREF scholars Jessica Lewis, left, and Amanda Hufft. Lewis is a civil and environmental engineering research assistant at Mississippi State University and Hufft is a materials engineer for Blacklidge Emulsions. 

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NAPA Care Emergency Benevolent Fund

NAPAREF administers the NAPA Care program, created by the NAPA Associate Members and funded through donations. NAPA Care provides immediate financial assistance to families of NAPA member companies who have suffered a fatality in an asphalt work zone or plant site.

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Smithsonian Fund

NAPA is a proud supporter of the "America on the Move" transportation exhibition at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. Through NAPAREF, NAPA members contributed $1 million to support the exhibition that showcases the role of roads and highways on America's transportation network. NAPA also coordinated the production of a section of asphalt pavement mix that is included in the exhibit.

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Ronald D. Kenyon Award

The Ronald D. Kenyon Award for Research and Education is awarded in recognition of outstanding contributions to research and education surrounding asphalt pavement technology; environmental, health, and safety; and asphalt pavement sustainability.

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Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial

In February 2020, NAPAREF donated $25,000 to support the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial. Located near the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and dedicated in late 2020, the memorial, designed by Frank Gehry, honors Eisenhower’s service as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces during World War II and his service as the 34th President of the United States. The contribution to this memorial honors the central role that President Eisenhower played in the creation of the nation’s interstate highway system.

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