The Minnesota Association of Townships announced its 2020 scholarship program, which will award up to five $2,000 scholarships to high school juniors, according to a press release. This is an increased amount from previous years. All students currently enrolled in 11th grade and attending a Minnesota public, private or parochial school or a home-study program are eligible to apply for the program. Since its inception in 2001, the MAT scholarship program has had almost 2,000 submissions and 82 winners.

Applicants should submit a written essay on the theme of MAT’s 2020 Education Conference, “Township Day,” by May 1. Winners will be chosen by an independent panel of judges and will be notified by Oct.1. They will also be invited to attend MAT’s Awards Banquet on Nov. 20 in St. Cloud.

For more information and application details, call the MAT offices at 1-800-228-0296 or visit www.mntownships.org.

“Townships are proud to offer the scholarship program, and encourage as many high school juniors as possible to apply, whether they are from the largest cities or from rural areas,” said MAT Executive Director David Hann. “We know the MAT scholarship program has made a real difference for our recipients in furthering their education. It is also an opportunity for learning about township government, which embody the values of ‘grassroots government,’ where local citizens directly participate.”

The Minnesota Association of Townships is a nonprofit corporation representing Minnesota townships. Its goals are educational and charitable, promoting an understanding of the history of townships and being a voice for its roughly 9,000 officers, according to the release. It regularly conducts research and educational programs designed to foster efficient and economical town governmental services and acts as a liaison between township officers and other local government officials to encourage sustained cooperation.