Due to the impact of COVID-19 on competitive running in 2020, all applicants for 2020-21 Roads Scholars must have attended RunPro Camp. RRCA Roads Scholar applicants must also be recent college graduates, must be US citizens, and must be pursuing a career as an elite distance runner with a clear performance goal for the year. Recommendations from coaches should be uploaded as part of the application or emailed to programs@rrca.org. The application deadline for consideration for an RRCA Roads Scholar grant is September 15, 2020.
If selected, grantees must agree to the following:
- Mention that you’re an RRCA Roads Scholar recipient in any interviews you do and include this fact on your running resume;
- You must be willing to help promote the program so that this funding can continue;
- Attend a minimum of one RRCA-related event during the 24-month period following the award of the Roads Scholar grant (travel and lodging will be paid by the RRCA or participating event). If you have or acquire an agent, it is your responsibility to inform your agent of this obligation. Events may include: RRCA National Convention; RRCA endorsed road race; RRCA endorsed youth running program. Attendance and choice of events will be mutually agreed upon by the athlete and the RRCA.
- You acknowledge and agree that the RRCA may suspend future payments under the grant in the event that you engage in conduct or behavior deemed by the RRCA to involve fraud, moral turpitude, doping offense or conduct which otherwise has the potential of placing the RRCA or the Roads Scholar program in a negative light. Decisions regarding the suspension of payment shall be made by the Roads Scholar committee and all decisions of the committee shall be final and without further review.
- If it appears at any time during the year while you are receiving payments that your income will exceed $35,000, you will promptly notify the RRCA so the remaining payments can be shifted to another runner.