Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant

Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Mars Wrigley Foundation
Amount: More than US $50,000
Last Updated: September 10, 2025

Summary

The Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant, offered by the Mars Wrigley Foundation, supports projects that explore and share chocolate's rich cultural history. Launched in 2013, this grant aims to educate the public about chocolate's global significance and its impact on heritage. Projects can include research, immersive experiences, and publications. Awardees must present their findings at Heritage Chocolate Society meetings, emphasizing educational impact, equity, and inclusion in their proposals.

Overview

Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant At Mars, we believe in education and preserving the rich stories of chocolate that have touched all of our lives. The Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant enables the creation of immersive experiences, research projects, and publications that bring these important cultural moments to life. It’s through the sharing of these stories that we see chocolate as a bridge for connection to our past, as well as a lens for future discovery and innovation. Launched in 2013, the Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant has a special emphasis on uncovering and sharing chocolate’s role in global history as well as its influence on heritage and culture. Grant funds will be awarded for project(s) that investigate and/or educate on the history of chocolate, uncover new chocolate innovation, development of cocoa science as well as highlight the chocolate making process. The scholarship process is competitive, and the awards will be made based on merit as judged by a panel of experts. Educational impact will be at the forefront of this decision process as will attention to equity, inclusion, and diversity in the proposal. Background Mars, Incorporated has spent over 100 years making some of our nation’s most beloved chocolate confections including M&M’S®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, 3 MUSKETEERS®, and DOVE® Chocolate. Mars has a rich heritage in chocolate making, an expertise in the field of cocoa science and sustainability, and a deep understanding of chocolate making throughout history. With its origins in ancient Mesoamerica, chocolate has spread across the world, changing the way people experience food. Inspiring creativity, a catalyst for making family traditions, and the foundation for all manner of entertainment, chocolate’s unique story is woven through the pages of history in a distinct way. In 2003, Mars undertook an extensive global research initiative to uncover the true history of chocolate. Mars participated with a multidisciplinary team of more than 100 experts from around the globe who accessed hundreds of archives, libraries, museums, and private collections to write a book revealing chocolate’s origin and history in the Americas. CHOCOLATE: History, Culture, and Heritage (Wiley, 2009) has contributions from 45 authors, including researchers, culinary chefs, food scientists, and historians from leading historic institutions. Out of this research project, the AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate brand was developed in 2006 by Mars Wrigley as an immersive tool to help highlight the history of chocolate and the influence chocolate has played in our global culture. With a flavor profile drawn directly from the archives of chocolate’s historic past, AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate provides an inspiring, versatile way to eat, bake, drink, explore, share and show love. In 2015, Mars published Great Moments in Chocolate History, in partnership with National Geographic. The book brings chocolate’s story to life through detailed information and extraordinary images based on decade’s worth of research by Mars and an uncommon collaboration of history experts and food historians. Designed to further the Mars mission of education, an educator’s guide, “Global Stories Where Chocolate Sparked Discovery, Innovation, and Imagination,” was developed in 2018 with National Geographic. The guide teaches chocolate history and its global implications for students in grades 4-8.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. You must be a not-for-profit organization or Non-profit 501(c)(3)/individual researcher/an organization not operating primarily to make a profit. You must be present at the meeting of the Heritage Chocolate Society (HCS) either in-person or digitally to receive your grant. Grants must be executed prior to the following HCS meeting Grant winners are required to present their results, either in-person or digitally, at the following HCS meeting. All publications must be approved by Mars, Incorporated prior to being produced.A minimum of $50,000 in grants funds will be awarded.