Applications Open: New 'Restaurant Academy' Leadership Program Offers Up to $5,000 Stipend

Applications Open: New 'Restaurant Academy' Leadership Program Offers Up to $5,000 Stipend for Small Restaurants 

The South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (SCRLA) is proud to connect local small restaurant owners and managers with a powerful new opportunity to sharpen their management skills, combat high turnover, and protect their profit margins. 
Applications are officially open for the Restaurant Academy, an exclusive national leadership development pilot program launched by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) in partnership with American Express and Resy. The SCRLA is actively encouraging eligible South Carolina independent owners and senior managers to apply for this fully funded, six-month cohort before the fast-approaching July 29 deadline.

Best of all? There is no fee to participate, and selected leaders are eligible to receive a stipend of up to $5,000, plus up to $750 in travel expenses to attend an exclusive in-person convening in Washington, D.C., this September.

What Participants Will Learn 

The Restaurant Academy curriculum focuses on three core pillars designed to address the most pressing, day-to-day realities of running a small restaurant operation:

• Leadership That Strengthens Teams: Practical strategies for intentional hiring, building structured onboarding and training frameworks, and lowering employee turnover using retention-focused leadership and future-ready tools like AI.
• Leadership That Enhances the Guest Experience: Tools to equip frontline teams with active listening, de-escalation, and solution-focused communication skills to keep teams motivated and calm during high-pressure service rushes.
• Leadership That Understands the Bottom Line: Deep dives into financial fluency, managing P&Ls, controlling food and labor costs, balancing cash flow, and optimizing vendor management to directly improve profit margins.

Who is Eligible? 

Because this pilot is strictly focused on strengthening small business resilience, the program is tailored to independent operators rather than large corporate chains. To qualify, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be 18 years or older.
• Be a current owner, co-owner, or senior restaurant manager with at least one year of tenure in the role.
• Have decision-making authority over staffing and daily operations.
• Be affiliated with an actively operating restaurant with no more than 500 employees and between 1 to 5 locations (franchises of larger national brands are not eligible).
• Be fully committed to participating in all virtual and in-person program activities.

Note: Per NRAEF guidelines, employees and immediate family members of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF, state restaurant associations, American Express, and Resy are ineligible to participate.

Program Timeline & Structure 

The Restaurant Academy is built to fit into a busy operator's schedule, requiring a minimum of four to ten hours of total commitments spread across six months (September 2026 - March 2027).

Application Period July 1 - July 29, 2026

Interested owners and managers must submit their applications online before the final deadline.

Cohort Selection & Notification August 13, 2026

Approximately 30 restaurant leaders nationwide will be selected for the inaugural pilot cohort.

Virtual Orientation Early September 2026

A digital meet-and-greet to introduce the cohort, review expectations, and complete pre-event assessments.

In-Person Convening September 23 - 24, 2026

A fully hosted, interactive gathering in Washington, D.C. with industry pioneers, peer leaders, and representatives from the NRAEF, American Express, and Resy.

Virtual Learning & Peer Cohorts Q4 2026 - Q1 2027

Facilitated digital learning sessions, self-paced modules, and peer engagement to implement strategies in real time.

Program Completion March 2027

Final outcomes review, cohort graduation, and distribution of remaining milestone stipends.

How to Apply 

Space is highly limited for this inaugural national cohort. Applications must be completed and submitted by July 29, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Restaurant managers applying to the program will be required to provide a letter of support from their employer.

To learn more about the curriculum, review full terms, or start your application, visit the NRAEF Restaurant Academy Portal. For specific program questions, you can reach out directly to the program coordinators at rhlc@nraef.org.