Our focus areas
The foundation focuses its work on three key areas
Celebrating Automotive Culture and Heritage
We believe the cultural significance of our automotive past is worth preserving. To support that belief, we launched the National Historic Vehicle Register in 2014. This is the only Federally recognized program that records the history of America’s most significant automobiles, preserving their information in perpetuity at the Library of Congress. In partnership with the U.S. Department of the Interior, Heritage Documentation Programs and the Library of Congress, vehicles on the Register represent many different eras and cultural movements, each demonstrating the profound impact of the human-interest stories behind the horsepower.
To read more about the National Historic Vehicle Register, go to our Historic Vehicles landing page.
Cars at the Capital
We believe America's automotive heritage is worth celebrating! Through our annual Cars at the Capital exhibition on the National Mall each September, vehicles added to the National Historic Vehicle Register are exhibited one at a time in a beautifully lit glass enclosure for approximately one week
The National Historic Vehicle Register
The National Historic Vehicle Register records the important history of America’s significant automobiles, preserving their information for future generations in perpetuity at the Library of Congress.
Education
We believe building the next generation of enthusiasts takes a multi-faceted approach. Funding quality drivers’ education training and supporting future craftsman and the institutions that offer critical skills needed to succeed are core to our mission.
License to the Future
Providing equal access to all young drivers for quality drivers education training.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, young drivers 16 to 19 are at a greater risk of motor vehicle crashes than any other age group. A quality driver training class can help, but courses can be expensive these days – between $200 and $400 in many states.
Applications are accepted from all 50 states and Canada. Rooted in the foundation’s charitable purpose of shaping the future of car culture while celebrating our automotive past, the Hagerty Drivers Foundation will provide $150,000 in grants in 2024 to students seeking formal training through an accredited drivers training program.
Hagerty Drivers Foundation provides grants up to $500 to young drivers between the ages of 14 and 18- years-old who plan to complete their Drivers Education within 90 days of their application.
Rooted in the foundation’s purpose, we want every student to have access to formal drivers education training.
Scholarships and Grants
To keep car culture alive for future generations, we want to ensure we financially support those institutions teaching the critical skills needed to keep every vehicle on the road. Therefore, the Hagerty Drivers Foundation provides funding to qualified nonprofits and educational institutions each year through this overarching grant and scholarship initiative. This is in addition to our License to the Future program that funds driver’s education.
It is important to distinguish that the Hagerty Drivers Foundation will not choose the individual scholarship recipients for educational funds but rather provide mutually agreed upon criteria to accredited educational institutions who will select the individual recipients to receive our funds.
For scholarship funding, recipients will be individuals seeking careers within the automotive industry specific to automotive restoration and preservation.
Preference will be given to underrepresented demographics within the automotive industry including those with the most financial need, women, and minorities.
Environment
Funding research on the environmental implications and economic impact of enthusiast vehicles
The Hagerty Drivers Foundation will fund research around collector vehicles that result in:
- Accurately quantifying the true environmental impact
- Measures the national and global economic impact
- Net impacts of alternative conversions relative to intended use
If you are a thought leader associated with a business or educational institution in need of funding to publish a research project that falls within the parameters, write to us at: driversfoundation@hagerty.com. Please include your request for funding and detailed information regarding how your research addresses environmental impact, national and global economic impact, or impact of alternative conversations relative to intended use of collector vehicles.