The Lloyd J. Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund provides formal moderation training at RIVA Market Research & Training Institute or Burke Institute to future QRCA leaders who are new to the craft, whether entirely or to a specific methodology.

Founded in 2021, the QRCA Lloyd J. Harris Memorial Scholarship Fund celebrates the life and legacy of beloved QRCA member, Lloyd J. Harris, a pioneer in conducting research among African American and gay communities.

The initiative honors Lloyd’s exuberance for teaching others by providing professionals new to qualitative research easier access to formal training to keep them in the talent pipeline. In the telling of Lloyd’s contributions as a Black, gay researcher, we uplift the stories of other researchers from underrepresented communities whose contributions in the insights and research field are often not told.

The scholarship fund covers the fees for two (2) QRCA members to attend one (1) training course about moderation (in-person or online method) at either RIVA Market Research & Training Institute or Burke Institute.

One (1) member will attend RIVA Market Research & Training Institute, and the other, Burke Institute. Recipients will also receive one free year of QRCA Membership.

Recipients will be matched with a mentor by the Selection Committee, who will make themselves available to answer methodological and career questions as well as aid their further integration into the QRCA community.

Recipients will be required to report to the Selection Committee before and after their training course.

Master Track:

Alumni who have completed a training course and are interested in pursuing a moderation certificate at RIVA Market Research & Training Institute or Burke Institute may continue to reapply for another scholarship in order to attend the next course in the series, through to certification. This option will only be announced as funding is available. Alumni will have to demonstrate how they've continued to embody Lloyd's spirit both in their career and within the QRCA community, as well as why the funders should reinvest in them.

Qualifications

• Applicants must be within the first five (5) years of their qualitative research career or first five (5) years of their transition to a qualitative research role at a company or as an independent consultant.
• The applicant must remain a QRCA member in good standing throughout the period the scholarship is active.
• The applicant must be an active volunteer on a QRCA committee throughout the period the scholarship is active. Preference will be given to applicants who have already been active QRCA volunteers before applying.
• The applicant must complete their selected moderation course within one (1) year of being awarded the scholarship.
• Applicants cannot have previously taken a RIVA Market Research & Training Institute or Burke Institute course.
• Applicants cannot currently be a QRCA board member.
• Only one scholarship will be awarded to a single company or firm. Scholarship awards are non-transferable.

Questions? Contact diversity@qrca.org.

Applications open: August 11, 2025

Application deadline: December 15, 2025 Winners notified: January 31, 2026