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Our finely grated baking chocolate is specially crafted to melt with ease. Replace with powdered chocolate 1:1 in any of your favorite recipes.
Peruse through our curated list of free educational resources from our Historic Site Partners. There’s something for everyone young and old.
Applications for the 2027 Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant will be accepted through October 23, 2026.
Applications for the 2027 Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant will be accepted through October 23, 2026. Winners will be announced in February 2027 at the annual meeting of the Heritage Chocolate Society.
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. Anticipated audience reach will also play an important role in determining grant recipients.
In 2025, the program expanded to include the Classroom Resource Grant, which supports educators of K–12 students across the United States. We have seen how engaged young people are when learning about the history of chocolate and we want to help educators bring this story, as well as much needed materials, into their classrooms.
The scholarship process is competitive, and the awards will be made based on merit as judged by a panel of experts. The educational impact will be at the forefront of this decision process as will attention to equity, inclusion, and diversity in the proposal.
A minimum of $50,000 in grant funds will be awarded. The winners of the Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant will be announced at the Annual Meeting of the Heritage Chocolate Society, to be held on February 2027 in the Washington, D.C., area. Feedback on grant applications will be provided when the selection process is completed.
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 Snacking 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.
For over 20 years, Mars has sponsored an annual meeting with its historic site partners called The Heritage Chocolate Society (HCS). At these meetings, honest and lively discussions are encouraged about new research, cultural impact, and the current challenges facing these partners. Mars provides best in class speakers and experts to learn about sector news and views and gain valuable insights into future concepting, programming and operations.
Mars continues to uncover new details of chocolate’s history and how it parallels the challenges society faces today. Telling the inclusive story of chocolate–where chocolate has come from, what the journey has been like and how it has impacted all of us along the way–is critically important. Mars does this through chocolate history demonstrations and educational presentations using AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate and Mars Core chocolate brands with historic sites and museums across the country.
AK: Henderson State University
AZ: We Make History
CT: Westport Museum of History and Culture
DE: Lewes Historical Society
FL: Boys and Girls Club of Palm Beach County, Tampa Bay Times Newspapers in Education, University of Florida Board of Trustees
IN: Ball State University, Conner Prairie
MA: Boston University, The Old North Church, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
MI: Michigan State University Extension
MO: French Colonial America
MT: Montana State University
NC: Old Salem Museums & Gardens
NY: Fort Ticonderoga, New-York Historical Society, Genesee Country Village & Museum, Fort Ontario, St. Lawrence University
PA: The Betsy Ross House, Heinz History Center
VA: Stratford Hall, Historic Alexandria, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Museum of American History
WI: University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Canada: Fortress Louisbourg Association, Friends of Lower Fort Garry
We encourage you to apply early. Eligibility requirements are listed below:
Applications for the 2027 Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant will be accepted through October 23, 2026. We invite all interested applicants to submit their proposals and look forward to announcing the winners at the annual meeting of the Heritage Chocolate Society.
Apply Now
Winners are required to attend the annual meeting of the Heritage Chocolate Society on February 23-24, 2027, in Washington, D.C., area to receive their award. Winners will be asked to submit a 4–5-minute video of their grant results to be presented at the Heritage Chocolate Society meeting the following year in 2028 (exact date to be determined).
Drafts of any publications (articles, news releases, blogs, etc.) resulting from the grant must be submitted to a Mars, Incorporated liaison for review prior to publication.
For any publication resulting from the Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Grant, the use of Mars trademarks, imagery, or reprint of a Mars publication must have written approval from a representative of Mars, Incorporated.
We thank you for your interest and encourage you to apply! Any questions can be directed to:
David Borghesani Mars Chocolate Historian david.borghesani@effem.com
