MI Future Foundation

Our Mission

Recognizing the staffing crisis facing the insurance industry, the MI Future Foundation works externally to educate the public about career opportunities offered by Michigan’s independent insurance agencies and internally by educating independent insurance agents on the potential pool of talent offered by higher education institutions. In conjunction with these efforts, MI Future is building a bridge between agencies and prospective employees. MI Future is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 foundation.

Student Scholarships

Sons and Daughters Scholarship
This academic scholarship benefits an immediate family member (defined as spouse, parent, child, brother or sister, spouse’s parent, child, brother or sister, grandparent and grandchild) working at a Big I Michigan-member independent agency. Scholarship range is $2,500 - $5,000. Click here for the application. 

MI Future NextGen Leaders Conference First-Timer Scholarship
This scholarship provides a full registration to the 2025 Big I Michigan NextGen Leaders Conference, June 18-19, 2025 at Park Place Hotel in Traverse City, and includes a two-night stay at the resort. Qualifying applicants must be a young agent under 40 years of age and/or in the insurance industry for less than five years who has never attended the Conference. Click here for the application. 

Agency Internships

TDA Insurance & Financial Agency, LLC was fortunate to be awarded the MI Future Foundation’s Agency Internship Grant for 2024. We selected a graduating senior from Central Michigan University, Austin Hintz, for our internship program. Austin graduated with a Bachelors in Business Administration, and was eager to explore a career in Insurance Sales. Austin quickly passed the State of Michigan Licensing exam and immediately began contributing to our team. After completing his training, he has been successfully quoting and selling Personal Lines insurance under the supervision of our Management team. Austin has demonstrated a strong grasp of our systems, processes, and coverages, as well as an appreciation for our family-oriented culture at TDA. We are pleased to announce that Austin has been permanently hired as an Insurance Advisor for TDA. He is off to a great start, and we expect big things for Austin in his future. We cannot thank the Big I – Michigan Futures Foundation enough for providing us with the opportunity to bring such a great asset into our insurance world.  Mark Diederich, TDA Insurance & Financial

Watch for details on how your agency can benefit from a MI Future intern scholarship in early 2025.