About the Foundation

The International SPA Association Foundation is the 501(c)3 foundation of the International SPA Association and was created in 1999 to serve the educational and research needs of the spa industry.  The ISPA Foundation’s mission is to improve and enhance the value of the spa experience; its vision is to advance spa culture to sustain health and well-being. In light of the rapid growth of the spa industry over the last several years, the ISPA Foundation Board of Directors believes its vision is more vital than ever and seeks to do as much as possible to support the sustainability of the industry.

Since 1999, the ISPA Foundation has developed many valuable resources, programs and initiatives for the spa industry including: a landmark uniform system of financial reporting for spas, a workbook to assist in the design and administration of effective compensation programs and the release of the Chinese version of the Supervisory Skill Builders workbooks.  The most recent development is the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship that is named in honor of Dr. Tabacchi and her numerous contributions to the spa industry.

The ISPA Foundation's Mary Tabacchi Scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student who has completed at least one-year of college and is seeking a spa-related degree with a demonstrated interest in spa management.  The recipient will receive $2,500USD to offset their education expenses, as well as registration, airfare and hotel accommodations to attend the ISPA Conference & Expo or ISPA Asia-Pacific Conference.  Applications for this scholarship opportunity should be posted on the ISPA Web site around November 2007.

The ISPA Foundation thanks the many individuals and organizations who have participated in its development and supported its past and future endeavors.