The Lowe’s Foundation awarded $601,000 to Community College of Baltimore County as a part of a select group of community and technical colleges receiving Gable Grants, CCBC officials announced July 23.
Since awarding its first grants one year ago, the foundation has expanded skilled trades career pathways through its growing network of 35 community colleges and nonprofits in rural and urban communities across 27 states.
The grant will enable CCBC to enhance its skilled trades programing with an expansion of the college’s HVAC and building maintenance programs at its Dundalk campus — this includes modernizing labs and equipment and expanding course offerings to equip students with the skills they need to succeed in today’s job market.
“With enrollments rising at vocationally focused schools, these community colleges are blossoming arenas for entrepreneurship and economic mobility,” said Janice Dupreě, Lowe’s executive vice president of human resources and chair of the Lowe’s Foundation, according to a CCBC statement.
“Each college has a clear, inspired vision for closing the trades gap in its community, and we’re pleased to welcome them to our larger movement.”
CCBC was selected as one of 11 schools to receive support from the Lowe’s Foundation, which will also help scale training and remove education barriers for sought-after trade careers.
"CCBC is proud to partner with the Lowe's Foundation in their mission to strengthen America's skilled trades workforce," said CCBC President Sandra Kurtinitis.
"These critical professions are the backbone of our communities, ensuring our infrastructure thrives and our economies flourish. The Lowe's Foundation Gable Grant empowers CCBC to significantly enhance its HVAC and building maintenance programs, equipping our students with the cutting-edge skills they need to launch successful careers and directly contribute to our region's growth."
From funding new skilled trades facilities and instructors to accreditation programs, the grants will support carpentry and construction, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and appliance repair training.
These grants build on the foundation’s first cohort of community college Gable Grants announced in 2023 and are the latest in the Lowe’s Foundation’s five-year, $50 million commitment to support the training of 50,000 people for skilled trades careers.
Since last year, the Lowe’s Foundation has awarded more than $25 million in Gable Grants to 35 organizations offering innovative and scalable skilled trades training across the U.S.
The next Gable Grant application cycle for community-based nonprofits will run from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31. To learn more about the pressing challenges facing the skilled trades, visit Lowes.com/Foundation.
The Lowe’s Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) organization founded by Lowe’s Companies Inc., aims to develop a community of skilled tradespeople to build and revitalize communities for the future.
From 2023 through 2027, the Lowe’s Foundation has pledged to invest $50 million to help prepare 50,000 people for skilled trades careers through grants to community and technical colleges, community-based nonprofits and national nonprofit partners with a strong local presence.
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