Lowe's Foundation bolsters grant commitments for skilled trades
A leading home improvement retailer is expanding its funding for skilled trades programs.
Lowe’s Companies Inc. has announced nearly $8 million in additional Gable Grants to 10 community and technical colleges across the country (see full list at end of article), pushing the Lowe's Foundation's total investment in skilled trades training beyond $60 million since 2023.
The grants bring the foundation's network of funded partners to 73 organizations, which the retailer says are working as a collective to help “strengthen America's talent pipeline, infrastructure, housing and economic growth.” Earlier this year, the Lowe's Foundation made a $250 million commitment to help train and develop 250,000 skilled tradespeople by 2035, scaling its workforce investment five-fold after surpassing its original funding goal ahead of schedule.
The investments come amid a shortage of skilled trades workers in the United States. An estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs could go unfilled by 2030, according to the Department of Education, creating potential economic losses of up to $1 trillion annually.
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"Over the past three years, the Lowe's Foundation has built a national flywheel that is connecting educators, workforce organizations and community partners and strengthening the skilled trades workforce," said Janice Dupré, Lowe's executive VP of human resources and president and chair of the Lowe's Foundation. "Funding is just one part of the equation; our greatest impact comes from bringing the entire ecosystem together. We are proud to help lead this collaborative model, to train and develop skills trade professionals to serve across multiple industries and companies."
The new Lowe's Foundation Gable Grants support the following community and technical colleges, as described by the retailer:
Chattahoochee Technical College (Marietta, Ga.) will expand HVAC and commercial climate-control training to help meet growing workforce demand in the Atlanta region. The grant will support additional instructors, expanded lab capacity and hands-on training equipment, increasing enrollment while preparing more students for in-demand careers through industry-connected instruction. Many students are already securing jobs before completing the program, underscoring the strong demand for skilled trades talent.
Dixie Technical College (St. George, Utah) will expand electrical, HVACR, and plumbing training to help meet workforce demand driven by Utah's growing infrastructure and data center industries. The grant will support a mobile training lab, building-systems equipment and hands-on learning experiences that enhance daily instruction on campus while expanding access to skilled trades training for learners in rural communities."
Durham Technical Community College (Durham, N.C) will expand electrical, HVAC and plumbing training opportunities across Durham and Orange counties and expand bilingual instruction, Spanish-language trades courses and community-based outreach. Building on an innovative model already underway, the grant will help more Spanish-speaking learners access training and prepare for high-demand careers in the skilled trades.
Elaine P. Nunez Community College (Chalmette, La.) will expand skilled trades training on its main campus and through a new temporary training site in Plaquemines Parish, increasing access to workforce education in a rapidly growing region. The grant will support new training spaces, equipment and instruction for electrical, construction, HVAC and related pathways aligned with workforce demand in the port, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and defense and housing sectors, helping prepare more students for high-demand skilled trades careers.
Houston City College (Houston) will expand electrical, carpentry, construction, HVAC and plumbing training opportunities across Houston through a model that combines neighborhood outreach, wraparound student supports and employer partnerships. The grant will increase instructor capacity, scholarships and work-based learning experiences, strengthening pathways from training to employment in one of the nation's fastest-growing industrial markets.
Miami Dade College (Miami) will use its second Gable Grant to expand its successful Construction Trades Institute (CTI) model to the Homestead Campus, bringing skilled trades training to more learners in South Miami-Dade. The grant will support the development of the new training site along with scholarships for students, tools and career services, building on a program that has rapidly expanded to prepare more students for in-demand skilled trades careers.
Mountwest Community and Technical College (Huntington, W.V.) will use its second Gable Grant to expand construction management and HVAC pathways, increasing access to workforce-ready training for rural learners. The grant will support instructor capacity, hands-on HVAC equipment, industry-recognized certifications and apprenticeship-based learning opportunities to strengthen the region's skilled trades talent pipeline.
Northeast Iowa Community College (Peosta, Iowa) will expand electrical training for learners across Northeast Iowa's 5,000-square-mile service area, where distance can be a barrier to workforce education. The grant will support a new electrical lab and hands-on training equipment, creating more accessible pathways to industry-recognized credentials through certificates, continuing education and degree programs while helping meet growing regional demand for electricians.
Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) (Wichita, Kan.) will enhance skilled trades training through an outdoor live lab and tiny-home build program that replicates a real-world construction site. The grant will provide construction, electrical, HVAC and plumbing students with immersive, multi-trade learning experiences while supporting industry-recognized credentials and preparing graduates for the collaborative environments they'll encounter on the job.
York Technical College (Rock Hill, S.C.) will strengthen HVAC, electrical, carpentry, plumbing and appliance repair training through immersive, employer-informed learning experiences. The grant will expand trade-specific equipment, simulated jobsite training and employer-aligned labs while enhancing the college's hands-on house-build capstone, where students apply skills in a real-world construction environment.
Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's Companies Inc. operates more than 1,750 home improvement stores, 540 branches and 120 distribution centers.
