The Lowe’s Foundation awarded $601,000 to Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) as a part of today’s select group of community and technical colleges receiving Gable Grants. 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.
Thanks to this grant, CCBC is enhancing its skilled trades programming 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 Dupré, Lowe’s executive vice president of human resources and chair of the Lowe’s Foundation. “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 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 2023, 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.
About the Lowe’s Foundation:
The Lowe’s Foundation, an independent 501©(3) organization founded by Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW), is helping develop a community of skilled tradespeople to build and revitalize our homes, neighborhoods and infrastructure for the future. From 2023 through 2027, the Lowe’s Foundation is investing $50 million to help prepare 50,000 people for skilled trades careers through grants to community and technical colleges, community-based nonprofit organizations and national nonprofit partners with a strong local presence. To learn more about the Lowe’s Foundation, visit Lowes.com/Foundation and follow on Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Since 1957, CCBC has opened the doors to accessible, affordable, high-quality education empowering generations of area residents to transform their lives and the lives of others. Each year, over 50,000 students enroll at the college’s main campuses, extension centers and online to make their starts, earn degrees, launch and build careers. CCBC offers the region’s most expansive selection of degree, certificate and workplace certification programs that prepare students for transfer, job entry and career advancement in such industries as business, education, health care, information technology, cybersecurity, construction, and transportation. Designated as the “Best Community College” among the Maryland Daily Record’s 2024 Reader Rankings, CCBC is also nationally recognized as a leader in innovative learning strategies and among the nation’s top associate degree producers.