Midlands Technical College Foundation receives $1 million dollar donation from Lowe's Foundation

West Columbia, SC 07/25/2024 - The Lowe’s Foundation awarded the Midlands Technical College Foundation (MTCF) $1 million 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.

MTC will use the funding to expand the Building Construction Technology program to include a new training space, provide faculty support, and enhance tools and equipment.

“With enrollments rising at vocationally focused schools, these community colleges are blossoming arenas for entrepreneurship and economic mobility,” said Janice Dupre, 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.”

“Receiving a Gable Grant from the Lowe’s Foundation will allow Midlands Technical College to expand facilities and double our teaching capacity so that more students can get the training they need for a great career,” says Robbie Sharpe, building construction technology program director. “There is significant demand for well-prepared building construction program graduates, and through this partnership with Lowe’s, we are addressing a critical workforce shortage here in the Midlands of South Carolina.”

From funding new skilled trade 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.