The Lowe's Foundation announced a total of $3 million in Gable Grants to three national nonprofit organizations that are delivering innovative and scalable skilled trades training in local communities nationwide. The $1 million grants are being awarded to Goodwill Industries International, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).

These grants will fund programs that prepare more individuals for skilled trades careers, including providing accelerated training, coaching, wraparound services and targeted workforce development in communities impacted by natural disasters.

Goodwill will use the funding to support the Goodwill Opportunity Accelerator, a workforce development program that provides holistic wraparound services to help participants from any background develop foundational digital and job-ready skills and pursue a pathway into an in-demand industry position. This comes to life through the support of strong partner relationships with employers, credentialing organizations and funders.

LISC will fund 12 partners that offer industry-specific training, financial coaching, income support access and wraparound services to skilled trades job seekers in local communities.

NCCER will expand its Community Construction Academies to underserved individuals in response to community and workforce needs. These boot camp-style training programs will build upon a successful tuition-free, rapid recovery construction training pilot funded by Lowe's last fall to help rebuild Southwest Florida communities after Hurricane Ian. The academies allow program participants to earn industry-recognized NCCER construction craft credentials.

The Lowe's Foundation has committed $50 million over five years to help prepare 50,000 people for careers in skilled trades. The Foundation awarded Gable Grants totaling nearly $8 million to community and technical colleges in July and plans to announce its first cohort of community-based nonprofit grant recipients in early 2024.

Listen to the interview with the Lowe's Foundation Director Betsy Conway about the grants and how they are being utilized.