The Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) revealed ambitious plans to tackle the industry's labor shortage through new funding partnerships and educational initiatives during its "Purpose, Progress, and Possibilities" meeting at The International Surface Event (TISE) in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

FCEF Executive Director Kaye Whitener announced that the organization requires $1.3 million to sustain its current scholarship and training programs. To meet this goal, several major industry players have joined the foundation's innovative "Penny Program," where manufacturers and retailers contribute a portion of their sales to support workforce development.

Cali customers can opt into a one-cent-per-square-foot contribution. Leggett & Platt offers an opt-out one-cent-per-square-yard donation program, with L&P matching dealer contributions. Sixteen members of the National Floorcovering Alliance have joined. Cyncly selected FCEF as the charitable partner for the Cyncly Connect Conference in May, with a portion of registration fees supporting FCEF.  American Home Surfaces Group President Tony Wright announced a new campaign encouraging members to voluntarily donate 1% of their rebates to FCEF. International Flooring Company implemented a one-cent-per-square-foot contribution on Canopy product sales and dealer participation opportunities.

Additionally, AHSG launched a campaign encouraging members to donate 1% of their rebates to the foundation.

"We're seeing unprecedented industry support for addressing the installation labor shortage," said David Chambers, FCEF co-chair. "These partnerships demonstrate a collective commitment to building a sustainable workforce for the future."

The meeting also highlighted successful training programs across multiple states, featuring testimonials from retailers supporting FCEF's college programs in Montana, Iowa, and Alabama. The foundation continues to pursue federal funding while emphasizing the crucial role of industry support in achieving its mission.

The organization welcomed four new board members: Fred Black of USA Flooring, Chanel Clifford of Cali Floors, and Sinclair Myers, Myers Flooring and Don Roberts of Central Alabama Flooring.