International Flooring Company (IFC) has officially launched its penny donation program in partnership with the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF). 

The program, first announced in August 2024, commits IFC to donate one cent per square foot from Canopy Floors luxury vinyl flooring sales, with retailers having the option to match the contribution. For participating dealers, this creates a two-cent-per-square-foot donation structure that IFC has automated within its invoicing system.

The Floor Covering Education Foundation uses donations from the penny program to develop and expand training programs across the country, provide scholarships and financial assistance to students and trainees, enhance outreach efforts to attract new talent to the flooring industry, and collaborate with schools, trade associations, and other partners to promote careers in flooring.

The company has achieved significant retailer participation since its public debut, according to Greg Wrenn, vice president of product and brand at IFC. "Right now, a little over 50 percent of our retailer base has opted for the program," Wrenn said.

"We’re thrilled to see it live—it’s this kind of initiative that will sustain and grow our industry support for years to come," said Kaye Whitener, executive director of FCIF. 

The timing of the program's official launch coincides with significant growth in IFC's Canopy product line. The company has expanded from its original Canopy Comfort WPC (wood plastic composite) program to include the newly launched Canopy Flex program, featuring an innovative loose-lay product with self-adhering acoustic backing.

"We started off, of course, with our bread and butter, which is WPC," Wrenn said. "We're coming up almost on one year of that program being live in the field. We have a total of 40 SKUs of WPC in that line."

The Canopy Flex displays began shipping last week, adding 10 SKUs to bring the total Canopy line to 50 products. Wrenn indicated the company has "pretty aggressive growth plans for both of those product lines," suggesting the donation program's impact could expand significantly.

"People are concerned about the cause," Wrenn said. "It does resonate with retailers. I just don't know that they've had an easy way to be involved in something along these lines."

To maintain momentum, IFC plans to continue marketing the program through point-of-purchase displays and direct communication with retail sales associates. The strategy also includes educating individual consumers about the initiative when they encounter Canopy products in stores.

More broadly, Wrenn remains optimistic about the second half of 2025, despite reports from some retailers about reduced foot traffic. "Business has been good for us. We're taking market share. We are growing," he said.

As the program continues to evolve, IFC's commitment to both product innovation and industry workforce development positions the company as a leader in addressing the flooring industry's skilled labor shortage through direct action and retailer partnership.