Community-based Nonprofits

With its Gable Grant, Accelerate Montana is expanding its statewide “Job Site Ready” construction trades program by deploying a mobile training unit to increase access for trainees in rural and tribal communities. The nonprofit is also diversifying its training offerings to include carpentry, sitework and foundations, and heavy equipment operation.

Is expanding its free, hands-on construction training program in Anchorage, Fairbanks and the Mat-Su region. The expansion includes additional funds for carpentry, plumbing and electrical training to include building maintenance and additional support for participants.  

(Providence, Rhode Island) will expand access to construction careers through its nationally recognized pre-apprenticeship programs. Funding will help modernize the nonprofit’s training lab, increase capacity and sustain a reentry initiative that prepares hundreds of low-income and second-chance pre-apprentices for rewarding careers. 

Is increasing its capacity to train and advance women in the construction, electrical, plumbing, HVAC and sheet metal trades. This will allow the nonprofit to better connect graduates with apprenticeship programs while offering job site visits, contractor meet-and-greets and job shadowing experience for its students.

Is using its grant to scale its electrician training program as the sole provider of workforce development training in Utah County. Elevate Utah's skilled trades programming is offered primarily in Spanish and helps place graduates with local employers.

(Pasadena, California) will enhance two pre-apprenticeship programs that offer 240 hours of free training and certifications in Multi-Craft Core Curriculum, OSHA-10 and more. Funding will improve facilities, new equipment and job placement with wraparound services primarily for second-chance learners.

(Tampa, Florida) will use its second Gable Grant to scale its transition pre-apprenticeship programs across rural and low-to-moderate income communities. Funding will provide National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) accredited training, behavioral assessments and job placement support for participants (ages 16–26) in high-demand trades.

(Charlotte) will use its second Gable Grant to continue scaling its Construction Skills Training program. Funding will support NCCER-certified training in carpentry, electrical, HVAC, Building Automation Systems and Certified Apartment Maintenance Technician programs, including the development of soft skills to help participants move forward in their careers.

Is planning to double its number of skilled trades graduates by offering more cohorts at its Raleigh and Durham locations. Its pre-apprenticeship program empowers individuals to enter the construction industry while offering critical home repairs for adults aging in place.  

Is supporting various cohorts of students through a bilingual skilled trades program featuring industry-recognized safety certifications, blueprint reading, financial education and more. For over a decade, the nonprofit has worked closely with employers and regional workforce development boards to support over 10,000 individuals in south-central Wisconsin.

Is building on its construction program with an electrical 101 course, specific to residential construction. The nonprofit is also growing its pre-apprenticeship course through modules that introduce masonry, flooring, roof framing, HVAC and plumbing.

Is reaching hundreds of new aspiring skilled trades students across Alabama through new satellite programs and a 16-session course. The course culminates with a job fair featuring local employers who have immediate hiring needs and is supported by the Huntsville Madison County Builders Association, a chapter of the National Association of Home Builders.  

Is planning to recruit and train more than 300 individuals annually for building and construction trades careers. The grant will also support individualized employment plans, peer support and mentoring events as the nonprofit expands its size and operations.

Is equipping its new training facility to continue construction on dozens of tiny and small homes through a seven-week training program. The nonprofit offers on-the-job training and employment opportunities in construction, carpentry and wood product manufacturing.    

(New York) will use its second Gable Grant to provide hands-on construction training and job placement, primarily for women and second-chance learners. Funding will support plumbing, carpentry, electrical, HVAC and appliance repair programs with wraparound services, including mentoring and soft skills training.

(Chicago) offers a 12-week pre-apprenticeship training program for aspiring construction, electrical, plumbing and HVAC professionals. Funding will support participants who receive stipends, tools and long-term career coaching on the way to registered apprenticeships and jobs through 300 employer partners across the region. 

(Houston) will expand skilled trades training for individuals across Houston through new employer-aligned curricula and wraparound services. The nonprofit integrates virtual reality simulations and hands-on training to strengthen HVAC, construction, and electrical pathways, accelerating job-ready outcomes.

Will expand ReBuild Detroit, a free eight-week apprenticeship readiness training program licensed by the state of Michigan. The program offers industry-recognized credentials, including OSHA 30, and career pathways in the skilled trades through SER’s extensive network of employer partners.

(Charlotte) will use its second Gable Grant to primarily empower women and marginalized communities to pursue careers in the skilled trades. Funding will help upfit a donated building into the She Built This City Entrepreneurial Hub that will focus on entrepreneurship, education, pre-apprenticeship programs and youth outreach.

(Austin, Texas) will expand its rapid employment model offering industry-recognized certifications, hands-on training and direct employer connections over four and five-week courses. Funding will support the nonprofit’s growth in Austin, New Braunfels, Seguin and the Permian Basin, as well as expansion into San Antonio, increasing program capacity and connecting more Texans to family-sustaining trades careers.

  (Denver) will use its second Gable Grant to provide tuition-free pre-apprenticeship training and a new lab for green energy training, which includes heat pumps, solar, energy storage, EV charging and geothermal systems. It will also introduce an Energy Technician pathway to integrate electrical, plumbing and HVAC skills.

Is increasing the capacity of its 10-week, tuition-free masonry and carpentry training program by 25% while exploring expansion beyond Pittsburgh. The grant is also support new instructors and case managers to help remove barriers to employment through holistic services like life coaching and therapy.

Is enhancing its alumni Career Pathways program, develop certification curriculum for adults and complete renovations to its new training facility. The organization offers on-the-job training to support safe and affordable housing in the area.

(Morgantown, West Virginia) will expand its Step Up HUB model into a statewide “spoke and hub” system to bring a mobile training unit into rural and underserved communities. Funding will support outreach teams, portable simulators and credential-based boot camps to strengthen West Virginia’s workforce pipeline.