The Lowe's Foundation is developing a community of skilled tradespeople to build and revitalize our homes, communities and infrastructure for the future. Since 2023, this national grant program is a $50 million commitment over five years that directly supports community and technical colleges and community-based nonprofit organizations to recruit, train and prepare 50,000 job-ready tradespeople to help fill the skilled trades gap.
- Community & Technical Colleges that meet the following qualifications are eligible to apply directly :
A community or technical college that is a public institution of higher education as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act, and at which the associate degree is primarily the highest degree awarded. Also accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association that has been recognized by the United States Department of Education over the course of the grant. Foundations that raise private funds on behalf of community and technical colleges are eligible to apply during this cycle.
- Community-Based Nonprofit Organizations that meet the following qualifications may apply by invitation only :
A nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that is a direct training provider and operates in a state, regional, or local capacity.
- National Nonprofit Organizations that meet the following qualifications may apply by invitation only :
National nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code that delivers programming at a state, regional or local level through chapters, members, or other affiliated independent organizations.
Organizations must currently offer sustainable, scalable skilled trades education programs with an emphasis on facilities/property maintenance, carpentry / construction / masonry, electrical / emerging technologies, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and / or plumbing.
Through Gable Grants, the Lowe's Foundation aims to expand participation in the skilled trades by seeking programs that directly recruit, train and prepare individuals in varying demographics including, but not limited to, women, people of color, individuals living in rural areas, adults and opportunity youth (16 – 24 years old), and/or individuals who are justice-involved or participating in second chance programs.
The decision to award a grant is at the sole discretion of Lowe’s Foundation, and all decisions are final.
- Community and technical colleges may apply directly March 1, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. EST through March 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
- Community-based nonprofit organizations may apply by invitation only Aug. 1, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. EST through Aug. 31, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST.
- National nonprofit organizations may apply by invitation only Sept. 1, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. EST through September 30, 2026 , at 11:59 p.m. EST.
Community & Technical College Grant Cycle:
| March | Application submission period opens on March 1 for community and technical colleges. |
| April | Applications for community and technical colleges go through an internal review process. |
| May | Community and technical colleges finalists are invited to a virtual Q&A session with Lowe’s Foundation Board members. |
| June | Decisions are made by Lowe’s Foundation Board. |
| July | All community and technical college applicants are notified of approval or denial. Approved colleges will receive full grant amount as one lump sum at the start of the grant award period by July 31. |
Community-Based Nonprofit and National Nonprofit Grant Cycle:
| April - July | Interest form open for community-based nonprofit organizations to submit high-level information for consideration of Gable Grant invitation. |
| August | Select Community-based nonprofit organizations are notified of invitation-only application period starting on Aug. 1. Submission closes on Aug 31. |
| September | Applications for community-based nonprofit organizations go through an internal review process. |
| October | Community-based and national nonprofit organization finalists are invited to a virtual Q&A session. |
| December | Decisions are made by Lowe’s Foundation Board. All community-based and national nonprofit applicants are notified of approval or denial. |
| January | Approved organizations will receive full grant amount as one lump sum at the start of the grant award period by January 30. |
The Lowe’s Foundation reserves the right to make changes to the grant process and timeline.
All applications must be submitted through the Lowe’s Foundation Gable Grants online portal found on the Lowe’s Foundation website. Through the portal, you may create a new application, open an existing application, or collaborate with others. We recommend that you bookmark your page or copy the link to a safe place. If you clear your browser history, you will lose access to any applications you have in progress.
Email, fax transmissions, and late applications will not be accepted. The Lowe’s Foundation grants team will review each application submitted. Applications that are incomplete or do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be considered for funding.
Yes, you are welcome to partner with other organizations. When applying together, there must be a clear lead organization. The lead organization should apply during the application period for that organization type. For example, if the lead organization is a nonprofit, apply during the applicable nonprofit application period.
No, Gable Grants directly support nonprofit organizations and community & technical colleges to recruit, train and connect future skilled tradespeople to the workforce. The grants fund adult and opportunity youth (16 – 24 years old) programs that focus on the 5 key trades areas that cultivate job-ready tradespeople. While we understand the importance of early exposure and awareness, Gable Grants are primarily focused on addressing the worker shortage by focusing on adult populations.
Yes, you may use AI tools to assist with drafting or polishing your application, but reviewers will focus on the overall quality and authenticity of what you submit. Strong applications are genuine, thoughtful, and clearly reflect your own insights and experiences. Reviewers will consider whether your responses:
- Thoroughly and sincerely make the case for support
- Clearly answer each question and are cohesive in style and voice
- Are accurate and free of errors, showing careful editing and attention
While AI tools can help improve clarity or organization, they cannot replace the personal perspective and authenticity that make an application stand out.
The grant period is 24 months for community and technical colleges and community-based nonprofits and 12 months for national nonprofits. Your program or initiative must start the following semester, program term, or student enrollment period. The full grant amount is paid as one lump sum at the start of the grant award period. All funds must be used by the end of the grant period.
Grant awards are needs-based and range between $100,000 and $1,000,000.
Funds must be used for program-related expenses for sustainable, scalable skilled trades workforce development including instructors, program materials, new or remodeled training space, equipment, capacity building, etc. This may also include stipends for students and indirect costs. Grantees are required to measure impact and provide periodic reporting throughout the 2-year grant funding period.
Grant recipients are expected to participate in all program components, including completing pre- and post-assessments, attending onboarding sessions, connecting with their designated local Lowe’s captain, participating in the annual in-person summit, engaging in semi-annual 1:1 check-ins, and submitting required measurement and impact reports.
Yes, grantees are eligible to reapply after their grant period has concluded. While some partnerships may be renewed, funding is designed to catalyze growth and build capacity and should not serve as a long-term funding source.
Yes, Gable Grant applications may be submitted annually and are limited to one application per organization type per application period. Community & Technical Colleges may re-apply directly and invited nonprofit organizations may re-apply.
Once your application has been submitted, you may not make any changes or revisions. You will see the following message displayed on your screen:
In addition, you may print or save (by clicking “print to PDF”) the read-only version of your application that is displayed below the message. It is recommended to save your application for your records, as it cannot be accessed by you through the system after this point. You will also receive an email confirmation of your application submission from “[email protected].” Please note - we recommend that you add this sender to your approved distribution list to ensure it does not end up in your junk mailbox.
All notifications will be sent via email to the primary contact information provided on the application.
All applications are thoroughly evaluated during a review process to ensure programs directly recruit, train, and prepare for the future skilled trades workforce. See timeline above regarding key milestones and dates. All decisions to award or not award grants are made at the sole discretion of the Lowe’s Foundation and are final and not appealable.
Questions Specific to Community-Based and National Nonprofit Organizations
A nonprofit organization with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. For the purposes of the Gable Grants program, community-based organizations operate in a state, regional, or local capacity.
Note: The Gable Grants program funds all nonprofit organizations by invitation only.
No, Gable Grants are focused on directly supporting 501(c)(3) organizations. Non-charities, including organizations recognized as 501(c)(4)s, (c)(5)s, (c)(6)s, and (c)(19)s, are not eligible at this time.
No, Gable Grants fund programs focused on supporting workforce development in facilities / property maintenance, carpentry/construction/masonry, electrical / emerging technologies, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and/or plumbing.
Each national organization that is selected to receive funding through a Gable Grant manages their own sub-grantee process. Please reach out directly to your organization’s point of contact for more details.
No, If you are affiliated with a national organization, your national office will need to apply for funding on your behalf during the appropriate funding cycle.
Questions Specific to Community & Technical Colleges
Yes, follow your normal grant funding process based on your organization type. For example, community and technical college foundations applying to fund college programming should apply during the community and technical college grant application period.
No, Gable Grants are focused on directly supporting public institutions including community and technical colleges, in which the associate degree is the highest degree awarded.
Yes, Gable Grants aim to connect graduates with direct employment opportunities. This includes certificate programs, apprenticeships, and industry credentials.
If you need additional support, please contact us directly at [email protected].
