Trades for Grades / Scholarships
2008 Scholarship Application now available.
Application are due to the HBA office by 4:30 pm on Friday, September 26, 2008.
High School seniors who plan on enrolling in a construction trades or related field at Minnesota State Community & Technical College in Moorhead or North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton in the fall immediately following graduation are eligible to apply.
Post-secondary students who are members of the National Association of Home Builders students chapter at one of the following schools: Minnesota State Community & Technical College Moorhead, Minnesota State University-Moorhead, North Dakota State College of Science Wahpeton, or North Dakota State University are eligible to apply for the HBC scholarships.
HBC, the HBA of F-M’s charitable organization, is dedicated to raising funds for causes such as skill training, education, and projects related to the housing industry. Home Builders Care has donated scholarship funds of over $115,000 to area students over the past several years. Scholarships are awarded to students excelling in construction related fields who are members of the National Association of Home Builders student chapters at North Dakota State University (NDSU), Minnesota State University-Moorhead (MSUM), Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead (MSCTC), or North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton (NDSCS). Scholarships are also awarded to area high school students planning to attend Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Moorhead (MSCTC) or North Dakota State College of Science in Wahpeton (NDSCS) and enroll in a residential construction trades curriculum or related field. HBC also awards a scholarship to one or two exceptional students at the Herdina Academy for the Construction Trades. Post Secondary and High School applications are due in the fall of every year.
Trades for Grades created by HBC
Home Builders Care Foundation is committed to providing scholarships to students pursuing careers in the home construction industry. “Trades for Grades” is a new initiative by the Foundation to raise and award funds specifically for scholarships.
Interest in the scholarship program has increased since 1995 when the first awards were made. Over $5,000 was given to students from NDSU, MSUM, and NDSCS in the first year of the program. In 2006, Home Builders Care Foundation was able to award $24,000 in scholarships in conjunction with Home Builders Association of Fargo-Moorhead and the National Housing Endowment (NHE), the charitable arm of the National Association of Home Builders. The awards were made to students at NDSU, MSUM, NDSCS, and MSCTC as well as four high school students in the area.
In 2007, the NHE discontinued its scholarship program and funding was cut to local programs around the country. The program had previously relied on the NHE to provide a match of the funds committed by our local foundation. Without these funds, the HBC’s giving capacity was severely depleted. The 2007 HBC award amounts decreased down to $13,000 from the 2006 high of $24,000. Thirty scholarship applications were received, but the HBC was only able to fund 16 scholarships. The Foundation has set a goal to increase this level of giving, and will now have to do it without funding from the NHE.
As student interest in the industry and in the HBC’s scholarship program increases, the scholarship funds available must also increase. “Trades for Grades” is the HBC’s way of increasing the available amount of dollars for scholarships and to increase awareness of this scholarship program. If you are interested in giving to “Trades for Grades,” please contact Jenny at (701) 232-5846.