Stanley Black & Decker announces $3M in workforce grants, $1M in tool donations

PHOTO | CONTRIBUTED Stanley Black & Decker's New Britain headquarters.

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By Skyler Frazer

As part of the company’s $25 million, five-year commitment to closing the trade skills gap, Stanley Black & Decker announced grants to 86 organizations that aim to train the next generation of workers.

Through Stanley’s Empower Makers Global Impact Challenge, which launched last year, the company doles out grants to schools, makerspaces and programs aimed at the trade and construction sectors. The company recently announced the inaugural wave of 86 grants countrywide, which total more than $3 million and include almost $1 million in tool donations.

Per Stanley, the grants will train and reskill about 180,000 trades employees this year. In total for this year, 59 organizations made up of nonprofits, trade schools and community colleges were given a portion of the $3 million for trade skills training and reskilling programs in the construction and manufacturing sectors.

Another 27 organizations, like makerspaces and training facilities, were given almost $1 million in tools to outfit their facilities.

Stanley said most of the organizations receiving grants support populations typically underserved with resources like people of color, veterans, women and the LGBTQ+ community.

In addition to grant allocations within the state like for educational programs at the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology Inc., Stanley gave out grants to groups across the U.S.

Per Stanley, more than 240 total applications were evaluated for this year’s wave of grants. Applications for year two of the Empower Makers Global Impact Challenge program will be open Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 and winners will be announced next year.

Other Connecticut organizations that received funding include Capital Community College Foundation, Goodwin University, Knox Inc., Somers High School, House of Heroes Connecticut, and Makehaven Inc.

More information can be found online at www.EmpowerMakers.com.