Home Depot increases contribution to ‘Retool Your School’ program

The Home Depot announced that it plans to contribute $1 million in grants to support campus improvements at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) through its annual Retool Your School program.

Established in 2009, the program has emphasized HBCUs' role in the American higher education system. This year, the home improvement retailer is doubling its Retool Your School commitment to fund 30 projects, providing $20,000 to $75,000 grants per school. 

HBCU students, alumni and advocates can vote for their favorite HBCUs through Twitter and Instagram using the school's designated hashtag found at retoolyourschool.com or through the voting portal also on the website. 

There are three school clusters, based on student population, and the ten schools with the most votes per cluster will be awarded the campus improvement grants. Voting is unlimited and ends on March 15.

"Since 2009, The Home Depot has continued to increase its investment in campus improvements for HBCUs," said Derek Bottoms, chief diversity, equity & inclusion officer for The Home Depot. 

According to Bottoms, the effort ensures that HBCU students have an "upgraded environment that enhances their educational experience as they progress on their journey to become the next generation of leaders."

Retool Your School has provided more than $3.1 million for 117 sustainable campus improvement projects for 87% of the nation's HBCUs. In total, more than 36 million votes have been cast in support of participating schools. 

Winners will be announced in April 2021.