The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) announced 80 schools across the U.S. are receiving a total of $536,000 in 2024 Benchmark Grant funding, to financially support their efforts to educate the collision industry’s future workforce and ensure students graduate with the knowledge and skills to successfully fill the entry-level positions for which shops so desperately need qualified help.
Based on current enrollment numbers, these donations -- made possible by the generosity of multiple industry partners, small and large -- will immediately benefit the educational pursuits and make a difference in the lives of more than 4,000 students training in these programs this year alone, as well as students who will enroll in upcoming years.
“Congratulations to the 2024 Benchmark Grant recipients!” said CREF Executive Director Brandon Eckenrode. “The Foundation is incredibly grateful to our industry partners for their continued support. I would also like to specifically recognize the instructors who put forth the time and energy to apply for the grants, an effort that shows their commitment to bettering their collision programs and, in turn, providing a quality technical education for their students that prepares them for entry-level employment in this industry.
"Collision repair programs -- and those that move them forward -- are the first line to supplying the industry’s future workforce, and these grants will help instructors with their limited program budgets as they build and innovate to meet the industry’s needs," Eckenrode continued. "CREF is pleased to play the unique role of directing industry support to collision programs in need and being a part of these students’ journeys into an exciting career path.”
Recipients of the 2024 Benchmark Grants were announced and recognized at CREF’s Instructor Breakfast and Benchmark Grant Awards, held Nov. 6 in Las Vegas during the 2024 SEMA Show.
State Farm
Thanks to a generous $105,000 donation from State Farm, 16 collision schools will receive Benchmark Grants.
Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES LoGuidice Educational Center in Fredonia, NY, was awarded a $25,000 Benchmark Grant through CREF, while Oxford Hills Technical School in South Paris, ME, and Warren Tech in Lakewood, CO, each received $10,000 grants.
Eleven additional schools each received $5,000 grants through State Farm and CREF:
* Clearfield Advanced Auto – Autobody, Clearfield, UT
* Gibson Technical Center, Reeds Spring, MO
* Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center, Altoona, PA
* GST BOCES Coopers Education Center, Painted Post, NY
* Holmes County Career and Technical Center, Lexington, MS
* Madison Oneida BOCES, Verona, NY
* North Dakota State College of Science, Wahpeton, ND
* Steel Center for Career and Technical Education, Jefferson Hills, PA
* Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Academy, Elizabeth, NJ
* Washburn Institute of Technology, Topeka, KS
Additionally, State Farm’s donation funded $2,500 grants, awarded to Pennsylvania College of Technology in Williamsport, PA, and Tulsa Technology Center Broken Arrow Campus in Broken Arrow, OK.
LKQ
LKQ's $70,000 donation funded nine Benchmark Grants. Stanly Community College in Albemarle, NC, was awarded $25,000, and a $10,000 grant was bestowed upon Contra Costa College in San Pablo, CA. The following seven schools were the recipients of $5,000 grants, funded by LKQ:
* Assabet Valley Technical High School, Marlboro, MA
* Bismarck State College, Bismarck, ND
* SUNY Morrisville, Morrisville, NY
* Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Knoxville, Knoxville, TN
* W.D. Ormsby Educational Center, East Aurora, NY
* Walker Career Center, Indianapolis, IN
* Wilcox Technical High School, Meriden, CT
GM
General Motors' generous $40,000 donation enabled CREF to fund eight Benchmark Grants. Each of the following schools received $5,000:
* Career Academy and Technical School, Troutman, NC
* Dos Palos High School, Dos Palos, CA
* Hawkeye Community College, Waterloo, IA
* Lorenzo Walker Technical College, Naples, FL
* Santana High School, Santee, CA
* South Central College, North Mankato, MN
* Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Jackson, TN
* Texas State Technical College, Waco, TX
Nationwide Insurance
Nationwide Insurance donated $30,000 to fund Benchmark Grants for five schools’ collision education programs. Dauphin County Technical School in Harrisburg, PA, received a $10,000 Benchmark Grant. Additionally, Nationwide awarded $5,000 Benchmark Grants to:
* Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny, IA
* Northern Virginia Community College, Alexandria, VA
* Rosedale Technical College, Pittsburgh, PA
* West-MEC, Phoenix, AZ
Classic Collision
In collaboration with CREF, Classic Collision sponsored a $10,000 Benchmark Grant to benefit Lorenzo Walker Technical College in Naples, FL, and three $5,000 grants, awarded to the following programs:
* Bradley Central High School, Cleveland, TN
* Minnesota State College Southeast, Winona, MN
* Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Morristown, TN
Crash Champions
Crash Champions again partnered with CREF with a donation of $25,000 to provide a $10,000 Benchmark Grant to College of Lake County in Grayslake, IL, as well as $5,000 Benchmark Grants to three additional collision repair education programs:
* Aims Community College, Windsor, CO
* Carroll County Career and Technology Center, Westminster, MD
* Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Miami, FL
Enterprise Mobility Foundation
The Enterprise Mobility Foundation funded Benchmark Grants to three collision repair educational programs through CREF. Kennedy-King College in Chicago, IL, was awarded a $15,000 Benchmark Grant, while Norwalk High School in Norwalk, CA, and South Side High School in Jackson, TN, each received $5,000.
Wesco Group
Wesco Group, a new supporter of the foundation, made a generous $25,000 donation, which provided $5,000 Benchmark Grants to five schools:
* El Camino College, Torrance, CA
* Livermore High School, Livermore, CA
* North Idaho College, Coeur d’Alene, ID
* Ogden High School, Ogden, UT
* Sno-Isle TECH Skills Center, Everett, WA
OE Roundtable
OE Roundtable sponsored a $6,000 Benchmark Grant, awarded to Seward County Community College in Liberal, KS. An additional $15,000 donation from OE Roundtable was divided between three programs, with each receiving $5,000 grants: Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, MA, Kootenai Technical Education Campus in Rathdrum, ID, and William M. Davies Career and Technical High School in Lincoln, RI.
CCC Intelligent Solutions
CCC Intelligent Solutions announced three CCC Classroom Enhancement Grants, totaling $15,000, were awarded through CREF. EHOVE Career Center in Milan, OH, received $10,000, and New York Automotive and Diesel Institute in Jamaica, NY, and Norwalk High School in Norwalk, CA, received $2,500 each.
Honda
Honda donated $15,000 to fund three 2024 Benchmark Grants. Three schools received $5,000 each: Area 30 Career Center in Greencastle, IN, Judson High School in Converse, TX, and RD Anderson Applied Technical Center in Moore, SC.
CollisionRight
CollisionRight funded two $5,000 Benchmark Grants, which were bestowed upon Greene County Career Center in Xenia, OH, and Miami Valley Career Technology Center in Clayton, OH.
Farmers Insurance
Continuing its collaboration with CREF, Farmers Insurance donated $10,000 to fund two Benchmark Grants, awarded to JB Hensler College and Career Academy in Manvel, TX, and Regional Occupational Center, Kern High School District in Bakersfield, CA.
Columbus Collision Education Group
Columbus Collision Education Group’s $5,000 donation funded a Benchmark Grant for Waite High School in Toledo, OH.
J.W. Bagley Foundation
Thanks to the generosity of non-industry entity J.W. Bagley Foundation, a $5,000 Benchmark Grant was awarded to Career Center of Southern Illinois in Red Bud, IL.
Stellantis
Stellantis sponsored a $5,000 Benchmark Grant to benefit Oakland Schools Technical Center Southeast in Royal Oak, MI.
I-CAR Committees
A dozen secondary and post-secondary schools and their students will benefit from Benchmark Grants funded through the efforts of six devoted I-CAR Committees. By employment of various fundraising methods, these six committees generated funds totaling $105,000, which will aid the industry’s future generation in becoming prepared for a career in collision repair.
“The funds raised by I-CAR committees across the country has allowed CREF to distribute Benchmark Grants that help collision repair educational programs ensure they are properly funded and equipped to train and prepare qualified entry-level technicians who will fill the industry’s need for fresh talent,” Eckenrode said. “We’re grateful to all these participating committees for their ongoing support.”
The I-CAR Committees and the grants they bestowed include:
Atlanta I-CAR Committee
* Athens Technical College, Athens, GA: $5,000
* Etowah High School, Woodstock, GA: $5,000
* Lanier Technical College, Gainesville, GA: $10,000
* Maxwell High School of Technology, Lawrenceville, GA: $10,000
* North Georgia Technical College, Clarkesville, GA: $20,000
Broward County I-CAR Committee
* Atlantic Technical College, Coconut Creek, FL: $5,000
* McFatter College, Davie, FL: $5,000
* Sheridan Technical College, Hollywood, FL: $5,000
Central Pennsylvania I-CAR Committee
* Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, Lancaster, PA: $25,000
Greater Philadelphia I-CAR Committee
* Delaware County Technical High School, Folcroft, PA: $5,000
Palm Beach I-CAR Committee
* South Tech Academy, Boynton Beach, FL: $5,000
Phoenix I-CAR Committee
* West-MEC, Phoenix, AZ: $5,000
Eligibility for these awards was achieved by applying for the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s 2024 Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark Grant. The grants recognize schools that excel at educating students in collision repair, but due to strained school budgets, the programs require additional financial assistance. Recipient schools use these funds to provide the tools, equipment and supplies necessary to enhance their students’ learning experience and elevate the caliber of their graduates, ensuring that graduates are prepared to successfully enter the workforce upon graduation.
Industry members interested in supporting CREF’s efforts to assist secondary and post-secondary collision repair training programs can contact CREF to learn about the many ways to get involved. Monetary donations can be made online.
