Home Depot Foundation expands Path to Pro scholarships for skilled trades students

Home Depot’s Path to Pro effort is turning into a real money path into the trades, not just a branding line on the sales floor. The Home Depot Foundation says it has awarded more than 345 scholarships through Path to Pro with SkillPointe Foundation, part of a broader $50 million skilled-trades training pledge aimed at helping fill nearly 400,000 open roles nationally.

For workers and students trying to get from hourly pay to a steadier career track, the key detail is access. The flagship Path to Pro Scholarship accepts applications year-round and uses a quarterly approval cycle, making it easier for trade college and postsecondary students to line up support without waiting for a single annual deadline. The Foundation says it has already awarded hundreds of scholarships nationwide to students pursuing trade college or postsecondary education.

The program started in 2021 with a $250,000 commitment in financial assistance for high school seniors and graduates entering or already enrolled in building-construction trade programs. Since then, Home Depot has widened the effort beyond tuition help. Path to Pro now includes training, hands-on experience, scholarships and entrepreneurship programming, with support reaching veterans, military families, high school students, separating service members and underserved communities.

The scholarship mix is also more targeted than a one-size-fits-all grant. Home Depot points to the Path to Pro Southern California Support Scholarship for regional applicants, and to Folds of Honor scholarships for dependents and spouses of fallen or disabled U.S. service members. The next Folds of Honor application window opened February 1, 2026.

Home Depot has also used Path to Pro to address one of the trade pipeline’s biggest gaps: women entering construction. In 2022, the company announced a $200,000 investment in trade school scholarships for women, with $4,000 awards. That push matters on job sites and in stores alike, where more homeowners and contractors are looking for workers who understand building systems, timelines and product performance.

For Home Depot associates, the strategy goes beyond philanthropy. A stronger trades pipeline can sharpen conversations with pro customers, deepen associate pride in the company’s role in the industry and help build the next generation of contractors who will keep buying lumber, appliances, fasteners and tools. Home Depot’s message is clear: it wants to be part of the workforce solution, not just the place that sells the supplies.