Tuition bills don’t care whether a student is headed to a four-year university or a trade school. Tools cost money. Certifications cost money. So does the truck, the boots, and the licensing exam. For a lot of aspiring plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians, that stack of costs is the difference between starting a trades career this year or putting it off indefinitely. SupplyHouse just made that stack a little smaller. The company’s Track to the Trades Scholarship program opened its third round of applications on July 10, 2026, and the total pool has grown to $75,000, spread across 30 awards of $2,500 each.
A Scholarship That’s Grown Every Year Since 2024
Track to the Trades launched in 2024 as a bet on a simple idea: financial barriers shouldn’t be what keeps someone out of a trades career. The program has expanded every year since. Last year’s round drew a 70% jump in applications nationwide, and SupplyHouse announced 10 winners who put the funding toward tuition, tools, and training at their respective schools. Year 3 builds on that momentum with triple the award pool and triple the number of recipients.
SupplyHouse funds the scholarship and administers it through the SupplyHouse Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm launched in 2026 to expand access to trades education, support workforce development, and invest in the communities tradespeople live and work in.
“SupplyHouse was built by and for the trades. The Foundation is how we put that commitment into action, and Track to the Trades is the clearest expression of it. Financial barriers should never be what stops someone from pursuing a trades career, and we’re proud to grow this program in Year 3 to reach even more students,” said Kaylin, Foundation President and SupplyHouse CMO.
Scholarship Details at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Program | Track to the Trades Scholarship, Year 3, presented by the SupplyHouse Foundation |
| Total pool | $75,000 |
| Awards | 30 scholarships at $2,500 each |
| Eligibility | Trade school students, high school seniors pursuing the trades, apprentices, and early-career tradespeople |
| Application opens | July 10, 2026 |
| Application deadline | November 10, 2026 |
| Where to apply | Track to the Trades page on Bold.org |
Who Can Apply
Track to the Trades is open to a wide range of applicants, all pursuing a future in the skilled trades:
- Trade school students currently enrolled in a plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or related program
- High school seniors planning to pursue a trade after graduation
- Apprentices working toward licensure in a trade
- Early-career tradespeople who are still building out their training or certifications
How to Apply for the Track to the Trades Scholarship
1. Visit the Track to the Trades page on Bold.org, the SupplyHouse Foundation’s scholarship partner.
2. Create a Bold.org profile, if one doesn’t exist already, to submit an application.
3. Complete the application, which asks about commitment to a trades career and financial need.
4. Submit before the deadline of November 10, 2026. Applications opened July 10, 2026.
5. Recipients are selected and notified through Bold.org’s platform after the deadline closes.
Why the Trades Need This Kind of Investment
Skilled trade demand keeps outpacing the supply of qualified workers nationwide. Plumbing, HVAC, and electrical apprenticeships report shortages in nearly every region, and the average age of a working tradesperson keeps climbing. SupplyHouse has served the trades directly for more than two decades, so the shortage isn’t an abstract statistic. It shows up in customer conversations every day. Scholarship funding won’t fix a labor shortage on its own, but every apprentice who can afford tools, tuition, or a certification exam is one less person priced out of the field.
The SupplyHouse Foundation page lays out the company’s broader giving strategy, which pairs Track to the Trades with community investment and charitable giving activations.
Gearing Up for a Trades Career
Once tuition or a certification fee is covered, the next line item for most trade school students is a toolbox. A first kit typically starts with a solid set of hand tools, a tape measure built to survive a jobsite, and something to carry it all in.
A 12-inch canvas tool bag holds a starter kit without the bulk of a full-size bag, and a compact tape measure built for daily carry is one of the more durable, lower-cost additions to a first toolbox. From there, most students round out a kit with a few basics from the hand tools category.
Future plumbers tend to build out from the plumbing tools category, while electrical apprentices usually add a multimeter and a few basics from electrical tools and instruments. A breakdown of the electrical tools every technician should carry is a useful starting checklist. HVAC-track students have their own list, and the HVAC supplies category covers most of what a first-year tech needs before ever setting foot on a jobsite. Whatever the trade, the tool bags and totes category keeps a growing kit organized from day one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Track to the Trades Scholarship?
Trade school students, high school seniors pursuing a trade, and apprentices or early-career tradespeople nationwide can apply. Eligibility covers a range of stages, from a senior weighing options to a first-year apprentice already on the job.
How much is each scholarship worth, and how many are available?
Each award is worth $2,500. The program offers 30 of them in Year 3, for a total pool of $75,000.
When do applications open and close?
Applications opened July 10, 2026. The deadline falls on November 10, 2026.
Where do applicants submit their materials?
Bold.org handles the application process as the SupplyHouse Foundation’s scholarship partner. The Track to the Trades page on Bold.org has the direct application.
What can the scholarship money cover?
Funds are designed to offset costs like tuition, tools, and certification exams, the kind of expenses that create real barriers for trade students.
Do working apprentices qualify, or is this only for students who haven’t started yet?
Both groups qualify. Eligibility spans trade school students, high school seniors pursuing the trades, and apprentices or early-career tradespeople already working in the field.
How are recipients selected?
Bold.org’s platform reviews applicants based on commitment to a trades career and demonstrated financial need.
Is this the same scholarship SupplyHouse has run before?
Yes. Track to the Trades launched in 2024, and this marks its third year. The pool has grown each year, expanding to a $75,000 total with 30 awards in Year 3.
Who funds and runs the program?
SupplyHouse funds the scholarship. The SupplyHouse Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm, administers it in partnership with Bold.org.
Is the scholarship open nationwide?
Yes. Trade school students, high school seniors, and early-career tradespeople anywhere in the country can apply.
Closing the Cost Gap
Tuition, tools, and time are the three things that keep people out of the trades before they even start. Track to the Trades won’t solve all three, but a $2,500 award covers a meaningful chunk of any one of them, and SupplyHouse is putting up 30 of them this year.
