SupplyHouse, an online distributor that sells plumbing, HVAC and electrical supplies, has launched its annual Track to the Trades Scholarship program, now in its second year.  “The program was born out of our appreciation for skilled trades and the desire to reduce financial barriers for students entering the trades,” says Christine Boehm, content and communications manager at SupplyHouse. “We work with trade professionals every day and see their vital role in our communities. So we wanted to launch this program to help reduce financial barriers and just shine a spotlight on the value of pursuing a career in the trades, especially as demand continues to rise in the workforce gap.”

SupplyHouse, founded in 2004, is headquartered in Melville, New York, and carries more than 280,000 SKUs from more than 500 manufacturers. To fill nation-wide orders, the company operates fulfillment centers in New Jersey – which was recently relocated and expanded from 200,000 square feet to 337,105 square feet; Ohio; Nevada; and Texas.

Scholarships and more

The Track to the Trades Scholarship is designed to support students pursuing careers in the skilled trades by helping offset expenses such as tuition, tools, equipment and certification fees. This year the program will award $25,000 in scholarships to both prospective and current trade school students with a special focus on those pursuing careers in plumbing, heating, HVAC and electrical fields.

However, new this year is an expanded commitment to helping trade schools.

“In 2025, we’re awarding 10 scholarships of $2,500 to students and also offering direct support to trade schools with funds or in-kind donations, such as tools and supplies or program resources,” Boehm adds. “That shift to directly help trade schools will help us make more an immediate impact to a larger group of students.”

The goal remains the same as last year, Boehm emphasizes, to invest a total of $50,000 annually in the future of the trades.

The scholarship application process, which opened on July 7, can be accessed online at https://bold.org/scholarships/track-to-the-trades/. Scholarship recipients will be announced on Dec. 7. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and currently enrolled in or accepted to a trade school program in the United States. In the meantime, trade schools can directly contact Boehm via email at [email protected] for support.

Students can upload optional recommendation letters and choose to write an essay on one of the following topics: 

• What is the importance of the trades (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc.) in modern society?

• What are your personal goals and aspirations in the trades, and how will this scholarship help you achieve those goals?

• How have the trades personally impacted your life?

• How do you embody the company’s core values of G.R.I.T (Generosity, Respect, Innovation and Teamwork)?

G.R.I.T.

That last essay prompt comes from G.R.I.T. – the acronym for SupplyHouse’s core values, which reflects both the company’s internal culture and the qualities it seeks in scholarship recipients. Boehm underscored that this ethos shapes not just the scholarship program but all community outreach efforts.

“The program reflects our values,” Boehm explains, “by supporting students through generosity, respecting the trade community, innovating how we give and teaming up with schools and nonprofits. We want to see how students think about these attributes in their own lives.”

Readers who’d like to read the winning essays from last year as well biographical information on the 2024 students, including testimonials, can log on to https://bold.org/donor/supplyhousecom/.

“The students have shared how the scholarship fund have helped them pay tuition and stay enrolled in their programs,” Boehm adds. “The support does go quite a distance for many student. And we’ve also heard from instructors that tell us this kind of support is boosting morale for all their students and helping them keep on track.”

Boehm says the program has energized the SupplyHouse team, too.

“It’s one of those initiatives that people just feel good about and proud to be a part of,” Boehm says. “It’s not just about that financial support, it’s recognizing and uplifting the future of the trades.”

Other initiatives

Track to the Trades is not the only initiative the company has done on behalf of the trades. Last year, SupplyHouse provided more than $90,000 to a wide range of industry-aligned partnerships:

Charitable efforts reflect SupplyHouse’s strategic investment in the trades, with financial support in 2024 going to pivotal trades-based organizations, including the following:

• Operation Tiny Home, a nonprofit that builds high-quality small footprint housing solutions, offering hope and stability to individuals experiencing homelessness, veterans, elders in need of aging-in-place solutions, natural disaster survivors, and other at-risk populations.

• Miracle Mechanical, a husband-and-wife duo dedicated to uplifting families in need, one at-no-cost-HVAC/plumbing repair at a time (you can read more about Brent and Kathleen Ridley in our 2023 feature: https://tinyurl.com/2smsfjax.)

• Tools & Tiaras, committed to empowering girls aged 6-14 with the empowering message that “Jobs Don’t Have Genders.”

• The PHCC Educational Foundation, which provides innovative educational programming to enhance the growth and success of the plumbing and HVACR industry workforce.

In addition, the company produces a documentary video series called Trade Life, highlighting inspiring stories from within the industry, and partners with Long Island’s Electrical Training Center to co-create how-to content and provide funding.

SupplyHouse also offers its TradeMaster Program, a free loyalty initiative for trade professionals, which includes benefits like exclusive discounts, free shipping and enhanced customer support.

By supporting a diverse set of trade-focused causes, SupplyHouse hopes to empower both emerging and established professionals within the sector.