BCE Foundation awards grants to construction educators

The BC&E Foundation has awarded more than $22,000 in grants to nine local organizations to support their efforts to develop the next generation of construction craftspeople and professionals.

“We were able to distribute a meaningful amount of money,” said Foundation Board Member Curtis Dalsimer.

Faced with a strong roster of applicants, the grants committee met multiple times to assess and score each application.

“We gave the most weight to the organizations whose mission aligns with the mission of the Foundation — to grow the future construction workforce in the greater Baltimore area,” he said. “We gave the highest scores to organizations where the funds would go directly into enhancing their program.”

Many applicants were seeking assistance to pay for materials that would be used by students in class. “These programs are not insulated from cost escalations and, unfortunately, their funding has been reduced,” Dalsimer said.