The BlackRock Foundation invites proposals for high-impact innovations and initiatives that help close the skilled trades labor gap.
Donor Name: The BlackRock Foundation
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/01/2026
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
BlackRock Future Builders is a $100 million philanthropic initiative funded by The BlackRock Foundation to expand economic opportunity and power the next generation of America’s skilled trades workers. The BlackRock Foundation seeks to support U.S. nonprofit organizations (i.e., registered 501(c)3 organizations) delivering or supporting high‑quality skilled trades training.
This competitive grant opportunity operates in parallel to other BlackRock Future Builders partnerships and is intended to surface additional, regionally grounded solutions across the skilled trades ecosystem. Organizations may propose direct worker training programs or capacity-building efforts that enable systems to function more effectively and at greater scale.
Focus Areas
- Applicants may propose worker training or capacity-building solutions aligned to skilled trades workforce development
- Worker training interventions may include direct service proposals such as pre-apprenticeship or career navigation programs, workforce training programs, apprenticeship programs, or wrap-around participant supports that are supportive of training persistence and completion.
- Capacity-building interventions are organizational and system-focused, rather than in direct service of participants, and may include, but are not limited to, proposals such as ecosystem-building, demonstration projects, technology or tool adoptions, or research, among others.
Funding Information
$500,000 to $1 million.
Grant Period
2 years
Eligibility Criteria
- This application is open to U.S.-based nonprofit organizations (including Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands) that align with The BlackRock Foundation’s charitable purpose to strengthen financial security for more people, and meet The Foundation’s standard eligibility requirements.
- Occupations: All skilled trades are eligible, provided applicants demonstrate a strong connection to infrastructure projects such as data center construction or related supply chains, energy infrastructure, or transportation infrastructure. Some examples include, but are not limited to, electricians, HVAC technicians, plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, ironworkers, insulation workers, and construction equipment operators.
- Organizations must:
- Be recognized as a 501(c)(3) public charity or equivalent
- Propose funding for a specific program or project, not general operating support
- Demonstrate sound governance, leadership, and financial health
- Additional requirements:
- Typically, no more than 25% of an organization’s annual budget should be directed to administrative and fundraising overhead
Selection Criteria
Applications will be initially evaluated using a structured rubric. Core evaluation criteria include:
- Strategic fit with regional labor demand – alignment to documented skilled trades workforce needs and regional priorities
- Strength of the proposed solution – clarity of the intervention, outcomes, and connection between activities and impact
- Ecosystem engagement – depth of partnerships across employers, training providers, workforce systems, and public agencies
- Program design – quality of training or capacity-building models and related supports that drive access, persistence, and completion
- Organizational capacity and readiness – ability to execute at scale, manage funds, and deliver within a two-year timeframe
- Leadership strength and governance – experience and credibility of organizational leadership and demonstrated ability to lead complex initiatives and partnerships
- Sustainability and catalytic impact – potential to scale, accelerate, or sustain outcomes beyond the grant period
- Data, budget, and implementation feasibility – strength of data collection plans, realistic timelines, and cost-effective budgets
For more Information, visit The BlackRock Foundation.
