The National Housing Endowment, the philanthropic arm of NAHB, will announce the two 2011 winners of the HELP ― Homebuilding Education Leadership Program initiative — at the NAHB International Builders’ Show in Orlando during ceremonies on Friday, Jan.14.

Each year, the endowment awards $100,000 grants to colleges and universities to help them create, expand and enhance existing residential construction management programs — and to enable them to provide programs that respond to the current state of the home building industry and anticipate and prepare for its future.

Even in these difficult economic times for the country and the industry, the endowment continues to provide HELP grants because it recognizes the need for residential construction management education in order to increase the number of college graduates who are qualified to enter and succeed in residential construction — and to become future industry leaders. 

First awarded at the 2007 IBS, HELP grants were created to bolster existing college and university residential construction management programs and to triple the number of college graduates entering the home building industry over the next decade.

In 2010, the endowment awarded HELP grants to the University of Nebraska in Kearney, Neb.; Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, N.C.; the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb.; Cincinnati State Technical and Community College in Cincinnati; and Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Ky. 

In 2009, HELP grants were awarded to Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo.; North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D.; Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.; and a joint grant was awarded to Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, and Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas.

In 2008, grants were awarded to California Polytechnic University — San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Jefferson State Community College in Birmingham, Ala.; John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill.; and Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

In 2007, pilot grants were awarded to East Carolina University, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

For more information on the HELP grant, call the endowment at 800-368-5242 x8483 or visit www.nationalhousingendowment.org.