FAQs

Only Institutions of Higher Education (“IHE”) designated by the Secretary of Education as accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (“HBCU”) are eligible to enroll in the Retool Your School Program.

• Campus Improvement Grant
• Innovation Lounge Grant
• Community Project Grant

Schools can contact retoolyourschool@waltonisaacson.com for assistance and links to apply for grants.

Yes, your school can promote your participation in the program. However, no applicants or representatives can take part (or agree to take part) in any media interviews or events or issue any press releases or other announcements regarding participation in the Retool Your School Program without the prior written consent of The Home Depot.

Written communications guidelines (includes media materials, external communications, social media) will be sent to Grantees. These guidelines outline the communication materials requested by The Home Depot’s PR Team and the process for getting related communications submitted and approved.

No. Applicants must apply for one of the available grants.

There is no official “opt-in.” Each school’s President and/or other administrative point of contact will receive an email that allows them to apply for any of the three Retool Your School grants. If you have any questions regarding your registration, please email the Retool Your School team at retoolyourschool@waltonisaacson.com.

Submit your questions to retoolyourschool@waltonisaacson.com and a Retool Your School program team member will respond within 48 hours.

No. There is no voting process for any of the grants. Recipients of the Campus Improvement Grant are selected based on criteria set by The Home Depot.

Yes, you can use your school’s hashtag along with the hashtag #RetoolYourSchool to promote your school’s participation in the Program as well as any completed projects.

• Grant Applications Intake Period: Monday, January 6, 2025 – Friday, February 28, 2025
• Grant Recipients Announced: April 2025 

Yes, all Retool Your School grants will be awarded at the same time.

The Retool Your School Program provides the opportunity for Historically Black Colleges and Universities to win grants from The Home Depot to be used for campus improvement projects that promote sustainability and long-term benefits to the campus and students.

• Grant Applications Intake Period: Monday, January 6, 2025 – Friday, February 28, 2025
• Grant Recipients Announced: April 2025 

Grants can be used for materials and/or services available through The Home Depot and Home Services at The Home Depot. Grants cannot be used for tool rentals or tool rental deposits.   Other services provided by contractors can be paid by using the cash portion of the grant.

All grants will be distributed during the summer of 2025 after the agreement has been completed.

No. A school will not lose their grant funds if they do not complete the Campus Improvement Grant project by the end of the calendar year.

Innovation Lounge Grants will help provide on-campus spaces where students can come together to do schoolwork, ideate, problem solve or explore entrepreneurship or career path opportunities. Innovation Lounges can also be used to host hybrid meetings and webinars.

The Innovation Lounge Grant provides funding for building materials like paint, flooring, lighting and drywall to support repairs. The grant also provides a furniture package and technology package that will be provided.

An Innovation Lounge Grant does not include funding for new construction, demolition and rebuild, or spaces requiring the support of a general contractor or building permits to complete.

A school must submit a proposal for the opportunity to win an Innovation Lounge Grant. Proposals will be judged based on certain criteria set by The Home Depot. These criteria include, but are not limited to:

1. School has not previously been awarded an Innovation Lounge.
2. Proposed space is less than 1,000 sq. ft.
3. Only minor repairs are needed to refresh the space (no major renovations).
4. School has provided a clear description of the project.
5. Scope of work can be completed within designated timeline and budget.

Twelve schools will be selected based on criteria set by The Home Depot.

A portion of the funds will be issued in the form of Home Depot gift cards and the remaining grant funds will cover a furniture package and technology package that will be provided.

Grant funds can be used for the purpose of refreshing an existing campus space of up to 1,000 sq. ft. Funding covers building materials like paint, flooring, lighting, and drywall needed to support repairs. The grant also provides a furniture package, and technology package that will be provided.

An Innovation Lounge Grants does not include funding for new construction, demolition and rebuild, or spaces requiring the support of a general contractor or building permits to complete.

The communities surrounding HBCU campuses are extremely important to the schools, students, alumni, faculty and staff. Our goal is to provide an opportunity to strengthen the relationships and partnerships in the communities surrounding the campus through volunteerism. Each Respondent must partner with a nonprofit organization which serves an area within a 10-mile radius of the HBCU campus.

A school must submit a community project proposal in collaboration with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for the opportunity to be awarded a Community Project Grant. Proposals will be reviewed and analyzed against criteria set by The Home Depot to determine which HBCUs will be awarded a grant.

Three schools will be awarded Community Project Grants based on their submitted proposals.

No, recipients do not have to be within a certain cluster to receive a Community Project Grant.

Grants must be used for a community project with a nonprofit within a 10-mile radius of the school. Grants are awarded directly to the nonprofit partner via check payment. The nonprofit will be required to sign an agreement acknowledging the funds will be used for supplies and equipment needed to execute the specific project outlined in the proposal.

No, winners do not have to be within a certain cluster to win a Community Project Grant.