To Help Communities Under the NKBA NextUp initiative, chapters can earn money while giving back to their local areas. By Loren Kessell

Calling all chapters—the NKBA wants to give you cash for your community!

As part of the NKBA NextUp program to build awareness and interest in the skilled trades, the Association is launching a competition to help restore a community building that includes a kitchen or bath.

The new NKBA Community Restoration project’s goal is to provide opportunities for skilled laborers while restoring a community building, and shine a spotlight on the need for skilled tradespeople. All 70 NKBA chapters in the U.S. and Canada are eligible to enter, and the winner receives a $25,000 grant to apply toward the project. Each chapter may submit one proposal within the chapter’s territory, and proof is required to demonstrate how the chapter will allocate the grand funds. If the project scope exceeds the $25,000 grant, however, the chapter must be willing to fundraise or spend chapter funds to cover additional costs. The chapter will act as project manager, and the finished project will need to be completed by Dec. 1, 2020.

What’s the catch? The winning chapter should get local high school and college students involved in the project. NKBA NextUp strives to inspire today’s students to consider the plentiful, lucrative careers in the skilled trades and kitchen and bath-related professions, and to bring awareness to the critical lack of skilled laborers.

All submissions are due by Thursday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. ET. The winner will be chosen by an NKBA panel of qualified judges that approves the chapter’s concept. There is no entry fee, and the 2020 Chapter Officers will be responsible for overseeing the winning project. For more information, or to submit a project, click here.