The grants are being funded by a donation from I-CAR as result of a new initiative that began in 2012 where I-CAR pledged $1 for every I-CAR class attended in 2012. This resulted in a $200,000 donation to CREF; the largest monetary donation CREF has received since its founding in 1991. Half of these funds will be used to support the broad and important work the Foundation performs, and half will be reinvested specifically into post-secondary schools to help them access much-needed curriculum.
"Curriculum is the foundation to any collision repair training program, and it is very unsettling to see that when school budgets get cut, curriculum budgets also get cut,” said Clark Plucinski, Executive Director of the Collision Repair Education Foundation. “If schools do not have even the basic curriculum to teach, students are missing out on a consistent and thorough learning experience. I applaud I-CAR for taking the initiative in getting curriculum in the hands of the colleges across the country. This will benefit the collision students studying in those programs greatly."
John Van Alstyne, I-CAR CEO & President states, "I-CAR is thankful to the Inter-Industry for making this donation possible. The Collision Repair Education Foundation and I-CAR foster a partnership that supports education for the entire Inter-Industry and this donation will allow the Education Foundation to continue advancing its mission in a meaningful way."
To be eligible, public post-secondary schools must complete the 2013 Ultimate Collision Education Makeover grant, which is available on the Collision Repair Education Foundation website at www.CollisionEducationFoundation.org. As part of the application, a school would submit an additional statement on why they would like to be considered for a curriculum grant. The application is due May 31. The winners will be selected by CREF Board of Trustees Selection Committee in summer 2013.
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