Supporting education strengthens the entire BLD Connection community. Each year, our members invest in opportunities that help students and employees grow their skills, pursue meaningful careers, and stay connected to the lumber and building materials industry Scholarship programs in Mid-America, Nebraska and Wisconsin – Upper Michigan are now open, offering valuable support for both future students and current industry professionals.

Mid-America Regional Scholarships

Members in Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri contribute each year to the BLD Mid-America Regional Fund. Their generosity provides two scholarship paths that continue to shape the future of our industry.

College Scholarships

High school seniors and current college students pursuing studies in construction, building materials, or business management/administration programs who plan to return to work in a lumber yard or building materials business after graduation are encouraged to apply for scholarships up to $1,000.

Eligible applicants must be a family member of an owner or employee of a BLD Connection retail lumber yard or the child of a contractor customer within the Mid-America region. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is required.

College Scholarship Application

Downloadable Poster

Nebraska Scholarship Program

Thanks to strong support from Nebraska members and partners, this program offers opportunities that help students and employees explore career paths in the LBM industry.

High School Senior and College Freshman Scholarships

Nebraska awards a scholarship each year to a high school senior or current college freshman enrolled in a college or technical program related to lumber, building materials, or construction. To help students build industry connections, each applicant must have a retail member sign their application.

Student Application

Downloadable Poster

Help share this valuable benefit 

• Share the scholarship information with your team
• Display the scholarship poster at your location

Employee LumberTech Scholarships

Mid-America and Nebraska members may apply for a limited number of $100 scholarships to help offset tuition for employees attending a LumberTech class. Qualifying courses include Estimating 1-2-3, Blueprint Reading and Material Take Off, Yard and Delivery Operations, Lumberyard Design and Operational Excellence, Sales Development, Returns and Refunds Policies and other qualified LumberTech classes. Employee scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications can be turned in once class registration is completed.

• Mid-America LumberTech Employee Scholarship Application
• Nebraska LumberTech Employee Scholarship Application

In addition to these scholarship programs, Wisconsin and Upper Michigan members and students can utilize the Wisconsin Education Foundation’s training and scholarship programs. College scholarships are available up to $4,000 each for applicants who live in Wisconsin or Upper Michigan and are pursuing a career that centers on or supports the lumber and building materials industry, the building trades, or small business management.

WLDEF’s employee training programs include tuition assistance up to 50% of the registration fee on qualified LumberTech classes as well as roundtable grants ranging from $250-$500 annually. 

https://wldef.com/scholarships

https://wldef.com/training

Building Community Through Education

These scholarships reflect our shared commitment to service, community, and supporting the next generation of industry leaders. By encouraging students and employees to pursue education and professional development, we strengthen our businesses and the communities we serve.

For questions about any scholarship program, contact Connie Johnson at 763-595-4045 or connie@bldconnection.org.