The Home Depot launched the Retool Your School program 13 years ago to provide support for our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As of 2022, The Home Depot has invested more than $5.2 million dollars to update and upgrade HBCU campuses.
“Grants from The Home Depot have helped HBCUs make more than $5 million worth of improvements, including the creation of outdoor eco-classrooms, renovation of health facilities, revamping of residence halls and more,” says Home Depot’s Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Derek Bottoms. “Through Retool Your School, we’ve provided support to nearly 70 percent of the nation’s HBCUs.”
For the first time since 2019, the Retool Your School winners’ ceremony took place in-person as a live-streamed hybrid event on Tuesday, April 26. HBCU alumni attended to celebrate the event, including:
- Host Laz Alonso, Howard University Alumnus and actor
- Guest Speaker Terrence J., North Carolina A&T Alumnus, actor, model and entertainment reporter
- DJ Stormy, Alabama State University Alumna and international DJ
HBCU winners received individual campus improvement grants ranging from $20,000 to $75,000. The Campaign of the Year award will provide a $45,000 grant for the most engaging marketing campaign, as voted on by The Home Depot marketing leadership.
“With nearly 10 million votes counted, we were thrilled to meet the HBCU representatives in person this year and come together to celebrate the power of this community,” says Tiffany Mitsui, the multicultural marketing lead at The Home Depot. “I couldn’t be more proud of all the hard work our HBCUs did to get here!”
Congratulations to the winners:
Campaign of the Year 2022 Winner: Alabama State University
Cluster 1 School Winners (4,000 students or more)
- Alabama A&M University
- Alabama State University
- Jackson State University
- Southern University and A&M College
- Albany State University
- Grambling State University
- Winston-Salem State University
- Fayetteville State University
- Prairie View A&M University
- Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Cluster 2 School Winners (1,201 – 3,999 students)
- Coahoma Community College
- Alcorn State University
- Tuskegee University
- Benedict College
- South Carolina State University
- Mississippi Valley State University
- University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
- Elizabeth City State University
- West Virginia State University
- Hampton University
Cluster 3 School Winners (1,200 students or less)
- Tougaloo College
- Texas College
- Fisk University
- Johnson C. Smith University
- Lane College
- Southwestern Christian College
- Wilberforce University
- Saint Augustine University
- Edward Waters University
- Rust College
The Home Depot is dedicated to continuing its commitment, celebrating the legacy and pride of HBCUs. To learn more, visit RetoolYourSchool.com.