The Home Builders Association Charitable Foundation Board of Directors announced this week an unprecedented HBA Member Assistance program designed to incentivize and underwrite the immediate professional development efforts of HBA Members.
With its newly launched “HBACF Member Scholarship Fund” the foundation will disburse $31,000 over a two-year period, directly to HBA of Greater Springfield members in the form of 50% scholarships to those members who take locally-conducted NAHB University of Housing designation classes. The fund will underwrite approximately 295 scholarships for HBA members.
“As the industry emerges from recession, many HBA members are eager to compete for new business by earning, maintaining and marketing professional designations,” HBACF President Mike DeLong said. “Unfortunately, the economic impact of the last several years has left many who have survived without available financial resources to pursue or maintain these credentials. So, the HBACF is bridging that gap.
“For those members who are serious about pursuing a professional designation in the next two years, we will underwrite 50% of your tuition,” DeLong continued. “And by making this commitment, the HBACF also makes it possible for the HBA of Greater Springfield to guarantee that all of the necessary courses for members to complete these professional designations will be offered locally over the next two years.”
In recent years, the HBA of Greater Springfield has made substantial progress in the professional development and education of its members. Dozens of HBA members now hold or are pursuing professional designations. Many more participate in locally-hosted education programs that fall outside NAHB’s University of Housing curriculum. Yet, as a mid-sized association, it has not been financially feasible to pursue and offer the full array of necessary professional designation courses locally. Too many simply would not break even financially. The HBACF’s support effectively removes that barrier.
The first round of scholarships already is being awarded for the Business Management and Green Building for Building Professionals courses (offered by the HBA at the Ozarks Technical College Center for Workforce Development March 15-17). Participants who successfully complete the three full days of coursework earn their Certified Green Professional (CGP) Designation. The first 20 HBA of Greater Springfield members who registered for either or both courses receive a 50% scholarship from the HBACF Member Scholarship Fund (a value of $102.50 for the Business Management Class and a value of $172.50 for the Green Building for Building Professionals Class)
In response to the HBACF’s generous support, a full course catalog for the two-year period will be released by the HBA of Greater Springfield to all HBA members by the end of March 2011. It will include sixteen designation courses that allow for HBA members to pursue and complete locally all the coursework to obtain their Certified Graduate Builder (CGB), Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), Certified Graduate Associate (CGA), Certified Green Professional (CGP), Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designations.
For more information on NAHB University of Housing Professional Designations, click here.