For Principals — Why Your CTE Program Should Know About VBCTF
Most of what crosses a principal's desk is a request — for time, attention, money, or resources. VBCTF isn't that. We're the opposite: we give your CTE graduates something material, at no cost to you, your school, or your students' families, on the strength of a nomination from one of your teachers or counselors.
Here's what you need to know in five minutes.
What VBCTF does
We provide professional-grade tool grants — up to roughly $1,950, in-kind, matched to the trade — to graduating Virginia high school seniors who complete a qualifying hard-trades CTE program, earn an industry-recognized credential, and head directly into full-time work in the trade.
What it costs your school
Nothing. No fee, no match, no administrative burden. A CTE teacher or counselor submits a 15-minute nomination form. We verify, coordinate with the student, buy the tools, and ship them.
What you should do as a principal
Two things, both small:
Make sure your CTE teachers and counselors know we exist. A one-line mention in a department meeting, a forward of our For Educators page, or a note in a faculty email is enough. We do the rest.
Recognize the nominations. When a teacher submits a successful nomination and a graduate walks across the stage knowing they'll have a real tool kit on day one of their career, that's a moment worth acknowledging publicly. Recognize the teacher. Recognize the graduate. It builds a culture where CTE is treated as the serious post-graduation path it is.
Why this matters for your school
Senior post-graduation outcomes are increasingly visible — to boards of education, to parents weighing where to enroll, to the Virginia Department of Education's accountability framework. A graduate with a credential, an apprenticeship, and a real tool kit on day one is the kind of outcome that strengthens your CTE program's story.
No Golf. No Galas. No Excuses. That's our model. We exist to put tools in graduates' hands. Your school just has to know we're here.
If you'd like a one-page summary to share with your CTE department, email us — we'll send you a clean PDF.
Ready to nominate, or want to share with your teachers?Open the nomination form → or visit our page for educators.
