Jan. 11, 2019—The application for the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) Benchmark Grant program is now available to schools teaching collision repair. The grant was formerly the Ultimate Makeover Grant and it is in its 10th year.

Instructors are advised to begin the application early and industry professionals are encouraged to get involved with the Benchmark grant by working with their local school’s collision instructors to help them apply. The winning schools will be announced during the SEMA show in Las Vegas, next November. Awards of up to $25,000 will be given.

The school Benchmark Grant application is available online and is due by June 7, 2019. 

The Benchmark grant program incorporates the Foundation’s Collision School Career Readiness Benchmark that was launched in 2017. Under the program developed by the Foundation, schools are classified into three tiers:

• Tier 1: Advanced,

• Tier 2: Proficient

• Tier 3: Developing.

The designation will be determined by the Foundation based upon information provided by schools about the capabilities of their program detailed in the Collision Repair Education Foundation Benchmark grant application. The criteria for each level includes the number of hours of instruction, curriculum in place, along with what tools, equipment, and supplies a school uses to prepare their students for employment in the collision industry.