In conjunction with the start of the 2011-12 school year, Lowe's has announced grants totaling more than $4 million to support education programs across the country.

Through the Lowe's Toolbox for Education initiative, Lowe's Charitable and Education Foundation awarded grants totaling $1.35 million to eighteen schools for school improvement projects, including rebuilding, repair and renovation efforts, and the installation of SMART Board technology. And as part of a larger $1 million commitment to help rebuild schools damaged by natural disasters, the foundation awarded $250,000 to schools affected by severe weather and natural disasters this spring.

Grant recipients include Teach for America, which will receive $750,000 in support of its programs; the United Negro College Fund ($500,000); the Hispanic Scholarship Fund ($250,000); and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund ($100,000). In addition, the foundation awarded $500,000 over five years to Project L.I.F.T. (Leadership and Investment for Transformation) to help support Charlotte's public school system; 140 scholarships totaling $350,000 to high school seniors planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States; and fifty Carl Buchan scholarships totaling $250,000 to full- and part-time Lowe's employees, their spouses, domestic partners, and dependents.

"Lowe's is proud to contribute more than $4 million to support education across the country and we're ready to see these dollars at work to improve schools for our future generations," said LCEF chairman Marshall Croom. "These dollars will help close the funding gap facing many schools today and expedite much needed improvements and upgrades at schools throughout America so that our children have a comfortable, well equipped environment for learning."