The Home Depot, announced $1 million in funding for its 2010 Pro Trade Scholarship Program. The scholarship fund was first established in 2009 with $300,000 to support students attending professional building and construction trade schools.

The Home Depot Foundation scholarship program this year will also benefit the schools of those individual students who will the scholarship funds. 500 trade school students will get $1,000 scholarships towards the cost of tuition, books and tools for their chosen trade. The schools will receive gifts of $1,000 for each scholarship awarded to one or more of their students as additional funds for classroom tools.

"Professional contractors are important customers of The Home Depot, and their future is vital to the American dream of home ownership and economic growth," said Chris Waits, vice president of The Home Depot Sales & Services. "Now, more than ever, we want to help our current and future pros build successful businesses."

Scholarship applications will be accepted through April 30, 2010 online at www.homedepot.com/tradescholarship, and are also available in a downloadable Spanish language format.

The scholarship program is open to all students nationwide who are currently enrolled in a building and construction trade school program at a vocational/technical school, college or university. Winners will be selected based on a combination of academic performance, leadership and work experience.