CREF sees record 2025 Benchmark donations, year-end campaign underway
The Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) received a record $726,500 from nearly two dozen industry partners for its Benchmark Award program this year. As the year wraps up and the new year begins, there are more opportunities to donate, according to Executive Director Brandon Eckenrode.
CREF’s Benchmark Awards for Collision Schools recognize schools that excel in educating students in collision repair; however, due to strained school budgets, the programs require additional financial assistance. Recipient schools utilize the funds to provide necessary tools, equipment, and supplies to enhance learning and prepare graduates for the workforce.
This year’s donations bring the total amount given to schools via Benchmark Awards to over $5 million, serving more than 50,000 collision students since the program’s inception in 2009. The 2025 awards will benefit 104 schools and over 5,300 students, plus future students who will benefit from the advancements, a CREF press release states.
“While it was helpful for those instructors that were the recipients of several of the different grants that we awarded, we did have roughly $2 million in requests from schools,” he said. “It shows where there’s opportunities for additional support to help out these instructors who are facing limited program budgets. While the expectation on them is to graduate properly trained entry-level staff, this just helps demonstrate why industry support is critical, so that the instructors have what they need for consumables, tools, equipment supplies to be able to teach the students.”
CREF’s latest School Snapshot, based on 2023-2024 survey data, shows that the top two challenges facing collision repair education programs — high school and college — are low enrollment and lack of equipment, tools, and supplies. Third was a lack of general program funding.
Based on the survey, enrollment in the 904 U.S. programs was 17,768 in 2023 and 21,748. It also shows that independent shops provided the highest percentage of employer partnerships with schools. Forty-five percent of respondents said their school’s advisory committee needs more members.
Of 2022-2023 graduates, 5,090 high school and 2,710 college students entered the collision workforce. Forty-two percent of respondents said graduates entered the workforce after their first year in school.
Fifty-three percent of respondents said high school program budgets are less than $10,000, while 76% said college programs have budgets of more than $10,000.
Recipients of the 2025 Benchmark Awards were announced and recognized at CREF’s Benchmark Awards Breakfast, held on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas during this year’s SEMA Show.
“We are very proud to be able to fund so many 2025 Benchmark Awards, which will have a positive effect on thousands of students’ educational experiences and help prepare them for their future careers in collision,” said Melissa Marscin, CREF’s director of operations and impact, in the release.
“Collision repair training programs face tremendous budgetary pressure, which makes it difficult for many instructors to even maintain their program at current capabilities, let alone invest in increasing their abilities to satisfy the industry’s current and future workforce needs… CREF is honored to help bridge this financial gap and make a difference in the lives of the students studying collision repair — thanks to the generosity of our industry.”
The full list of award recipients is available here.
Applications for the 2026 Benchmark Awards for Collision Schools will be available online in early 2026.
Industry members interested in getting involved and supporting the Collision Repair Education Foundation’s efforts to assist high school and college collision repair training programs can Contact Us to learn about the many ways to get involved. Monetary donations can be made online.
CREF’s year-end scholarship campaign is underway, featuring past students who were recipients of its scholarships and are now working in the industry.
“We’re inviting people who might have any year-end opportunities for support for any charitable year-end tax-deductible donations who might be in a position to be able to help support us, which in turn helps support the future professionals of the industry,” Eckenrode said. “That support is greatly welcomed and appreciated.”
Those looking to connect with CREF can utilize its Contact Us form.
Images
Featured image provided by CREF.