Home-improvement retail chain The Home Depot has pledged to fund its 2010 Pro Trade Scholarship Program at a total of $1 million. The company reports has more than tripled a $300,000 scholarship fund established last year, which supports students attending professional building and construction trade schools.

This year’s program will support individual students as well as the schools they attend. Specifically, $1,000 scholarships will be available to 500 trade school students to help them offset the cost of tuition, books, and tools for their chosen trade. The schools of the scholarship recipients will receive additional funds for classroom tools from The Home Depot Foundation, through matching gifts of $1,000 for each scholarship awarded to one or more of their students.

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

The National Trade 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.

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