Keys to the Trades: Driving opportunity for skilled contractors

The program provides donated vehicles and financial support to hardworking contractors who are working to establish or expand their small businesses but lack the basic tools to get to work.

The Roof Museum is proud to announce the launch of Keys to the Trades, a new initiative created to empower skilled tradespeople by addressing one of their most pressing barriers to growth: access to reliable transportation.

The program provides donated vehicles and financial support to hardworking contractors — including roofers, handymen, electricians and other tradespeople — who are working to establish or expand their small businesses but lack the basic tools to get to work.

“Transportation can make or break someone’s opportunity,” says Donavan Morgan, founder of The Roof Museum. “We’ve seen so many talented individuals ready to work but held back simply because they don’t have a vehicle.”

Each month, The Roof Museum works with 30–60 contractors through mentorship and workforce readiness programming. Many of these individuals are transitioning out of hardship, navigating reentry into the workforce or trying to move from gig work to business ownership. For them, a dependable truck or van isn’t just a convenience — it’s a lifeline.

The Keys to the Trades initiative will provide selected applicants with the use of a donated or purchased vehicle for one full year, along with access to wraparound business support, guidance and training through the Museum’s broader programming. Recipients are selected through a structured application and review process focused on readiness, reliability and long-term growth potential.

To power this initiative, The Roof Museum is currently seeking both vehicle donations and monetary contributions from individuals, businesses and philanthropic supporters. Donated funds will be used to purchase reliable used trucks and vans, as well as to support insurance, maintenance and program infrastructure.

“This isn’t just about getting to a job site,” Morgan says. “It’s about giving people a real chance to build something lasting — to provide for their families, grow their businesses and contribute to their communities.”

With demand for skilled trades at an all-time high, Keys to the Trades offers a tangible way to support economic mobility and small business ownership in underserved communities. It’s a chance to be part of a movement that believes in people — and equips them with the tools they need to thrive.

To donate a vehicle or make a financial contribution to the Keys to the Trades initiative, please visit www.theroofmuseum.org or email catherine@theroofmuseum.org