2007 Scholarship Awards Breakfast

The Tidewater Builders Association Scholarship Foundation annually awards college scholarships to deserving high school seniors in South Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Awards are based on academic success, financial need, and community involvement. Students do not have to major in the building trades. Recipients are selected by a committee of builders, educators, and local business members of the community

The amount of the awards have ranged from $4,000 to $7,000 each. The funds are distributed over a four-year period to students who maintain at least a 2.0 average in a full-time course of study.

The Young Designers Scholarship Competition

1st Place CAD Landstown

Schools in South Hampton Roads are invited to participate in a Young Designers' Scholarship Competition. Vocation education teachers work with students on a class project that results in an entry in the competition. 

Students are asked to design and draw homes in one of two categories: hand-drawn or computer-aided design. A $1,500 first-place scholarship, $1,000 second-place scholarship and $500 third-place scholarship were awarded in each category.  The schools that submit the most entries are also eligible to receive cash awards to enhance their programs.

The competition is judged by local architect and building professionals.

The History

1972 Scholarship Awards

The first meeting of then "Tidewater Association of Home Builders" Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors was February 9, 1965.

The leading founders came together to form the foundation for what is today the TBA Scholarship Foundation, one of the largest in Virginia, with more than $1 million in assets.

These pioneers in philanthropy wanted to design and implement a vehicle through which they and other members of the builders association could channel contributions into a significant community benefit.  

Scholarship House

2007 Scholarship House Built by Kotarides Builders

An idea was devised to build a Scholarship House every year to raise the funds and a plan developed to invest a major portion of the proceeds from the sale of each house.  A benchmark of success was set at $100,000. 

It didn't take long for the concept to catch on, and the benchmark has been hit 13 times over.  Builders, sub-contractors, bankers and real estate companies come together to donate profits and services for each scholarship house built. 

To date, the foundation has given more than $1.3 million in scholarships, helping 363 worthy students pursue a college education.  Click Here for a list of Scholarship House Builders.  

TMHC Scholarship Apartments

The Tidewater Multifamily Housing Council has joined with home builders in supporting the foundation.  Each year, the owner or owners of an apartment community donate the gross proceeds from one of their units toward the cause.

Tidewater Multi-Family Housing Council Scholarship Apartments

2004 Clark-Whitehill Enterprises
2005 Ainslie-Widener Builders
2007 Terry/Peterson Residential Cos.
2008 Lawson Companies and Robert Lawson

The TMHC goal is to create a $100,000 endowed scholarship.

Endowments and Contributions

Three endowed scholarships have been created.  Donations of $100,000 each were received to establish three annual scholarships: The Lee Gifford Memorial Scholarship, The Howard W. and Nancye C. Weisberg Scholarship and The William J. Hearring Memorial Scholarship. 

Lee Gifford	Howard Weisberg	William Hearring

Individuals or groups can create an endowed scholarship in their name or in memory of someone.

If you or your company would like to contribute to the TBA Scholarship Foundation or to a TBA Scholarship House, contact Mary Hearring at 420-2434, ext. 281 or mhearring@tbaonline.org