Middle Bucks Institute Awarded $100K To Expand Trades Programs

JAMISON, PA — The Middle Bucks Institute of Technology (MBIT) has announced the receipt of $100,000 in funding that will directly benefit students across its career and technical education programs.

The funding comes from two sources: a $60,000 anonymous philanthropic gift split between facility improvement and student financial aid, and $40,000 in Educational Improvement funding distributed through the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program by Ciocca Automotive.

The funds were gifted to the MBIT Education Foundation, a relatively new non-profit that supports the work of the technical school.

The combined investment addresses two of the school’s most pressing needs: updating aging infrastructure and ensuring that every enrolled student has the tools and resources required to participate fully in the learning-by-doing programs that MBIT offers.

A New Greenhouse to Support Student Learning

Of the $60,000 anonymous donation, $50,000 has been allocated to the school's greenhouse reconstruction project. The funds are being used to purchase a new structure, replacing a facility that had reached the end of its useful life.

The new greenhouse is expected to be operational during the 2026–27 school year, with students potentially having the opportunity to participate in aspects of the construction process as the project plan is finalized.

The greenhouse will serve the Landscape Systems and Outdoor Construction program at the school, giving students a working facility to apply classroom learning in a real production environment.

Removing Barriers to Participation

The anonymous donor also designated $10,000 for direct student financial aid, with $40,000 remaining in the fund for ongoing use. The initial $10,000 has already been distributed to students who lacked the financial means to purchase the uniforms, tools, and materials required to fully participate in their programs.

At MBIT, participation is not passive. Students enrolled in trades programs work with industry-standard tools and materials from their first weeks in the program. For families facing financial hardship, the cost of those requirements can be a genuine obstacle. The fund removes that obstacle, school officials said.

The remaining $40,000 will continue to be available through the student financial aid fund to meet needs as they arise in future school years.

EITC Investment From Ciocca

In addition to the philanthropic gift, MBIT received $40,000 in Educational Improvement funding through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program, from Ciocca Automotive. The EITC program allows businesses to direct a portion of their state tax liability toward qualifying educational organizations, creating a direct pipeline between the business community and the schools that prepare the next generation of workers.

The funds are designated for Educational Improvement activities at the school, supporting the development and delivery of programs that expand student opportunity and strengthen the quality of career and technical education MBIT provides.

“This level of community investment in our students is extraordinary. The greenhouse project will restore an
important facility for our programs, and the financial aid dollars mean that a student’s ability to participate at
MBIT will not be determined by what their family can afford. We are grateful to everyone who made this possible,” said Dr. Mark Covelle, administrative director, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology.

Added Dr. Jan Solkov, chairperson, MBIT Education Foundation, “As a relatively new organization, we are thrilled to be able to donate $100,000 to MBIT. It is completely aligned with our mission to raise funds that will support the programs and students of the school, such as the Greenhouse Project, Student Financial Needs Fund, and innovative educational programs. We hope that the community will continue to donate to our non-profit MBIT Education Foundation."

To learn more about the MBITEF or to contribute and support future young skilled professionals, visit
mbitedfoundation.org/ or email foundation@mbit.org.

Students enrolled at MBIT come from the following sending districts: Central Bucks, Centennial, Council Rock and New Hope-Solebury.