Hello Friends of RPM,

By now you may have heard that Hagerty has launched its own nonprofit – the Hagerty Drivers Foundation. This is great news for the restoration and preservation industry, and for car culture as a whole. The RPM Foundation applauds Hagerty for their commitment to shaping the future of car culture, and celebrating our automotive history.

Since 2005, Hagerty and the RPM Foundation have been closely intertwined. Hagerty founded the Collectors Foundation, which then became the Hagerty Education Foundation in 2014, and was then renamed the RPM Foundation in 2016. Through it all, Hagerty has been a key partner and supporter of ours. So naturally, there are bound to be some questions around this latest development. I’d like to take a moment to address those questions now.

Is RPM becoming the Hagerty Drivers Foundation?
No. RPM is a separate entity from the Hagerty Drivers Foundation, and will continue to operate independently.

What does this mean for RPM?
We at the RPM Foundation believe that like-minded not-for-profit organizations should work together to achieve their shared mission. Car culture comes in many shapes and sizes, and similar issues are impacting them all. We welcome any allies in our mutual fight to keep car culture alive through the support of those who wish to pursue vehicle restoration and preservation as a career. RPM looks forward to collaborating with the Hagerty Drivers Foundation on potential future projects that align our missions for the automotive community and industry.

In what ways will RPM continue its mission of preserving skills and supporting careers?
In addition to continuing our grant and program support, the RPM Foundation has several exciting new initiatives, including the RPM Apprenticeship and Internship programs, the Endangered Skills program, and our Industry Research. All of these efforts are meant to support workforce development for the vehicle restoration industry, keep the skills necessary for restoration and preservation alive, and better understand the career path and opportunities for those pursuing a career in this industry.

RPM continues to strive towards our goal of a vibrant restoration and preservation workforce, and joins the collector vehicle industry and culture in welcoming the Hagerty Drivers Foundation.

Thank you for your support,

Nick Ellis
Executive Director
RPM Foundation