The MBI-Works (Master Builders of Workforce Opportunities Require Knowledge and Skills) Endowment Board has opened its 2023 Request for Proposal (RFP) to schools and non-profit programs across Iowa. The RFP will be open until September 15, 2023. This endowment aims to support career education and workforce recruitment in the Iowa commercial construction industry.
Master Builders of Iowa (MBI) has committed $5 million towards the establishment of the MBI-WORKS Endowment. The recipients of the funding will need to demonstrate creativity in increasing the number of individuals entering the commercial construction workforce and raising awareness about the numerous career opportunities within the industry.
In 2022, the Endowment provided funding awards amounting to $186,050, bringing the total awarded over the past four years to just over $700,000. Some recent recipients of the funds include a YMCA Career Center in Forest City, which used the funds to remodel a storage space into an after-school/summer program, and Northeast Iowa Community College, which developed a virtual reality program to accurately portray construction job environments. Another recipient was Southeast Polk Community School District, which used the funds to update and modernize their lab space with CNC machines.
Beth Townsend, Director of Iowa Workforce Development and MBI-WORKS Endowment Board member, emphasized the importance of creating new experiences to drive future economic growth. Townsend encouraged eligible applicants to consider applying for this funding opportunity.
Interested applicants can find the Request for Proposal on the MBI website. Applications will close on September 15, 2023, at 4 p.m. The Board of Directors of the Endowment, consisting of 11 individuals from various backgrounds, will review and select the proposals that best align with the mission of the Endowment.
To be considered for funding, successful applicants must partner with an MBI member and be a 501c3 organization or a qualifying public school district. For assistance in finding an MBI member partner, applicants can contact Adam Dobraska at [email protected]. More information and the RFP can be found on MBI’s website at https://mbi.build/our-services/workforce-development/mbi-works-endowment/request-for-proposal/.
