MBI Works Fund

BrochurePartner with an MBI member

Master Builders of Iowa Workforce Opportunities Require Knowledge and Skills Fund

The MBI-WORKS Fund was created to offer resources to complement career education and workforce recruitment into the Iowa commercial construction industry. In total, the MBI Board of Directors have committed over $6 million toward the establishment of MBI-WORKS Fund.

Funds from this program have now leveraged just over $2.9 million in workforce recruitment efforts in the past five years, most recently funding 7 different projects in 2024 across the state from the Siouxland area to Central Iowa to Denver, Iowa. As of 4:00PM on Friday, September 20th, 2024, this year’s RFP is now CLOSED. The MBI-WORKS Board will now be evaluating the submitted applications for funding and make awards to those successful in December 2024 with the first round of payments in January 2025.

Please check back to this page for newly released information and contact Adam DoBraska at ADoBraska@MBI.Build for any questions about the MBI-WORKS Fund.

MBI-WORKS Fund Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Where can I find the Request for Proposal(RFP)?

Beginning in June 2024, the RFP will be available on our website. 

2. What is the deadline for submissions of the RFP?

All RFP applications must be in by September, 2024. The actual date and timeline of the submissions will be announced on our website later this summer. 

3. What are the requirements of the entity submitting an RFP?

A non-profit or educational institution needs to partner with and have at least one (1) MBI member sponsor to apply

4. What are some examples of successful award recipients from previous years?

As shown on the left-hand side of the page, we list the previous two (2) years of submissions for the public to view. 

5. Who evaluates and scores the RFP applications?

A committee of 11 made up of both industry and non-industry professionals evaluate and score the RFP. 

6. How much money can a non-profit ask for when applying for these funds?

Typical years in the past have listed $35,000 as the max award. However, the availability of funds lies solely at the direction of the evaluation committee, supported by the MBI Board of Directors. 

7. Are cash matching contributions and in-kind support required for submission?

The evaluation committee will look favorably upon any proposal that includes cash matching contributions and in-kind support. In the past, proposals that have not included either fall short of approval.