Preserving Excellence: EBI’s Maintenance and Replacement Endowment
HBA: Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky
Category: Revenue
Location: Erlanger, Ky.
Size: 201-600 members
Year: 2024
The Building Industry Association of Northern Kentucky (BIANKY)’s Enzweiler Building Institute (EBI) established its Maintenance and Replacement Endowment Fund in 2024 to ensure long-term financial sustainability for its skilled trades training facilities. Designed as a restricted, self-managed endowment, the fund secures ongoing resources for facility upkeep, equipment modernization and infrastructure upgrades to maintain EBI’s status as a premier trade school. With contributions from industry leaders like the Drees Homes Foundation, which provided a $500,000 initial investment, the fund addresses critical needs while minimizing reliance on short-term fundraising and emergency grants.
Through strategic planning, targeted fundraising and professional fund management, EBI successfully launched and grew the endowment. Key outcomes include enhanced learning environments, such as upgraded classrooms and training equipment, improved financial resilience and increased engagement from community stakeholders and corporate partners. The initiative not only provides predictable, long-term support for maintenance but also reinforces EBI’s leadership in workforce development and vocational education excellence.
