ABC of Western Washington was recently awarded a $10,000 Chapter Diversity Initiative Grant from ABC National to assist in its efforts to develop a long-term diversity program. The money will be used to support the Higher Education Mentor/Protégé Program. Participants in the program can receive training in financial management, business development and construction process management. They can also receive scholarships for programs that specialize in the development of executives of minority-owned businesses.
“It is critical that we reach out across our communities to get people involved in the commercial and industrial construction industry,” said
Bill Fairchild,
2008 ABC national chairman and resident of R.W Murray Co., Manassas, Va. “This grant program serves as a catalyst to strengthening diversity in the construction workforce.”
To be eligible for the diversity grant, ABC of Western Washington satisfied six critical elements in the application process: partnering with local organizations representing minorities or women, maintaining a commitment from leadership, using effective practices, securing additional resources from strategic partners, developing models on effective approaches and measuring results.
Each grant application is reviewed by an independent panel. The funding is intended to cover a 12-month period with quarterly reporting.