$4 million raised for FTIUM
Flint & Steel Consulting partnered with the Finishing Trades Institute of the Upper Midwest (FTIUM) to support a transformational period of growth centered around three interconnected pillars of work: strategic fundraising, implementation oversight, and organizational capacity-building for long-term success.
Together, these efforts helped position FTIUM to successfully secure and manage more than $4 million in new funding to expand workforce development opportunities across the finishing trades. As one of the region’s leading vocational and apprenticeship training institutions connected to the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), FTIUM prepares apprentices and trades professionals for careers in commercial painting, drywall finishing, glazing, sign installation, industrial coatings, and convention work.
1. Strategic Fundraising
Flint & Steel Consulting supported the development of major funding proposals, strategic narratives, partnership positioning, and institutional messaging designed to align FTIUM’s mission with public, philanthropic, and workforce investment priorities. The fundraising strategy emphasized not only industry demand and labor shortages, but the broader economic and social impact of creating accessible pathways into high-wage union careers.
The result was the successful acquisition of more than $4 million in funding to strengthen apprenticeship training, expand access to underrepresented populations, modernize training systems, and increase workforce readiness across the Upper Midwest.
2. Implementation Oversight & Program Support
Beyond fundraising, Flint & Steel played an active role in implementation planning and oversight support to help ensure that new funding translated into operational impact. This included coordination support across workforce initiatives, strategic advising around reporting structures and deliverables, alignment with workforce development goals, and systems-thinking around participant success and institutional growth.
The work focused on helping FTIUM scale responsibly while maintaining the high-quality, hands-on training model that has made the institute a respected leader in the skilled trades ecosystem. Particular attention was placed on strengthening pathways for historically underrepresented participants entering the trades, including women, first-generation students, career-transitioning adults, and underserved communities.
3. Organizational Capacity for Long-Term Success
A central component of the partnership involved strengthening FTIUM’s internal organizational infrastructure to support sustainable growth and long-term stewardship of new funding. Flint & Steel Consulting supported efforts to deepen engagement with the Board of Directors and strengthen internal alignment around institutional vision, growth strategy, and accountability.
At the operational level, support was also directed toward enhancing fiscal and administrative capacity so the organization would be well-positioned to responsibly manage increased funding flows, reporting requirements, compliance obligations, and long-term program sustainability. This organizational strengthening work helped create a stronger foundation for future expansion and institutional resilience.
Together, these three pillars — fundraising, implementation oversight, and organizational capacity-building — created an integrated approach to growth that extended beyond grant acquisition alone. The partnership helped position FTIUM not only to secure significant new investments, but to successfully operationalize those investments in ways that strengthen workforce pipelines, institutional systems, and economic opportunity across the finishing trades sector.
This work reflects Flint & Steel Consulting’s broader philosophy: sustainable impact happens when fundraising strategy, operational execution, and organizational capacity evolve together.
