FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
2026 Midyear Meeting Registration is OPEN ↗

Why a Masonry Foundation?

Words: Jeff BuczkiewiczThe industry needs to build an endowment to actively work to promote masonry as a system through continued research and education. As an industry we have little resources to keep pace with competitors.

The industry needs a perpetual funding source. One that will never end, run out of money, lose political favor, etc. A well supported endowment will do just this. By constitution, the Foundation can’t touch the endowment, only the proceeds from the endowment (with the exception of start-up costs and BIM funding which must be repaid to the endowment). A 5 million dollar endowment will produce on average $250,000 per year; a 10 million endowment would produce a half million dollars a year. While our phase 1 and phase 2 goals are to reach 5 million, there are many who believe and the initial research showed that the industry could and was willing to support a 10 million dollar endowment.

“There is nothing as important to this industry as securing a healthy and stable future for our members.”
- Mackie Bounds, Brazos Masonry, Inc.
 If the Foundation reaches its 5 million dollar goal soon, likely a phase 3 will be added to raise our goal.

The Foundation will provide perpetual resources for our industry while at the same time allowing the Board to review the needs of our industry and to respond quickly to its needs.

The Foundation is a separate independent 501 C3 corporation. It has a separate governing board and is for the industry. It has no current plans for staff and is administered by the MCAA.

Foundations permit businesses and individuals the highest level of return on their investment through tax breaks. Everyone should check with their financial advisors for specific details.

The Foundation will enable the industry to go on the offensive and develop plans to take back market share through education and research. See the prospectus for some of the goals identified for the foundation in our initial survey of the industry.

The Foundation enables individuals to create a legacy by allowing them to engage in planned giving to the foundation. They can give back to an industry that provided their livelihood utilizing their wills. Not only is this a way for them to leave a legacy, it has tremendous tax advantages to the estate and allows the individual to leave money to their industry rather than Uncle Sam.

There are so many more benefits and reasons why our industry needs a robust and healthy foundation and perpetual endowment. The real question should be why not and what took so long? For more information on The Masonry Foundation visit www.masonryfoundation.org or to make a pledge contact the MCAA office today at 224-678-9709.
 0
Masonry in the Media: Casa Azul, Chapultepec Castle, & More
June 2026

A film’s settings can take viewers to new locations, all from the comfort of their own home. It immerses them in the scenes, whether they take place in an opera house in Brazil or a grand mansion in Mexico City. Explore how these Latin American masonry ma

Lily Burger
Masonry in the Media
Read More
Chairman’s Message: When Things Don’t Go as Planned
June 2026

Not every day in this business goes the way we planned. Some days, everything lines up. The crew is moving well. Materials are on time. The job is flowing the way you hoped it would. And then there are the other days. The ones where something breaks. T

Kent Huntley
Chairman’s Message
Read More
Marvelous Masonry: Borobudur
June 2026

For masonry contractors and suppliers, few structures offer as much practical insight as Borobudur. Built in the 9th century in Central Java, this massive stone monument remains as one of the most advanced examples of large-scale masonry construction ever

Cassandra Stern
Marvelous Masonry
Read More
Wrapping Up Our Year And A Look Ahead
June 2026

It is amazing another year has gone by and what a year it has been. We have seen a lot of progress on so many fronts. All of this happens specifically due to the support of our members. Your support this past year is positioning our industry to make huge

Jeff B
President's Message
Read More