Pilot Project Fund

Overview

During The Masonry Society’s October 2008 Strategic Planning Session it was recognized that while TMS members had excellent ideas for new programs, projects and seminars, the financial resources to support these projects were limited. As a result, the Board of Directors approved a new “Pilot Project Fund” to support special projects that further the Society’s mission and offerings through direct contributions by donors. With approval from the Executive Committee, grants of up to $3,000 will be provided to projects requiring start-up funds if they are felt to have high merit to TMS, its members and the public.The Pilot Project Fund differs from the Endowment Fund in that only interest earned from donations to the Endowment Fund can be used to support worthy projects.

If you would like to make a tax deductible contribution to the the Pilot Project Fund, or other funds such as the Endowment Fund or General Fund, simply send a check to TMS indicating how you would like your contributions to be used or donate through the online store. TMS will then send you a receipt that you can use for income tax purposes.

If you would like consideration of support for a project, submit a letter of application to TMS that includes the following information:

  1. Amount requested and purpose for funding.
  2. Desired outcome; benefit to TMS.
  3. Committee or members utilizing the funds.
  4. Proposed schedule: start and completion.
  5. How will the funding be used

Grants up to $3,000 per year will be considered, and may be renewable for three years total. Applicants should recognize that funds are extremely limited and grants will be given only to projects felt to provide the most benefit to TMS.

PROJECTS SUPPORTED BY THE PILOT PROJECT FUND

  • BIM Study Funded in Part by TMS’s Pilot Project Fund

In February 2012, The Masonry Society’s Executive Committee approved funding through TMS’s Pilot Project Fund a study on Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Masonry (BIM-M) that was being undertaken with the Georgia Tech Digital Building Laboratory as consultants. Since that time, TMS has been a sponsoring organization along with MCAA, IMI, IUBAC, BIA, NCMA and WSCPA of this initiative. Through the original grant a number of issues were examined and documented including: the state of art for masonry design and construction related to BIM such as software available; impediments to progress; and interest by users. The results of that study served as a roadmap for actions by the masonry industry related to positioning masonry for BIM. Further work has been done to provide tools for designers and contractors on using BIM. As part of these efforts, TMS produced BIM for Masonry Modeling Masonry Buildings in Autodesk Revit, which is available for free through TMS’s website. TMS also established a committee to continue work on Building Information Modelling. Other masonry BIM products and technical information are available at the BIM-M web site and the BIM-M You Tube channel.

  • Sustainability E-Newsletter funded as first Pilot Project

Thanks to generous donations from members, The Masonry Society funded a Sustainability E-Newsletter as its first Pilot Project in 2009. The Sustainability E-Newsletter is developed by TMS Member Christine A. Subasic P.E., LEED AP. Prior to the development of the Sustainability E-Newsletter, Subasic provided e-news blasts to those on the Society’s Sustainability Committee. Interest in the service grew beyond TMS members. Through Pilot Project Funding, Sustainability E-newsletter was developed and distributed from July 2009 until December 2009 to provide broader dissemination of this important information. Response to the initial publication was extremely positive from both members and nonmembers. Since then this successful publication has been predominantly sponsored by various companies and organizations.

The Sustainability E-Newsletter provides a news/wire-type bimonthly email to subscribers and TMS members. Each edition contains 5 – 10 short summaries and links to relevant news releases and articles related to sustainability, LEED, and the masonry industry. Recently the scope of the E-newsletter has expanded to topics that include resiliency and energy efficiency. The goal is to keep the construction industry informed of important happenings related to sustainable design, resilience, and information relevant to the masonry industry.

Contributors to the Pilot Project Fund

Contributions of $2,000 or more

  • David T. Biggs, Biggs Consulting Engineers
  • Raymond T. Miller, Miller Consulting Engineers

Contributions of $500 to $1,999

  • Robert D. Thomas, National Concrete Masonry Association

Contributions of $100 to $499

  • A. Rhett Whitlock, Whitlock, Dalrymple, Poston & Assoc.
  • Robert N. Chittenden, Chittenden Engineering
  • Canan D’Avela
  • James Farny
  • Donald McMican, DGM Consultants, P.A.
  • Arturo Schultz
  • Paul G. Scott, Caruso Turley Scott, Inc
  • Christine A. Subasic, C. Callista Subasic

Contributions up to $99

  • James E. Amrhein, Masonry Consultant
  • J. Gregg Borchelt
  • C. Michael Donoghue
  • Ece Erdogmus
  • Kirk A. Haverland, Larson Engineering of Wisconsin
  • Gregory R. Hess
  • Lawrence W. Kahn, Georgia Institute of Technology
  • James LaFave, University of Illinois
  • Gero Marzahn
  • Jerry Painter, Painter Masonry
  • Guilherme Parsekian, Federal University of Sao Carlos
  • Russ Peterson, Ensoltech, Inc.
  • Lawrence M. Tabat
  • Terence Allan Weigel, University of Louisville

Date Updated: 12/19/23