BuildFreedom.US Expands to Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin; Awards $10M Grant
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Dallas – September 24, 2026 -- BuildFreedom.US, a federal workforce campaign funded by the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) Program under the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Industrial Base Policy, is expanding into Ohio, Illinois, and Wisconsin, the next phase of a national push to fill skilled-trades gaps in America's defense manufacturing base.
Program awards mikeroweWORKS Foundation a $10 million grant
BuildFreedom.US has granted $10 million to the mikeroweWORKS Foundation to support its Work Ethic Scholarship Program, deepening a partnership with Mike Rowe, founder of the foundation and creator of Dirty Jobs. Rowe will continue backing the campaign through its next expansion phase.