Michigan’s 2026 budget might carve $12M for Adrian Woodworking Institute

Michigan lawmakers might carve out a $12 million earmark to expand a woodworking facility in Adrian. The money would go to the Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute, a postsecondary school that currently graduates 20 students a year.

The project is backed by Rep. Nancy Jenkins-Arno, whose House district includes Adrian.

The $12 million in taxpayer funds would help pay for the first phase of a new $48 million campus. This phase includes purchasing additional land. State funds would also cover some construction and utility costs.

A breakdown of projected costs includes $7.5 million for architectural work, $1.8 million for mechanical installation, $1.9 million for electrical work, and $1.4 million for site preparation and other utilities.

The legislative request reads:

“The Sam Beauford Woodworking Institute (SBWI) seeks legislative directed spending to triple annual graduate capacity in the next four years. This post-secondary trades college provides education and career opportunities through the artistry of woodworking. Students that complete the college-level program at SBWI receive a credential to help them pursue entrepreneurial opportunities or join the workforce with hands-on experience and craftsmanship necessary to ensure they are qualified for good and high-paying positions.”

The institute offers a 40-week diploma program, along with shorter workshops and weekend courses.

Institute officials want to triple the size of each years’ graduating class from 20 to 60 within four years, with a goal of having 200 graduates annually within two decades, according to the earmark request Jenkins-Arno submitted.

Tuition for the 2025-2026 program year will start at $15,110, not including tools, and increase to $16,165 for the 2026-2027 school year.

Supporters of the funding argue that the program prepares students for careers in woodworking by teaching them practical skills and craftsmanship.

Endorsements for the project come from Adrian College, Michigan State University’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, and the Lenawee County Board of Commissioners.

Nationally, the demand for woodworkers is expected to decline by 2% between 2023 and 2033, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Automation and technologies such as computer numerical controlled machines are expected to reduce the need for manual labor in wood product manufacturing from 224,000 in 2023 to 219,400 by 2033.

The city of Adrian, where the institute is based, has seen a population decline over the last five years, dropping from 20,645 in 2020 to an estimated 20,259 in 2024, according to the Census Bureau. Those who endorse the earmark say that the renovations would bring people across Michigan back to Adrian.

The woodworking school did not respond to an email request for comment. Neither did Jenkins-Arno.

This earmark is one of more than 800 proposed across the state, during which lawmakers direct public dollars to projects in their home districts.

The pork-barrel spending is part of a larger $28.8 million request for earmark proposals tied to Lenawee County, home to more than 97,000 residents.

Michigan Capitol Confidential reports on earmarks to help Michigan residents understand how their tax money is being spent. Its reports are not intended to reflect the quality of the organizations that receive the money.