Rhode Island Builders Association, Inc.

What Rhode Island Builders Association, Inc. does

Rhode Island Builders Association, Inc. (RIBA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1945 and headquartered in East Providence, Rhode Island. It serves approximately 1,000 member companies across the residential construction value chain, including home builders, remodelers, subcontractors, suppliers, architects, engineers, accountants, realty professionals, and sustaining organizations. The association is an affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and operates as the principal advocate and services provider for the residential building industry in Rhode Island and southern New England.

RIBA's product portfolio is built around three service pillars: (1) member services and advocacy, including legislative representation, the Ribbon magazine, the RIBAlist.com consumer-facing member directory, and the annual RI Home Show operating since 1948; (2) education and workforce development, anchored by RIBAducates.com (state-approved online continuing education for RI contractor registration), the Professional Women in Building council, the apprenticeship program articulated with CCRI/NEIT/URI, and partnerships with Real Jobs Rhode Island and the Residential Construction Workforce Partnership; and (3) financial services through its wholly-owned subsidiary Builders Insurance Group (BIG), a full-service insurance agency created in 2012 offering health, property, liability, auto, workers compensation, builders risk, and bond products. Additional programs include the Minority Business Accelerator, Builders Helping Heroes (501(c)(3)), and continuing education tied to the 2024 IECC energy code and the upcoming ICC 2021 building code adoption.

The business model is multi-stream: recurring membership dues of $500-$550 per category, pay-as-you-go continuing education fees ($25-$50 for non-members), insurance commissions through BIG, event ticket and booth revenue (Home Show, Clambake, Golf Outing), and advertising in the RI Builder monthly magazine. Acquisition is primarily sales-led through direct outreach by the Membership Relations Manager, supplemented by word-of-mouth referrals, NAHB channel partnerships, and the workforce development funnel. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and headcount is small (1-10 employees), consistent with a lean regional association.

Name

Rhode Island Builders Association, Inc.

Legal name

Rhode Island Builders Association, Inc.

Website

https://ribuilders.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rhode Island Builders Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association founded in 1945, serving approximately 1,000 residential construction member companies in Rhode Island and southern New England through advocacy, education, workforce development, and insurance services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Trade Association Services

NAICS

New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), Residential Building Construction (2361), Residential Building Construction (23611), Residential Property Managers (531311)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Operative Builders (1531), Non-Operating Establishments (9995)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE), Multi-Family Residential Construction (Apartments, Condos, Townhomes) (IMAFABAB), New Construction & Builder Sales (BPAJAAAB), Residential Land Development & Subdivision Homebuilding (Build-to-Sell Communities) (IMAFABAL)

Keywords

• Construction trade association
• Residential builder membership
• Contractor education training
• Workforce development programs
• Home builder advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

East Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues ranging from $500-$550 per year depending on membership category. Revenue supports association operations, advocacy, education programs, and member services.
2. Education Programs: Tuition-free for members; non-members pay $50 for MA CSL courses. Revenue from continuing education courses, pre-registration classes, and certification programs.
3. Insurance Services (BIG): Builders Insurance Group provides full-service insurance agency for residential contractors including health, property, liability, auto, workers compensation, builders risk, and bonds. Revenue from insurance commissions and fees.
4. Events and Sponsorships: Annual events including Clambake, Golf Outing, Home Show, holiday parties. Revenue from ticket sales, booth rentals at Home Show, and event sponsorships.
5. Advertising and Marketing: Advertising space in RI Builder monthly magazine (reaching 1000+ member companies), booth rates at Home Show, directory listings in Membership Directory & Buyer's Guide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Rhode Island Builders Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that provides residential construction industry membership, state-approved continuing education, workforce development and apprenticeship programs, legislative advocacy, networking events, and member benefits including an online directory and monthly industry magazine. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Builders Insurance Group (BIG), provides full-service insurance products (health, property, liability, workers' comp, builders risk) to residential contractors.

Product overview

Rhode Island Builders Association (RIBA) operates as a trade association offering a portfolio of member services rather than a unified software product. The association provides education and training programs (RIBAEducates.com online platform, contractor licensing classes, energy code training), an award-winning monthly publication (RI Builder magazine), workforce development initiatives, insurance services through Builders Insurance Group, the annual RI Home Show, an online member directory (RIBAlist.com), apprenticeship programs, Professional Women in Building council, and community programs like Builders Helping Heroes. These services support the residential construction industry in Rhode Island.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Builders Insurance Group (BIG): Full-service insurance agency providing insurance products and services to residential contractors, located at RIBA headquarters
• Professional Women in Building (PWB)

Products and services

• Membership Dues (Annual Membership Subscription)
• RIBAEducates.com Online Education Platform
• RI Builder Monthly Magazine
• RIBAlist.com Member Directory
• RI Home Show
• Builders Insurance Group (BIG)
• Apprenticeship Program
• Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council
• Contractor Licensing and Registration Education
• 2024 IECC Energy Code Classes
• Minority Business Accelerator (MBA) Program
• Workforce Development Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Free education saves members thousands of dollars annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Builders Insurance Group (BIG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Fully owned subsidiary of RIBA created in 2012 to offer insurance products and services to residential contractors. Located at RIBA headquarters. Members receive complimentary insurance reviews and access to group rates.
• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIBA is an official affiliate of NAHB, providing members access to national resources, professional designations (CGR, CGB, CSP, etc.), industry research, and collective advocacy at the federal level. PWB council is part of NAHB's official council structure.
• Real Jobs Rhode Island (RJRI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState workforce development initiative partnering with RIBA to recruit and train people for residential construction careers. Provides free construction training programs including pre-apprentice and vocational ELL programs.
• Residential Construction Workforce Partnership (RCWP)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry coalition with RIBA and RJRI to recruit and train construction workers. Operates RCWPJobs.com job portal for posting and finding construction jobs in RI and neighboring MA & CT.
• RI Commerce Corporation's Minority Based Accelerator (MBA) ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIBA selected as partner to help increase business opportunities for qualified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) in construction. Provides detailed assistance, M/WBE certification support, business management planning, and networking.
• Rhode Island Construction Training Academy (RICTA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwned and operated by RI Chapter of ABC. RIBA and ABC have cooperative agreement for apprenticeship program. RICTA offers NCCER-accredited training in carpentry, electrical, HVAC, and other trades at 249 Roosevelt Avenue, Pawtucket.
• New England Institute of TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEIT accepts NCCER apprenticeship training credits as partial fulfillment for Associate degree in Building Construction/Cabinetmaking Technology Program. Cooperative agreement for continuing education articulation.
• Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCRI accepts NCCER apprenticeship training credits toward Associate degree in Applied Science in Technical Studies. Articulation agreements with NEIT, Roger Williams University, and URI for construction-related degrees.
• Trade SourceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLeading provider of construction staffing solutions. Places apprenticeship trainees on as-needed basis to RIBA and ABC member companies. Also offers corporate tuition reimbursement after one year.
• National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPWB partners with NAWIC for joint events including Annual Holiday Brunch. Collaborates on Women in Construction Week activities and professional development events.
• Construction Career Cluster Advisory BoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVia RI Department of Education. Most RI vocational/technical schools and many comprehensive high schools offer NCCER curriculum, allowing students to transfer credits into apprenticeship program.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Greater Boston Builders & Remodelers Association: Regional HBA serving the Boston metro area in MA. Comparable in scope to RIBA, providing advocacy, education, and networking for residential builders in a neighboring market with a different competitive landscape.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of Home Builders (NAHB): RIBA's national parent affiliate. NAHB is the dominant U.S. trade association for residential construction, providing the same membership, advocacy, education, and designation infrastructure that RIBA delivers at a regional level. Direct comparison point for scale and program structure.
• American Institute of Architects (AIA) - Rhode Island: AIA represents architects, who are a defined member category within RIBA. The RI chapter is a partner-association peer serving overlapping constituents in the residential building value chain with a parallel advocacy, education, and networking model.

Others

• American Subcontractors Association (ASA): National trade association for construction subcontractors — a defined RIBA member segment. ASA is a thematic peer for advocacy and education programs aimed at subcontractor members, useful for benchmarking engagement models.
• Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Rhode Island: Adjacent trade association for commercial real estate professionals in Rhode Island. Not a direct competitor (commercial vs. residential focus) but a comparable association-format peer for governance, events, and member-service benchmarking.

Emerging players

• National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC): National association focused on women in the construction trades. NAWIC is an active partner with RIBA's PWB council (joint events, Women in Construction Week) and competes for mindshare among female construction professionals.
• National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI): National trade association specifically serving remodeling professionals — a meaningful sub-segment of RIBA's membership. NARI competes for remodeler mindshare and offers overlapping certifications, education, and local-chapter programs.

Direct peers

• Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Massachusetts (HBRAMA): The Massachusetts state-level HBA — the most direct geographic peer in a neighboring New England state, with comparable membership, education, advocacy, and home show offerings for residential construction professionals.
• Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) - Rhode Island Chapter: The principal competing trade association in Rhode Island for construction contractors, operating the Rhode Island Construction Training Academy (RICTA) and an apprenticeship program that directly overlaps with RIBA's. RIBA has a cooperative agreement with this peer rather than full product overlap.
• Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Connecticut (HBRA of CT): Connecticut's state HBA, also a NAHB affiliate serving the residential construction industry with similar membership, education, and advocacy programs. A direct comparable for benchmarking RIBA's programs and member economics.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rhode-island-builders-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rhode Island Builders Association, Inc.