2030 Fund

Successful awardees will receive a one-time payment of up to $2,500 towards student loans. The award also provides recipients with free enrollment in AIANY’s ARE prep courses and the opportunity to meet quarterly with an AIANY Board mentor, who will help recipients navigate the licensure process.

The 2030 Fund provides student loan debt relief and licensure support for aspiring BIPOC architects pursuing licensure. The fund was created by AIANY in recognition of the unique challenges faced by young BIPOC professionals in pursuing licensure. Mirroring the ambitions of NOMA’s 2030 Diversity Challenge, which calls for the doubling of licensed Black architects by 2030, the 2030 Fund seeks to help diversify the profession through financial support of BIPOC architects in training.

Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s and/or graduate degree in any field, have outstanding student loan balance, and be able to demonstrate a plan to pursue licensure as an architect.

Applicants should identify as BIPOC. Special consideration will be given to Black/African American, Indigenous, and Latinx applicants, who are underrepresented in the profession, though all BIPOC-identified people fulfilling all other criteria may apply. This is not a means-tested grant and applicants with any amount of debt obligation will be considered.

Funds awarded from the 2030 Fund are subject to state and federal income taxes. Applicants must be able to provide a current W-9.

A complete submission includes the application form with a statement of purpose and one professional reference, along with the specified supplemental materials. All aspects of the application must be submitted electronically.

• Online Application Form (View Here) Including:
  • Statement of Purpose (500 words max)
    • Statements should briefly inform the committee of the applicant’s plan for pursuing professional licensure and how this award will assist in these efforts.
  • Identification Statement (50 words max)
• Supplemental Materials
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Proof of outstanding student loan balance
    • Applicants must have current outstanding student loan balance. A document from your student loan service provider containing both the applicant’s name and the amount of outstanding student loan balance should be submitted as a PDF upload within the online form.
  • Proof of licensure plan
    • Applicants must upload a PDF a receipt confirming that they have paid for their NCARB record.
  •  Reference Form (Download PDF)
    • One professional reference with whom the applicant has worked must fill out the reference form. The applicant should upload the completed form as part of their online application. If necessary, the reference may email the completed form directly to scholarships@centerforarchitecture.org prior to the application’s deadline.

The application, including the application form and supplemental materials, must be submitted electronically via the online application form.

All uploaded PDF files should be saved in the following format: 2030 Fund_Applicant’s Last Name (e.g., 2030 Fund_Nguyen.pdf). When necessary, application materials may be submitted by email to scholarships@centerforarchitecture.org. In the subject line, please include both the grant’s title and the applicant’s last name (e.g., 2030 Fund Application – Nguyen).

Reference forms may be submitted as part of the application or, if necessary, separately by the recommender. If submitted separately, references should email the completed reference form as a PDF to scholarships@centerforarchitecture.org and indicate in the subject line the applicant being recommended.

Are late submissions accepted?
Without exception, all applications are due electronically by 5:00 pm EST on the due date.

Are hardcopies accepted?
We require all applications to be submitted via the online form.

Do references have to arrive by the deadline?
Yes, all references must adhere to application deadlines.

I am pursuing professional license but I do not have a degree in architecture. Am I still eligible for this award?
Yes, as long as you can demonstrate your licensure path and have student loans, you are eligible for an award from the 2030 Fund.

I am pursuing professional license but do not have student loan debt. Can I apply for an award from the 2030 Fund?
No, this award helps cover outstanding student loan debt. If you do not qualify for this particular award, we encourage you to apply for our other grants and awards.

I don’t live in New York State. Does this award apply to out-of-state applicants?
Yes, the 2030 Fund Award is open to aspiring architects across the United States; however, preference will be given to individuals from New York.

I can’t find proof of my student loan balance. Can I still apply?
Contact scholarships@centerforarchitecture.org for questions on how to verify your student loan balance.

The 2030 Fund was established by AIANY 2021 President Kenneth A. Lewis, AIA, in collaboration with the New York Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (nycoba|NOMA).

Funding has been provided by the 2021 President’s Circle:

Patrons

Sponsors
Ennead Architects LLP; Longman Lindsey; Perkins Eastman Architects DPC; Rafael Viñoly Architects P.C.; Sage and Coombe Architects; Workshop/APD

Supporters
Esteban & Company; AKF Group LLC; Architecture Research Office; Arup Consulting Engineers; Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners; Dattner Architects; Desai Chia Architecture PC; FXCollaborative; Gensler; Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Langan; Moed de Armas & Shannon Architects; Perkins and Will; Platt Byard Dovell White Architects; Robert A.M. Stern Architects; STUDIOS Architecture; Thornton Tomasetti; Zetlin & De Chiara, LLP.

Friends
Brandon Haw, AIA; Capalino + Company; Cooper Robertson & Partners; Eve B. Klein, Assoc. AIA; Henry Zachary; James Carpenter Design Associates Inc.; JFK&M Consulting Group; Michael E. Plottel, FAIA, LEED AP; Thomas R. Krizmanic, AIA; Tillotson Design