by: AIA New York
AIA New York is excited to announce the launch of the 2030 Fund, which provides student loan debt relief and additional support for aspiring BIPOC architects. The 2030 Fund, a major initiative AIANY 2021 President Kenneth A. Lewis, AIA, was established in collaboration with the New York Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (nycoba|NOMA).
AIANY has created the 2030 Fund in recognition of the unique challenges faced by young BIPOC professionals pursuing licensure, a field with a serious diversity problem. According to NCARB by the Numbers 2021, people of color remain significantly underrepresented, with BIPOC only accounting for 16 percent of architects nationwide. While data on newly licensed architects and professionals pursuing licensure shows increases in racial and ethnic diversity, AIANY acknowledges that there is still a lot of work to be done to make the profession representative of the communities architects serve.
Mirroring the ambitions of NOMA’s 2030 Diversity Challenge, which calls for the doubling of licensed Black architects by the end of the decade, the 2030 Fund seeks to help diversify the profession through financial support of BIPOC architects in training. Successful awardees will receive a one-time payment of up to $2,500 towards student loans. Recipients will also receive free enrollment in the Chapter’s ARE Prep Courses and an opportunity to meet quarterly with an AIANY Mentor who will provide early career and licensure guidance.
In order to be considered, applicants should identify as BIPOC and must have completed a bachelor’s and/or graduate degree in any field, have an outstanding student loan balance, and be able to demonstrate a plan to pursue licensure as an architect. Applications are due April 1, 2022.