Call for Submissions
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The AIA Upjohn Research Initiative supports applied research projects that enhance the value of design and professional practice knowledge.

This AIA program funds up to six research grants of $15,000–$30,000 annually for projects completed in a 6- to 18-month period. The funds must be fully matched with hard dollars, with a maximum of 10% of allocated for overhead. A maximum of 10% of the requested Upjohn grant funds may be allocated for overhead. Grant recipients’ research findings and outcomes are published online by AIA.

You will be using this site to upload your grant proposal and your contact information.

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2024 Grants

Research should be relevant and applicable to practicing architects. Research should be relevant and applicable to practicing architects. Upjohn Research grant funding will be allocated to projects related to the priorities outlined in AIA’s Strategic Plan and the Framework for Design Excellence. Research projects must address one or more of these areas:

• zero-carbon (e.g., zero-energy and zero-carbon buildings and projects; reuse of existing buildings and salvaged materials; embodied carbon; low carbon or carbon sequestering materials; circular building economy)
• resilient design (e.g., disaster preparedness; risk and vulnerability assessment; managed retreat; passive survivability and livability; flexibility and adaptability; community resiliency; ecosystem health)
• equitable communities (e.g., environmental justice; community-scale issues beyond projects; community engagement and empowerment; social justice; social health; equity, diversity, and inclusion; mobility and access; temporary and transitional housing models)
• health (e.g., healthy and sustainable materials; regenerative materials; human impact of material and design decisions; neuroscience)
• practice innovation (e.g., evidence-based design methodologies; technology in practice/in design; AI; project delivery; automated processes)

Submission Details

• project title
• abstract (250 word max; include project concept and brief description of methodology)
• budget
• summary of projected outcomes (300 word max; include brief description of how the project aligns with this year's theme)
• clients and knowledge communities served (250 word max)
• approach to collaboration/partnership (250 word max)
• images (optional)
• principal investigator(s) with institutional affiliation(s) and contact information
• contact information for three references

Omit any identifying information from the title, descriptive text, budget, and the optional images (including file properties in optional images) before submitting for the blind review process.

Criteria & Selection

Given their role in helping establish the program, the jury panel is comprised of seven professionals from the AIA Board Knowledge Committee and the AIA College of Fellows.

The jury evaluates submissions and selects the grant awardees based on the following criteria and weighting. Please consider these when preparing your application.

• demonstration that the research enhances the value of design and/or professional practice knowledge (30%)
• innovation (30%)
• evidence of collaboration/partnership (20%)
• validity of research method (10%)
• strength of projected outcomes related to alignment with theme (10%)

Dates

Submission deadline: August 28, 2024 by 5pm PT
Notifications to applicants: by November 8, 2024
Verification of matching funds and agreement: by November 26, 2024

Submission fee: None

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are applicants from outside the United States eligible to apply and receive funding?
A: International applications are eligible to submit; funds for grant recipients will be dispersed in U.S. dollars. Submissions are reviewed in English.

Q: May an applicant submit more than one proposal?
A: Yes.

Q: May an applicant be involved in more than one submission?
A: Yes.

Q: May an applicant have received funding from the Upjohn grants in previous cycles?
A: Yes. The following are encouraged: New projects, related but distinct previously funded projects, and unfunded projects from prior Upjohn grant applications. The AIA will determine whether a project previously funded through the Upjohn program is eligible.

Q: What are the matching funds requirements?
A: When grant recipients are selected, recipients are required to submit verification/documentation of matching hard-dollar funds as part of the agreement process prior to disbursement of funds. The grant agreement (to be signed by the grant recipient) will have space for noting the dollar amount of matching funds and the source(s). The Match Funds Amount cannot include waiving of/or paying of overhead, cost recovery, department administrative support or any other accounting term/principle that implies other than a direct outlay of funds paid to the Grant Recipient. In-kind contributions (e.g., instrumentation, materials) may be included in the budget description – these, however, do not count toward the total hard-dollars matching funds amount.

Q: Would in-kind instrumentation be considered a source of matching funds?
A: No.

Q: Will I need to enter into an agreement to receive the funds?
A: Yes, each recipient is required sign an agreement with AIA to receive the funds. The agreement sets forth, among other things, the project’s timeline and deliverables.

Q: Who owns the intellectual property rights to the project?
A: Each recipient retains all intellectual property rights, but AIA will receive a license to use and publish the project and project materials for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes.

Q: Is there any further guidance on submittals?
These are general feedback points from previous jury cycles. These may or may not apply to your submission.

• Be specific with detail about the project in order to add credibility to the proposal. Detailed project methodologies, metrics, outcomes, and processes will help the project be viewed as well prepared and credible.
• Be clear and substantive about the collaborative aspects of the project. Do not state partners, but on how you would work together and the kind of stakeholders involved/benefiting.
• Be mindful and intentional about how the outcomes relate to the theme, versus modifying the description to fit the theme.
• Be mindful of how the research connects to the Framework for Design Excellence and ensures a prosperous profession.
• Avoid unnecessary jargon and acronyms. They can distract from conveying the importance of the work. If acronyms are essential, spell them out in their first occurrence.
• Communicate within the budget section how the how the grant funds would be used to accomplish the intended objectives. Juries are sensitive to budget lines that seem to include overhead.
• Consider and articulate both the immediacy and the longevity of the impact of the work.
• Demonstrate the universality of your proposal.
  • If taking place in/on a specific geographical area, be specific as to how it will be applicable to other locations in the U.S. and/or around the world.
  • If specific to one building type or sector, note how the project may be applicable to other building types or sectors.