The 2020 Deborah J. Norden Fund

The Deborah J. Norden Fund, a program of The Architectural League of New York, was established in 1995 in memory of architect and arts administrator Deborah Norden. The competition awards up to $5,000 annually in travel grants to students and recent graduates in the fields of architecture, architectural history, and urban studies.

2020 applicants must submit a maximum three-page proposal, which succinctly describes the objectives of the grant request and how it will contribute to the applicant’s intellectual and creative development. The grant amount requested (up to $5,000), a maximum two-page résumé, and a projected schedule and budget for travel and other costs must also be included. An addendum of no more than four pages may be submitted in order to include images, maps, or other supporting material. Applicants must request two letters of recommendation from individuals who are knowledgeable about the applicant’s ability and project. Should you apply as a team, two recommendations per group is sufficient.

The application process is extremely competitive. The intention of the fund is to support genuinely independent projects that require travel. Grant funds cannot be used for tuition, and grants will not be awarded to support participation in an organized program, such as a university’s summer abroad program. While requests for support of dissertation research will be considered, they are not a priority of the fund. Preference will be given to strong proposals from applicants who have not had this sort of opportunity before.

The competition is open only to current full-time residents (who need not be citizens) of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. 

For complete submission guidelines visit https://archleague.org/competition/norden20/