Eligibility & Information

2020 Q/A (updated 10 Feb 2020)

Question 1: Must an applicant have the full 12 months of residency in Utah to qualify? Or is eight months close enough?

Answer 1:  The essence of the requirement is that an applicant intends to stay and participate professionally in Utah. We can round up (to the full year) if an applicant demonstrates that he/she intends to stay in Utah by submitting a copy of your current Utah driver’s license (to be confirmed by the winning applicant).

Question 2: Must the 12 months of professional employment in Utah be consecutive, or can it have gaps?

Answer 2: Your employment in Utah can have gaps. However the 12 months of employment in Utah must have occured within a 24 month window.

Question 3: Where can I go?

Answer 3: You can go anywhere. Applicants will be judged on the rigor of study in a particular location, not the profile of the place.

Question 4: What does permanent resident mean?

Answer 4: Lawful permanent residents (LPRs), also known as “green card” holders, are non-citizens who are lawfully authorized to live permanently within the United States. For more, see the department of homeland security website

Question 5: What does M.Arch or equivalent education mean?

Answer 5: The Utah Department of Commerce, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) defines equivalent education as followed: “have graduated and received an earned bachelors or masters degree from an architecture program meeting criteria established by rule by the division in collaboration with the board.” For expanded criteria see the DOPL education criteria

Amount Awarded

Single award up to $2,000. Funding will not be provided for academic classes or conference attendance.

Timeline

January 1 – February 15, 2020        Proposals submitted (11:59pm)

March 1 – March 31, 2020               Evaluation period

April 2020                                         Winner announced during Architecture Week

Study must be completed by February 15, 2021.

Presentation of study and results will occur during Architecture Week of 2021. UCFA will secure a venue and market the presentation.

Eligibility

Applicant must be:

• • A United States citizen or a permanent resident, and a resident of Utah for at least one year.
• • An architectural intern or architect licensed by the State of Utah as long as he or she applies for this travel grant within eight years of graduating with an M.Arch or equivalent education approved by Utah for licensure.
• • Employed full or part-time within the Utah architectural community for at least one year.
• • If an academic, must meet above criteria and be engaged in practice.

 Application Requirements

• • Statement of Purpose: describe in approximately 1000 words the background information pertinent to the project, the objective of study and methodology, as well as your presentation concept. In essence, what you are looking to study, and how you will approach it? Define the scale of your concept. How does your study impact the public and increase awareness and excitement about the built environment?
• • Basic Itinerary: include a detailed schedule of proposed travel plans, mode of transportation and room and board.
• • Detailed Budget: list all estimated expenses associated with the project.
• • Resume/CV for Applicant: include academic background, degree in architecture and date, and a brief outline of professional experience with roles in projects and/or firms.
• • Letters of Recommendation: provide one from current employer indicating support for this opportunity; and a second from another individual. At least one of the letters must be from an architect member of AIA Utah. Each letter should attest to the applicant’s capability and professional promise.
• • Supporting Materials (optional): applicants may include additional supporting graphics and/or text to further illuminate the character and importance of the study.

Application Cost

$25 to be submitted with application. Pay online or by check to the Utah Center For Architecture. Non-refundable.

Selection Criteria

The jury will base its decision on a number of factors including clarity of purpose, engagement with contemporary architectural issues—particularly those in Utah, innovative ideas, and convincing strategy to achieve the goals.

Mentor

To help ensure a successful outcome of the study, UCFA will collaborate with the awardee to identify a mentor. The mentor should be a local practitioner or academic who can help the awardee identify contacts with professionals or institutions in the study area, provide feedback on the study, and act as a knowledge resource.

Public Presentation

The Utah Center for Architecture is dedicated to connecting the public with the value of design. In keeping with our mission, UCFA requires recipients to make a public presentation about their findings and insights to which fellow professionals, students and the broader community will be invited. This travel grant is an opportunity to sharpen one’s leadership, creativity, and presentation skills.

UCFA will work with recipients to share their study results through our website and other means.

Recipients are required to provide a visual presentation as a part of the travel results and public presentation. Recipients may use any media to present their results as long as this documentation is accompanied by a written description of findings and their value.

Jury

The jury for the selection process will be chaired by Robert Herman, FAIA.