The Deborah J. Norden Fund

The Deborah J. Norden Fund awards up to $5,000 annually in travel grants to students and recent graduates in the fields of architecture, architectural history, and urban studies.

Background: Established in memory of architect and arts administrator Deborah Norden, the fund has been awarding grants since 1995. It has enabled over 25 independent research projects exploring diverse topics and locales worldwide.

Eligibility

• Applicants: Students and recent graduates (approximately up to 10 years out of last enrolled school, considered on case-by-case basis)
• Fields: Architecture, architectural history, and urban studies
• Residency: Applicants must reside in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico (residency requirement, not citizenship)
• Teams: Yes, teams can apply. Maximum grant amount remains $5,000 regardless of team size
• Team member restrictions: If one team member does not live in eligible countries, application must be from the person who does

Project Requirements

• Travel completion: Must be completed within one year of grant award (case-by-case basis possible)
• Location: Projects do not need to involve international travel; domestic travel is eligible
• Program participation: Grant funds cannot be used for tuition or to support participation in organized programs (e.g., summer abroad programs, graduate programs, short courses)
• Merit-based: Projects are weighed on merit and jury's judgment of whether applicant needs support

Deliverables

• Winners must submit a travel report describing what was accomplished and how the experience will influence future work
• Reports are reviewed, edited, and published on the League's website

Geographic Scope

• U.S., Canada, Mexico (residency requirement for applicants)
• Project travel can be domestic or international

Contact

• Phone: 212.753.1722 ext. 10
• Email: norden@archleague.org

Background Material

• Travel Reports from The Deborah J. Norden Fund publication documents the first ten years of grants (published January 2007)

Application Requirements

Submission Materials:

1. Project proposal (maximum 3 pages)
2. Grant amount requested (up to $5,000)
3. Résumé or biographical statement (maximum 2 pages)
4. Projected schedule and budget for travel and other costs
5. Addendum with images, maps, or supporting material (no more than 4 pages)
6. All materials submitted as one letter-size PDF document
7. Two letters of recommendation (sent directly by recommenders)

Letter of Recommendation Details:

• Only two letters required per submission
• For team submissions: each team member should be addressed in the letters (can be split between letters or addressed together)
• Letters are given significant weight in jury deliberations, particularly in the shortlist round
• Request letters from people who know you, your work, and/or proposed project well

Jury Evaluation:
The jury looks for proposals that:

• Clearly convey why the particular project is important to the proposer
• Demonstrate well-conceived projects able to be accomplished in proposed timeframe
• Clearly describe applicant's interest in subject matter
• Show how experience might affect future development

Special Considerations

• Dissertation support: Requests for dissertation research support will be considered but are not a priority
• Home country travel: Jury is generally wary of proposals involving travel to applicant's "home" country
• Multiple submissions: Individuals may submit only one proposal, either alone or as part of a team