The ASID Foundation is working to build a stronger, highly-educated, and socially-conscious design community. The Foundation is dedicated to providing the resources and tools necessary to grow the interior design profession through scholarships, research, and education with the support and donations of members like you.
Research
Design Impacts Lives. The ASID Foundation supports innovative research and education that articulates knowledge and collective intelligences about how interior design impacts behavior. The Foundation actively provides funding to unique initiatives that contribute to its mission and supports the industry that is motived to build a better world for all.
Interested in partnering with ASID on a Research Opportunity, please contact us at foundation@asid.org.
Research Grant
The ASID Foundation (ASIDF) Research Grant Program seeks to support research projects that result in actionable design principles, guidelines, and/or tools that designers can apply in their design projects. This program is now closed.
Transform Grant
The ASID Foundation is pleased to support the Transform Grants which provide essential funding to address critical gaps in industry knowledge, advance design understanding, and transform the practice of interior design for improving the human experience. This grant is made possible by the generous support of the Donghia Foundation.
The ASID Foundation will be accepting proposals for the 2022 Transform Grant from July 7 to September 15.
We also want to recognize all of the Transform grant recipients and their work.
VIEW TRANSFORM GRANT RECIPIENTS
ASID Corporate Headquarters – A Living Laboratory
In May 2016, the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) moved into their new corporate headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C. The new 8,500 square foot ASID headquarters has many innovative features that will improve the health and wellness of the employees. To help build the future of workplaces, the Society’s office will operate as a living laboratory. Staff members will participate in a pre- and post-occupancy research study in partnership with Cornell University. This study has been supported by a grant from the ASID Foundation.
Published Research
Research helps designers learn more about people and their design-related experiences. However, the reach of research goes beyond design practitioners as it also impacts product manufacturers, design end-users, other researchers, educators, students, policy makers, and the general public – in other words, everybody. ASID is leading the design community in research of evidence-based design.
Scholarships and Grants
The ASID Foundation has a number of annual scholarships and grant opportunities available to expand research and knowledge around the impact of interior design on behavior, health, and well-being. For inquiries, please email foundation@asid.org
David Barrett Memorial Scholarship
Award: $12,000
The David Barrett Memorial Scholarship is given biennially to recognize the work of an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student that demonstrates a continuing interest and ability in utilizing classical designs and traditional materials, including furniture and fabrics.
ASID Foundation Legacy Scholarships
Sponsored by:
Dora Brahms Fund, Mabelle Wilhelmina Boldt Fund, Yale R. Burge Fund, Raymond Kennedy Fund, Ethel Siegelman Fund, Alan Lucas Fund
Legacy Scholarship for Undergraduates
Award: $4,000
The Legacy Scholarship is open to all students in their junior or senior year of undergraduate study enrolled in at least a three-year accredited program of interior design. The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic accomplishment, creative achievement, and personal statement. The jury will evaluate entries on academic record, presentation skills, design and planning competency, and conceptual creativity.
Legacy Scholarship for Graduate Students
Award: $4,000
The ASID Foundation Legacy Scholarship is open to students who are enrolled in or have been accepted for admission to a graduate-level interior design program at an accredited university. The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic accomplishment, creative achievement, and personal statement. Applicants must write an essay on the following subject:
The ASID Foundation believes that interior design positively transforms environments in ways that improve human outcomes. As an interior designer, how will you embrace and advance the professional trend to positively impact health and well-being in your anticipated area of design practice?
Irene Winifred Eno Grant
Award: $5,000
The Irene Winifred Eno Grant provides financial assistance to individuals or groups developing an educational program(s) or project that is dedicated to health, safety, and welfare. This grant will be evaluated on the strength of the project proposal, budget, promotion plan, and expected outcome.
The grant is open to students, educators, interior design practitioners, institutions, and an interior design related group.
Joel Polsky Prize
Award: $5,000
Given annually, the Joel Polsky Prize recognizes outstanding academic contributions to interior design through print or digital communication. This year the ASID Foundation is seeking submissions focusing on the impact of design on health and wellness. Submissions should address the needs of the public, designers, and students on topics such as, educational research, behavioral science, business practice, design process, theory, or other technical subjects. Types of entries can include, but are not limited to, books, whitepapers, blogs, and videos. Entries will be judged on innovation of subject matter, comprehensive and original coverage of topic, organization, graphic presentation, bibliography, and references.
Joel Polsky Academic Achievement Award
Award: $5,000
The Joel Polsky Academic Achievement Award recognizes an outstanding interior design research project or thesis project conducted by an undergraduate or graduate student. This project or thesis should be related to wellness and design. Research papers or theses should address such topics as educational research, behavioral science, business practice, design process, theory, or other technical subjects. Entries will be judged on quality of content, breadth of material, comprehensive coverage of topic, innovative subject matter, bibliography, and references.
Programs and Partnerships
Through 1+, the ASID Foundation salutes the Society’s members who help to contribute over $10 million in design services annually to vulnerable communities. The 1+ program connects designers interested in providing pro bono services with the organizations that need their skills the most.
We need to hear your stories, so please share with us how you’re helping to support the community by giving back. Please e-foundation@asid.org to share your story.
The ASID Foundation’s partnership with the National Building Museum brings cutting-edge educational programming and awareness of the interior design profession to the public. As part of the partnership with the NBM, the ASID Foundation will participate in developing three public programs, including a collaboration with the special exhibit House & Home, a collection of images, objects, models and films that tours visitors through an array of houses.
Thriving in Place
ASID Foundation is excited to be a sponsor of Thriving In Place: Designing Your Best Life, Now and Later. A video documentary, this ground-breaking program features Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt design winner Marianne Cusato as the host and guide, providing background and interviews along with simple “how-to” advice and excitement about the possibilities to stay active and healthy in your home for as long as possible.
Guests will include people like Duo Dickenson, the author of seven books including “Staying Put: Remodeling Your House to Get the Home You Want”; Laura Carstensen, the founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity and author of the book “A Long Bright Future;” Katy Fike, Founder of Aging 2.0; and, Ashton Applewhite, commentator and author of “This Chair Rocks.” With examples from Seattle to Savannah, the viewers go beyond ramps and grip bars and into the engaged, enjoyable, positive approach that ensures we enjoy all day, every day. Thriving in Place is about designing and living Your Best Life, Now and Later.
Expected video release date is scheduled for Summer 2017.
View the complete list of the ASID Foundation Partners and Programs.
Empower Design. Empower the Future. Be a part of the ASID Foundation.