Creatively Connecting
People and Architecture:
Apply for a MAF
Architecture Awareness Grant

08/26/2021

Are you planning an architecture-related film, lecture, exhibit, event, or book?  Do you have an educational, after-school, arts, or community-focused program with an architectural component? Have you always wanted to do something that brought people and architecture together in a creative way?

Did you know that you can apply for a MAF Architecture Awareness Grant to help fund your efforts? The grants provide financial assistance to organizations and individuals that organize, sponsor and promote events, lectures, design competitions, publications, children’s programs, educational initiatives, and experiences that connect people with architecture, and/or increase awareness and appreciation of architecture.

Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis and awarded throughout the year. Applications are judged by MAF’s Architecture Awareness Committee and approved by the MAF Board of Trustees.

Criteria applicants and their programs must meet to qualify for an MAF Architecture Awareness Grant include: demonstrating how it promotes an understanding of how architecture enriches lives; how it will engage audiences; how it will be leveraged with other resources to support their programming; and financial need. Applicants also must be able to articulate the program’s likely outcome or results when complete.

Past projects receiving MAF’s Architecture Awareness Grants include the award-winning documentary on Charlevoix’s unique Mushroom Houses, and the film ‘Eero Saarinen: The Architect Who Saw the Future’: NOMA Detroit’s Project Pipeline Architecture Camps for minority and under-represented students, and Camp La Casa, a free camp program for children in Southwest Detroit (the camp incorporates MAF’s ‘Architecture: it’s Elementary!’ into its program); free architecture tour maps of Michigan communities including Flint, Ann Arbor, and Grand Rapids; the soon-to-be-published book, Guardians of Michigan, featuring architectural sculptures from buildings throughout the state; Flint’s Flat Lot Design Competition, Washtenaw County’s Community Action Network (CAN) Art & Design program, and countless others.

Have an idea for a program that might qualify, or already have a project in the works that could benefit from additional financial support? Review the MAF Architecture Awareness Grant application criteria here.