How Your Chapter Can Prepare for Grassroots 2023

To register to attend Grassroots, log into your AIAS member account to see member pricing. Early bird registration is $190 per attendee and it will end on May 15 for members, before increasing to $240, and officially closing on July 1.

For non-members, early bird registration will be $240 through May 15 and then increase to $290 after that date. Registering early ensures you get the best deal and helps the national office prepare for the conference. 

If you would like to book hotel rooms alongside other AIAS members, we do have rooms reserved at Embassy Suites-Washington DC Convention Center that you can book here. Be sure to book by Monday, June 26 at the very latest, but the earlier the better! The AIAS works closely with the hotel to ensure a certain number of rooms are booked to keep the block reservation open.

Also, If you would like to book hotel rooms alongside other AIAS members, we do have rooms reserved at Embassy Suites-Washington DC Convention Center that you can book here. Be sure to book by Monday, June 26at the very latest, but the earlier the better! The AIAS works closely with the hotel to ensure a certain number of rooms are booked to keep the block reservation open.

As part of the NCARB partnership supporting Freedom By Design (FBD), grant funding is once again available to assist with FBD Director attendance at Grassroots 2023. Grant recipients will receive free registration; the regular registration fee is $240.

AIAS chapters with FBD projects of all sizes and scopes are encouraged to apply, including chapters who are initiating FBD projects for the first time in 2023-2024. The grant covers conference registration fees only, and only one person per chapter may apply. (Please note: you must be a current member of AIAS to qualify for the grant. AIAS Chapter Presidents are not eligible for this funding; this is only dedicated for FBD chapter leadership.)

The application form can be found here. The application deadline is Friday, June 16 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

An in-person conference is more expensive than a virtual one, with event expenses paid by registration, travel, and lodging. Here are four categories of different tips and tricks to successfully fundraise for AIAS National Conferences: general tips and tricks, sponsorship and donations, fundraising ideas from chapters, and Ask the Finance Committee

General Fundraising Tips and Strategies

In this section, we’ll list out some successful strategies and insightful articles that are timeless to good fundraising best practices. 

• Strategy 1: Check out this article Working at Scale that goes into different levels
• Strategy 2: Grassroots method (no pun intended)
• Strategy 3: Teamwork makes the dream work
• Strategy 4: Working Backwards

Read HERE for more details on each strategy.

Sponsorship/Donations

In this section, we’ll briefly go over the three main parts of getting sponsorship: Where to Build A Network, Whom to Ask, and Ways to Ask.

Where to start building connections to then ask

Pro Tip: Start attending events and programming throughout the year to maximize your network

Who to ask 

Pro Tip: Create and maintain a donor database of alumni, sponsors, and board members that brought them in to track throughout the years who to ask

Ways to ask 

Pro Tip:  Check out the AIAS Chapter Starter Pack : AIAS Chapter Request & Proposal Templates, which has examples of how other chapters have requested funding, sponsorship, time off, etc. 

Read HERE for more details and steps on sponsorship.

Fundraiser Ideas From Other Chapters

In this section, you’ll find a list of successful fundraising events chapters have hosted over the years. This range is from direct fundraising events to fun activities that raised a good amount of funds. The top three categories and some highlights:

• Competitions
  • Napkin Sketch
  • Scavenger Hunt
  • Design competitions for merchandise and then sell merchandise
• Community-based
  • Cookout/Potluck/Cooking Competition
  • Beaux Arts Ball with invitations to professionals, faculty, and students
  • Materials Drive to sell off unused tools and materials (especially from students who are graduating)
• Educational
  • Sponsored Lecture Series
  • Local Architecture Tours
  • Visiting local AIA components to show interest in return for sponsorship

For more details on each category, look HERE. 

Ask the Finance Committee!

Over the years the AIAS Finance Committee has put together Council of Treasurers events that go over fundraising, sponsorship, and donation strategies. Check out these recap posts for more details and hear directly from the Committee:

• 2022 Leadership Day: Relearning Finance Recording & Relearning Finance Presentation 
• November Recap: https://www.aias.org/aias-november-council-of-treasurers-kickoff-recap/ 
• April Recap: https://www.aias.org/aias-april-council-of-treasurers-recap/ 

The Committee would love to hear from you and provide support! Reach out for more information or discuss any ideas with our Finance Committee at finance@aias.org!

Every year around the time of Grassroots, our Council of Presidents (CoP) convenes to conduct the business of the AIAS. The CoP is chaired by National President Cooper Moore and is made up of all of our Chapter Presidents. This group meets twice a year and has the power to propose changes to the organization, approve initiatives set forward by the Board of Directors, discuss the state of architectural education, and much, much more. At a CoP Meeting, each Chapter in good standing is represented by a single Delegate (typically the Chapter President, although exceptions can be made) who votes on behalf of the Chapter. Vice President Nicole Bass will be in touch to confirm your delegate for the Summer CoP Meeting.

Chapters, Committees, and individual members are encouraged to submit resolution proposals to be discussed and voted upon at CoP Meetings. If you have an idea on how to improve the organization, you should keep an eye out for the official Call For Resolutions and contact President Moore at president@aias.org for more information. The Call For Resolutions will go out roughly five or weeks before the CoP Meeting. At that time, you are welcome to formally submit any resolutions to President Moore. Following the initial call, the resolutions will be published on the AIAS website, and there will be a period of two or three weeks to propose any amendments to the submitted resolutions, meaning if you think a resolution can be improved before we get to the CoP meeting, you can suggest amendments within that window. A motion can also be made in the CoP meeting to amend a resolution, but the more we can solve before the meeting, the more effectively we can use the time we have together at the meeting. Any amended resolutions will be republished on the website and you will have several weeks to see and discuss the resolutions before the meeting. Keep in mind that once the CoP has passed a resolution, it goes into effect! You have a tremendous opportunity to make a difference at a CoP meeting, so be sure to thoroughly discuss the resolutions as a Chapter and let your Delegate know how to vote on each one.