Missed our Q&A about this new program? Catch up with the recording!

Design a great way to introduce architecture students to the world of structural steel in the studio or out in the built environment--and we'll give you up to $110,000 over four consecutive years to make it happen.

Funded by AISC’s Education Foundation, the grant program will support architecture programs teaching students about structural steel building framework within a number of contexts that can include design studio, classroom courses, and school-wide events. The program will award a grant to one architecture program per year.

You can either enhance an existing program or develop something totally new. We can provide educational resources and industry connections, too.

Here's why: Many architecture students may not be familiar with structural steel's role in architecture and urbanism. They may not have spent a lot of time thinking about the long spans for functional flexibility, lower carbon emissions, resilience, and, of course, inspirational expression that steel offers.

So what are you waiting for? Applications are due January 12, 2026, and applicants will be notified of the results by March 6, 2026.

The Fine Print

Any U.S.- and university-based architecture program can apply. The proposal could include a study abroad program as long as the majority of activities take place in a campus based in the U.S. Interdisciplinary endeavors with engineering or construction management faculty and students are welcome, but the architecture program should be the lead, and the majority of students should be architecture majors from undergraduate or graduate programs.

The grant program is designed to adapt to what works best for each architecture school, with the focus on structural steel systems in buildings.

Each year, the school will receive an amount up to $40,000 (or $110,000 total over the four years of the grant) on a date determined by the school that aligns with the university’s schedule, policies, and overhead costs, which are a maximum of 10% of the grant.

Proposals may include new course development, such as a steel-framed buildings-focused design studio occurring each year with tours of construction sites, lectures on steel, and participation in the Steel Design Student Competition. Proposals could also spread throughout the curriculum and involve several faculty. For example, tours could be part of a classroom course on building systems. Lectures by steel experts can be part of a sustainability class. Studio participation in the steel design competition. Analysis and tours of steel projects in Paris could be part of a study abroad program.

Note that the criteria for evaluation include the number of students as well as the depth of that impact. Additionally, we ask that you select three from a list of required activities, found in the Program and Activity Schedule reference, to include in your steel activities.

This grant program is separate and different in nature from the AISC Design-Build Grant Program, although one applicant can apply for both programs at the same time. The applications should not be co-dependent; in other words, the implementation of one program should not be dependent on the receipt of the other grant.

Application Requirements

Please include all of the below items in one PDF (8 ½ x 11, portrait orientation) and email it to Jeanne Homer, AIA at [email protected].

Eligibility Verification
School and location(s) (100 words maximum)

Executive Summary
Describe the school’s interest in the grant, the program structure, and intent. How might this grant impact future education at your school? (500 words maximum)

Program and Activity Schedule
In table format or similar, list the activities and related information for each term or semester and year of the grant. We understand that schedules can change, but the proposal will be evaluated based on the overall value to students and AISC as well as thoughtful planning and logistics. Deliverables should align with the proposed schedule and activities.

Please refer to the activity examples, required activities, and examples of deliverables in this template under the Schedule tab. You are not required to use this template, but you should reference it for information you won’t find in this webpage.

Budget List and Payout Dates
In table format or similar, please detail budget items and brief descriptions if necessary, as well as the school’s desired payout dates. Please refer to examples of budget items in this template under the Budget tab. Again, the template is just a reference; its use is not required.

Note: AISC will allow a maximum of 10% for university overhead. AISC is a not-for-profit association that distributes many of its architectural education resources at no cost. The four-year total should be a maximum of $110,000.

Participating Faculty
List all participating faculty and identify a coordinator and back-up coordinator who will act as the point of contact and organizer of the deliverables. Include their titles, campus locations, and email addresses. Include a Curriculum Vitae for the pertinent faculty, including the coordinator and back-up coordinator, at the end of the proposal.

Letters of Support
Relevant partners, including the program’s school head, director, or chair, must communicate a commitment to the project; they need to confirm that the proposal would be implemented within the program’s curriculum if accepted.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria

• The potential for structural steel system learning
• Consideration of schedule and budgets; are the logistics reasonable within the given context and curriculum structure?
• The depth of value to architecture students and AISC
• The number of students impacted and the quality of impact
• The clarity of the proposal

Tips for Your Proposal

• Keep in mind that reviewers might not be architects; there will also be engineers and fabricators reviewing the information. Avoid architecture jargon. Be clear, organized, and direct.
• Focus on structural steel systems instruction and student activities.

Grant Schedule

Grant awards, payouts, activities, and deadlines are determined by each applicant and finalized in collaboration with AISC. These will vary depending on the activity and each school’s academic calendar, but the program should begin by the fall of the year of the award. The earliest possible payout will be May 1, 2026, and successive payouts will be sent upon receipt of the previous year’s annual report determined by the school’s outlined schedule.

AISC will review deliverables (determined by the school) in periodic meetings that can affect future payouts.

Annual Reports

A report is due once per year at a time determined by the school in collaboration with AISC (a minimum of two weeks prior to the next year’s payout date). Failure to complete and submit the report in a professional and timely fashion may affect future payouts.

A report should: 

• Update the initial proposal schedule with accurate student participation numbers.
• Provide brief course descriptions or program descriptions (lecture program, for example) related to the educational activities.
• Describe each activity, including a brief summary and description of any changes in future years. The organization of this information should be clear and linked to a deliverable.
• Include student work, submitted via a link to a shared folder with the files, clearly labeled to indicate which activity the deliverable is associated with. Images should be high-resolution if possible.
• Lay out a schedule for the next year’s activities. Identify any changes since the initial proposal schedule.

 Questions about the program? Please contact Jeanne Homer at [email protected].