The Deborah J. Norden Fund, a program of The Architectural League of New York, was established in 1995 in memory of architect and arts administrator Deborah Norden. The competition awards travel grants to students and recent graduates committed to the study of architecture, architectural history, and urban studies.
For thirty years, the Fund has supported a diverse and fascinating array of projects, from the social impact of new architecture and planning interventions in Medellín, Colombia, to the insertion of built form into fragile ecosystems in Australia, to the role of cultural institutions in rural development in Brazil. After three decades of supporting exceptional research, the 2025 cycle of the Norden Fund competition will be the final granting year of the program.
See the full list of past Norden Fund grantees.
In 2025, the Norden Fund will award a grant of up to $7,500 to one individual or team. Applicants must submit a proposal of up to three pages which succinctly describes the objectives of the grant request and how it will contribute to the applicant’s intellectual and creative development. In addition to the proposal, applicants should include the following elements in their submission:
- The total grant amount requested (up to $7,500)
- A projected schedule and budget for travel and other costs (one page maximum)
- A résumé (two pages maximum per applicant)
An addendum of no more than four pages may be submitted in order to include images, maps, or other supporting material.
Applicants must also supply two letters of recommendation from individuals who are knowledgeable about the applicant’s ability and project. Should you apply as a team, two recommendations per group is sufficient.
The application process is extremely competitive. The intention of the fund is to support genuinely independent projects that require travel. Grant funds cannot be used for tuition, and grants will not be awarded to support participation in an organized program, such as a university’s summer abroad program. While requests for support of dissertation research will be considered, they are not a priority of the Fund.
Preference will be given to strong proposals from applicants who have not had this sort of opportunity before, as well as students whose institutions do not provide extensive travel funding. Please note that applicants are not required to be enrolled in or have graduated from a professional architectural degree program, such as a BArch or MArch program. Instead, applicants should demonstrate a commitment to the study of the built environment.
Eligibility
The competition is open only to current full-time residents (who need not be citizens) of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
No current Architectural League board or staff members are eligible to participate in the competition. With the exception listed below, no employees of firms or immediate family (spouse/partner; children; siblings) of current board members, staff members, or jury members are eligible to participate in the competition. Individuals who work for the firms of League board members may enter the competition if they are submitting independent work carried out without connection to the firm. Past Deborah J. Norden Fund grantees are ineligible to apply.
Submission requirements
Applicants must submit their proposals, résumés, schedules, budgets, and optional addenda digitally as one letter-size PDF. Please do not include a cover page.The applicant’s name and project title must appear on the top of the first page of the PDF. The PDF file name should be formatted as “Primary Contact Last Name_Proposal.pdf”. The applicant should complete and upload their PDF proposal via Formstack; it must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, February 24, 2025. Faxed, mailed, and late applications will not be accepted.
The two letters of recommendation must be sent directly by the recommenders to The Architectural League, uploaded as a PDF using a separate Formstack form. Letters of recommendation must be received by Friday, March 7, 2025. Mailed copies of letters will not be accepted.
Awards will be announced in May 2025.