AIA-GA CARETAKER STIPEND
Equity in Architecture was recently awarded a 2023 AIA-Georgia Innovation Grant to fund our proposed "Caretaker Stipend" Pilot Program! This program aims to support architects or emerging design professionals who identify as family caregivers with financial assistance to attend professional events by the AIA or similar professional organizations that will enable them to better network, foster professional growth, and advance their careers.
How the Program Works
The Caretaker Stipend program will provide reimbursement funds (up to $50 per stipend) on a rolling basis to architects or emerging design professionals who identify as a family caregiver for the cost of hiring alternate caregivers while they attend an upcoming professional event organized by the AIA or other similar organizations related to the profession (ex: NOMA, USGBC, ULI).
This program aims to reduce the financial barriers faced by architects or emerging design professionals who are family caregivers and to encourage more equitable access to professional development opportunities put forth by the AIA and other similar organizations.
Who Qualifies
Any architect or emerging design professional who resides in Georgia that identifies as a family caregiver. AIA membership is preferred but not required. Caretakers can only receive one stipend per event but can apply for stipends to attend more than one event (no limit). Stipends will be awarded on a rolling basis. Stipends are intended to reimburse family caregivers with the cost of hiring an alternative caregiver while they attend an upcoming professional event. Alternative caregivers can be professional caregivers, babysitters but can also include family members or friends (so yes, you absolutely can incentivize grandma to watch the kids while you attend that AEC networking mixer).
How Do I Apply
If you would like to participate, please complete the Caretaker Stipend Request Form below:
Once we have received your request, we will notify you via email (usually within 48 hours) whether you have been awarded a stipend. Please note that stipends are distributed on a rolling basis, so we will provide them for as long as we have funds available. If you can no longer attend the event, please notify us at equityinarchitecture@gmail.com so that we can release your stipend amount.
How Do I Get My Stipend
If you have been approved for a stipend, please submit the following documentation to equityinarchitecture@gmail.com (Subject: “Caretaker Stipend - Documentation”) to complete the reimbursement process:
Proof of Attendance - please submit a copy of your event registration or, if not applicable, provide 2-3 sentences on how you benefitted from attending the professional event.
Proof of Payment - this can be a formal invoice or even just a screenshot of your Venmo payment but must include your name, the name of the alternative caretaker, and the date of service (matching the event date). If the amount paid is more than $50, we will only reimburse up to $50.
Once we have received your documentation, EQiA will submit a reimbursement form on your behalf to AIA-Georgia which will then issue your stipend / reimbursement check to the mailing address provided in your Caretaker Stipend Request Form.
Additional Questions
Should you have any additional questions about the program or process, please email us at equityinarchitecture@gmail.com. Additionally, since this is our first year implementing the program, if you have any feedback about how the program is doing or could be improved, please do not hesitate to send us your feedback either! Thank you!