dossier ↑ parent activity group ·

research dossier

THE NEW YORK CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 131505524 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · aiany.org

revenue

$3.4M

expenses

$3.8M

net assets

$8.6M

employees

volunteers

282

mission · from form 990

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES TO THOSE IN THE ARCHITECTURAL PROFESSION WITH THREE GOALS, DESIGN EXCELLENCE, PUBLIC OUTREACH, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. THE CHAPTER ALSO AWARDS SCHOLARSHIPS ANNUALLY.

profile · synthesized from sources

The New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA New York) provides membership services to architects and design professionals, focusing on design excellence, public outreach, and professional development. The organization advocates for policy reform in areas such as housing, climate resilience, and equitable design, while offering programs including awards, grants, and public forums. It operates primarily in New York City and State, representing over 5,000 members.

named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

2030 Fund

Provides student loan forgiveness, ARE prep course access, and mentorship to BIPOC architecture professionals to support licensure and career advancement

AIANY Community-Centered Design Grant

Offers financial support for community-focused design projects that address public needs in underserved areas

Arnold W. Brunner Grant

Supports mid-career architects conducting advanced research in architecture

Art by Architects

Annual exhibition showcasing artistic works created by architects outside their professional practice

Civic Leadership Program

Public forum series exploring the role of architecture in social justice, equity, and urban policy

Honors and Awards Luncheon

Annual event recognizing design excellence among architects and firms in New York

Stewardson Keefe LeBrun Travel Grant

Funds international travel for architects to study design practices abroad

activities · 11 groups

What they do

Industry-Specific Student Scholarships and Competitions 2 activities
- Award scholarships to individuals in the architectural profession
  
  Awards annual scholarships to support individuals pursuing careers in architecture. This includes financial assistance and recognition within the profession.
- Fund student loan forgiveness and professional development for BIPOC architects through the 2030 Fund
  
  Provides $14,000 grants for student loan forgiveness to BIPOC architectural professionals and supports their licensure through free access to ARE prep courses and quarterly mentorship with licensed architects. The 2030 Fund is a grant program established in collaboration with nycoba|NOMA to address diversity gaps in architecture.
Professional Excellence Awards Programs 2 activities
- Host annual events to recognize excellence in architecture
  
  Organizes the annual Honors and Awards Luncheon and AIANY Design Awards program to celebrate architects and firms for design excellence, recognizing up to 24 winning projects each year. Includes hosting public exhibitions of winning work at the Center for Architecture.
- Renaming awards to honor contributions in architecture
  
  Rename key honors such as the League Prize to the Anne Rieselbach Architectural League Prize for Young Architects + Designers to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the field.
Climate Change Public Awareness & Advocacy 1 activity
- Advance awareness of low-carbon construction practices
  
  Co-organizes events during Climate Week NYC to promote innovations in embodied carbon reduction, in partnership with NRDC, CLF, and UN High-Level Climate Action Champions. Conducts advocacy visits with New York State legislators to support policies incentivizing low-carbon construction.
Environmental Policy Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Advocate for building policy reform and sustainable construction
  
  Develops and promotes policy frameworks to reduce embodied carbon in construction, including the New York Embodied Carbon Action Plan and participation in the Near-Term Recommendations report. Published a 2026 Policy Platform outlining priorities for building policy reform in New York State and City.
Housing Policy Advocacy & Tenant Organizing 1 activity
- Advocate for inclusive and equitable building codes
  
  Engages in legislative advocacy to update plumbing codes to support all-gender bathrooms and testifies at state budget hearings in support of affordable housing policies, promoting equity and inclusion in the built environment.
Internal Organizational Elections 1 activity
- Conduct organizational governance through annual meetings
  
  Hosts the Annual Meeting each year to elect leadership, confirm the upcoming Board of Directors and Elective Committee slate, and recognize achievements within the chapter. The 159th Annual Meeting was held on June 17, 2026.
Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Fund community-centered design projects in underserved neighborhoods
  
  Supports public space development by awarding grants for community-centered design initiatives in underserved areas of New York City.
Design and Architecture Education Support 1 activity
- Fund international travel for architectural study and research
  
  Provides funding for mid-career and emerging architects to pursue international travel opportunities for advanced architectural research and professional development.
Professional Conference & Symposium Organization 1 activity
- Host and shape content for industry convenings
  
  Serves as a Founding Strategic Partner for Design at Work New York, shaping its content program by convening leading voices in architecture and workplace design. Hosted at the Javits Center, this event brings together professionals to explore innovation in design practice.
Organizational Newsletter Production and Distribution 1 activity
- Operate communications platforms for architecture professionals
  
  Distributes a bi-weekly newsletter featuring events, lectures, exhibitions, and news about NYC architecture to approximately 36,000 subscribers. Offers advertising across three websites with over 50,000 monthly page views and through sponsored eblasts managed via a third-party provider.
Uncategorized 2 activities
- Design pro bono public and cultural facilities
  
  Leads the design of energy-efficient, socially significant buildings on a pro bono basis, including an 8,500-square-foot youth center using timber framing and straw-bale construction, a mass timber pavilion and horticultural complex at the Bartlett Arboretum, adaptive reuse of historic officer housing on Governors Island into year-round cultural venues with ADA accessibility, and a memorial space in Inwood honoring enslaved peoples and the Lenape Nation.
- Select chapter delegates for national representation
  
  Issues calls for letters of interest to select two delegates to represent AIA New York at the AIA National Annual Meeting, supporting member engagement and leadership development.

financials · form 990 · fy2024

revenue

Total revenue$3.41M

Contributions & grants$4790%

Program service revenue$2.91M85%

Investment income$365K11%

Other revenue$132K

expenses

Total expenses$3.82M

Program expenses—

Admin / overhead—

Fundraising—

Salaries & benefits$1.35M

Grants paid out$322K

Largest expense lineCompensation

balance sheet

Total assets$9.60M

Cash$324K

Investments$6.25M

Liabilities$953K

Net assets$8.65M

Liquid reserves20.7 mo

2 years on record · 2023–2024 · YoY revenue +21.8%

leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 5

Name	Title	Hours/wk	Compensation
JESSE LAZAR	EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR	26	$248K
SUZANNE MECS	MANAGING DIR., AIA NEW YOR	26	$155K
MARY DE ROSA	DIR. OF FINANCE AND OPERAT	20	$130K
LISA MAZZOLA	DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION	20	$126K
MEGHAN EDWARDS	DIR. OF DIGITAL CONTENT &	20	$122K

board members · 20

AJ PIRES — TRUSTEE
ALEXANDER LAMIS — TREASURER
AMANDA RAMOS — TRUSTEE
BENJAMIN GILMARTIN — PRESIDENT-ELECT
BRUCE EISENBERG — TRUSTEE
GREGORY SWITZER — PRESIDENT
GUSTAVO RODRIGUEZ — TRUSTEE
HANA KASSEM — VICE PRESIDENT FOR DESIGN
ILANA JUDAH — TRUSTEE
JENNIFER GRAHAM — TRUSTEE
JHA AMAZI — TRUSTEE
MARIA PERBELLINI — TRUSTEE
MARK GARDNER — SECRETARY
MARTINA DUQUE GONZALEZ — STUDENT DIRECTOR
MATTHEW BREMER — IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
MICHAEL CATON — TRUSTEE
MICHAEL ZETLIN — LEGAL COUNSEL
MICHAELA METCALFE — TRUSTEE
PETER MILLER — VICE PRESIDENT FOR PROFESSIONAL
ROCCO GIANNETTI — VICE PRESIDENT FOR PUBLIC

relationships · 37

Who they work with

AIA National Network — State chapter within the national American Institute of Architects network.
Alloy Partner — Honored with the Medal of Honor for contributions to architecture and urban development.
Alloy Development Partner — Awarded the Medal of Honor for its distinguished body of work integrating architecture and real estate development to positively impact the built environment.
BRC Partner — Collaborating organization on the design of a memorial space for an African Burial Ground in Inwood.
Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens Partner — Collaborated with Schiller Projects on the design of a mass timber pavilion and horticultural complex
BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Partner — Awarded the New Perspectives Award for its work bridging people, place, and power to advance racial justice in Black communities through design and community engagement.
BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Partner — Recipient of the New Perspectives Award for advancing racial justice in urbanism through community-centered design initiatives.
Boston Society for Architecture Partner — Collaborating with AIA New York on financing solutions for affordable and climate-forward housing.
Carbon Leadership Forum Partner — Jointly advocated for low-carbon construction policies and co-hosted events on embodied carbon reduction.
Center for Architecture Partner — Co-hosts exhibitions, awards programs, and research grant initiatives with AIA New York.
Design at Work New York Partner — Founding Strategic Partner in the development and programming of a workplace design exhibition and conference.
Design at Work New York Partner — Strategic partner in an exhibition and conference dedicated to workplace design and commercial interiors.
Dirtworks Partner — Collaborates with AIA New York and the Public Housing Community Fund on the Morrisania Air Rights Sensory Playground Site.
Dyckman House Partner — Collaborating organization on the design of a memorial space for an African Burial Ground in Inwood.
Grace Farms Partner — Honored Sharon Prince, CEO and Founder of Grace Farms, with the Champion of Architecture Award for her leadership in ethical building practices through the Design for Freedom movement.
Head Hi Partner — Recipient of the Architecture in Media Award for bridging art, architecture, design, and sound through public programming.
Head Hi Partner — Recognized with the Architecture in Media Award for its work connecting art, architecture, design, and sound through public programming and publications.
Historic District Council Partner — Recognizes individuals affiliated with AIA New York through honors such as the Landmarks Lion Award.
Media 10 Partner — Collaborates with AIA New York through its initiative Design at Work New York on workplace design programming.
Media 10 Partner — Partner organization through its Design Division, which produces Design at Work New York.
NYC Department of Design and Construction Partner — Partnered on site tours and design excellence programs, including the Brooklyn Borough-Based Jail project.
Natural Resources Defense Council Partner — Collaborated with AIA New York during Climate Week NYC to advance embodied carbon innovation.
Naylor Association Solutions Partner — Third-party provider handling advertising sales for AIA New York.
New York Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects Partner — Collaborated with AIANY to create the 2030 Fund to support BIPOC architects.
New York Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects (nycoba | NOMA) Network — Mark Gardner is a Past President and Advocacy Chair, indicating active organizational affiliation and leadership.
New York Embodied Carbon Working Group Coalition — Consortium of over 35 experts from architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, government, and academia that co-developed the New York Embodied Carbon Action Plan.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Partner — Collaborating on initiatives to reduce embodied carbon, including the Lincoln Tunnel deconstruction pilot.
Public Housing Community Fund Partner — Receives grant funding from AIA New York for a community-centered design project in the Bronx.
Riders Alliance Partner — Awarded the Service to the City award for contributions to urban life and public infrastructure advocacy.
SCAPE Partner — Collaborates with AIA New York and the Public Housing Community Fund on the Morrisania Air Rights Sensory Playground Site.

+ 7 more

strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

Design Excellence as a Driver of Positive Change

methodology: design-excellence_and_critical-practice
By promoting rigorous analysis and high-quality design that challenges conventional practices, the organization generates lasting value and transforms the built environment because excellence in design inherently produces better functional, aesthetic, and social outcomes.
Early Design Intervention for Embodied Carbon Reduction

methodology: early_design_intervention
By focusing on early-stage design decisions such as building reuse and material selection, the organization reduces embodied carbon in construction because these choices have outsized, long-term environmental impacts that are difficult to alter later in the development process.
Integrated Sustainability through Ecological and Social Equity

methodology: integrated-sustainability
By integrating ecological sustainability with social equity in architectural practice, the organization creates high-performance buildings that address both environmental and social challenges because sustainable design must be socially just to be effective and enduring.
Racial Justice–Centered Urbanism

methodology: racial-justice-centered_urbanism
By reimagining urban planning through the integration of people, place, and power centered on racial justice and community joy, the organization drives equitable change in Black communities because spatial design rooted in justice disrupts historical patterns of exclusion and harm.