Sho-Ping Chin Women's Leadership Summit Grant

Sho-Ping Chin Women’s Leadership Summit Grant

Registration fees + up to $700 in travel expenses | Accepting applications: June 8, 2026 to July 13, 2026

In honor of Sho-Ping Chin, FAIA, we are thrilled to offer a grant opportunity for recipients to attend the AIA Women’s Leadership Summit. Sho-Ping was a principal at Payette and in 2009 became the founding leader of the inaugural AIA Women’s Leadership Summit. Tragically Sho-Ping succumbed to cancer in 2015, but her legacy of women’s leadership continues. The memorial fund established in her name is focused on funding the development of future women leaders in architecture

Recipients of the grant receive:

Registration for the AIA Women’s Leadership Summit (November 1–3, 2026, Kansas City, MO)
Travel and expense reimbursement up to $700

Eligibility

Preference will be given to applicants who meet one or more of the following criteria:

On the path to licensure
Emerging professionals (non-licensed individuals with fewer than 10 years of experience who are currently unemployed)
Recent graduates
Sole proprietors or individuals working at small firms

Firm size definitions:

Small: fewer than 10 employees
Mid-size: 10–49 employees
Large: 50+ employees

Application Requirements

Applicants must submit:

A professional biography and/or resume
A statement of intent (maximum 500 words)
A statement on financial support information
A statement of support from a colleague*

*Please address all statements of support to the “Sho-Ping Chin WLS Grant Selection Committee.”

Timeline

Application period: June 8 – July 13, 2026
Jury review period: July – August 2026
Recipient selection meeting: August 2026
Recipients notified: September 2026

Programs

Sho-Ping Chin Women’s Leadership Summit Grant

Registration fees + up to $700 in travel expenses | Accepting applications: June 8, 2026 to July 13, 2026