RICHARD L. BLINDER AWARD

The Blinder Award of up to $15,000 will be presented biennially to an architect or other professional in a related historic preservation field for a proposal exploring architecture and preservation. This is in the spirit of Richard Blinder, a founder and longtime Chair of the Fitch Foundation, and a founding partner of Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners where he played a leading role in adapting cultural buildings, in particular, for ongoing use.

The proposal may focus on a real project or it may be a polemical exercise; in either case, originality is highly valued. The proposal must advance architectural preservation in the United States, and provide an argument for the project’s relevance and applicants’ unique qualifications. Projects should have a clear and achievable deliverable with a plan for dissemination to a wide audience within the two year grant period. The final work product can be graphic, text-based or a combination of both and must be able to be shared with the architecture and preservation community. Specific deliverable parameters may be developed by Fellows with Foundation guidance as the project takes shape.

The grant cycle opens in the fall for spring funding, every other year. Upcoming Blinder grant cycles are projected for Fall 2026, Fall 2028, and Fall 2030.

See: Grantmaking Focus, Priorities, and Criteria for Evaluation

See: Eligibility and Application Process

Please email director@fitchfoundation.org with any questions concerning criteria for evaluation or project eligibility.