(Above image: IIDA Ohio/Kentucky 2024 Student Conference. Image courtesy of IIDA Ohio/Kentucky Chapter)

Our IIDA chapters are always striving to reach new goals and make a meaningful impact within their communities. Whether it’s education, membership growth, or professional development, our chapters put their best foot forward to not only enhance their own design communities but the industry at large. This year chapter leadership was able to spark growth in their communities, enrich their organizations, and provide members the opportunity to grow personally and professionally with support from IIDA’s Catalyst Grant. Awardees received grant funds in 2024, and spent the year using those resources to achieve their goals. Read below to see what each of these amazing chapters accomplished last year.

IIDA Alabama | Professional Development Symposium

GOAL: To foster connection between members, provide professional development skills that will enhance member’s careers, and to create long-lasting relationships within their own design community.

Achievements:

• Provided professional headshots for members who attended the symposium.
• Facilitated panel discussions focused on the power of design through storytelling and the impact of A.I. on the design industry and processes.
• Encouraged members to embrace and incorporate their creative individuality into design challenges.
  

IIDA Carolinas | Promotional Videos

GOAL: To convey the chapter’s mission visually through professional captured videos, member testimonials, and other user-submitted content that will help attract new members and foster deeper connections within the community.

Achievements:

• Created videos to serve as a promotional tool for events.
• Advanced outreach to sponsors with testimonial videos.
• Hosted a silent auction event to increase membership by 15 percent.
  

IIDA Great Plains | Elevate, Advocate, and Celebrate

GOAL: To offer more leadership opportunities to chapter members that will bring members together, provide leadership content, and allow them to make connections with other local leaders.

Achievements:

• Sent five-chapter members to attend one day of the ICAN Women Leadership Conference.
• Created a social media campaign where each of the members who attend the conference got to share their experiences via Instagram posts.
• By attending ICAN, chapter members gained skills to better advocate for themselves and the design profession.

IIDA Illinois | Advocacy Committee

GOAL: To educate the public about the importance of design and how the work interior designers do impacts people and space by visually telling end users’ story.

Achievements:

• Premiered advocacy video at Leaders Breakfast.
  

IIDA Michigan | Professional Development Day

GOAL: To offer chapter members a comprehensive and innovative professional development day that surpassed their current CEU offerings.

Achievements:

• Hosted five live CEU events for members and offered a virtual option for attendees across Michigan (34 in-person attendees, 16 virtual attendees).
• Received an overall good 91% rating from members about the impact of the event.
  

IIDA Mid-Atlantic | Art of Storytelling Workshop

GOAL: To create a sense of belonging and connection within their community by bridging the gap between storytelling and design, creating a deeper understanding for the designers and end users.

Achievements:

• Hosted a two-and-a-half-hour speaker-led workshop to teach the fundamentals of good storytelling to chapter members, partners, and the design community.
• 48 event attendees reported that they felt more confident sharing their personal and professional stories, while also deepening their connections with peers during the workshop.
• Attendees participated in sharing exercises to learn more about their fellow peers and create new connections.
  

IIDA North Carolinas | Climate Crawl

GOAL: To raise awareness about climate action for the interior design industry by sharing knowledge and experience relating to climate action sustainability best practices with design professionals and industry partners.

Achievements:

• Provided a tips and tricks tool box and held interviews with industry leaders that explored sustainable projects within the chapter.
• Connected their climate action activities with advocacy efforts to increase visibility and align with chapter values.
  

IIDA North Florida | Website Revamp

GOAL: To develop a cohesive brand identity and improve their digital presence by redesigning their website.

Achievements:

• Improved sponsor visibility through their online presence.
• Streamlined resources to members through their redesigned website.
  

IIDA Ohio/Kentucky | 2024 Ohio Kentucky Student Conference

GOAL: To equip students with professional development opportunities, peer and professional networking, and educational content, thereby inspiring the next generation of designers.

Achievements:

• Hosted 90 students (33 non-student members attended) for a two-day transformative design experience filled with learning, professional development, networking, fun, and community building.
• Hosted students from 10 different campus centers and 19 different universities across the Midwest region.
• Increased student membership from 129 to 163 students.
  

IIDA Oregon | Advocacy and Legislative Strategy

GOAL: To combine legislative knowledge with the understanding of what commercial interior designers do and why legislation for the profession is important.

Achievements:

• Hosted a series of 90-minute training sessions focused on legislative strategies to enhance member engagement.
• Held bi-weekly meetings, working closely with Fifth Element Development & Consulting, to help build confidence and develop skills to actively engage in policy creation and advocacy.
  

IIDA Rocky Mountain | Chapter Playbook

GOAL: To amplify their chapter mission and pillars of advancing the industry through advocacy, cultivation, and celebration while enhancing recruitment efforts.

Achievements:

• Developed a new chapter playbook making the volunteer experience more sustainable and exceptional for members.
• Hosted a social media professional development event to feature members’ creativity and hard work, which increased their social following.
• Used art activation during their annual tradeshow Rockcon, which initiated conversations about the value of interior design legislation for their members.
  

IIDA Southern California | Outreach and Philanthropy

GOAL: To create a new sector focus and board position that will foster more outreach and philanthropy through leadership in design.

Achievements:

• Created two vice-president positions for their new Outreach and Philanthropy (O+P) sector.
• Created a list of guiding principles for the O+P sector.
• Developed a kick-off event for this new implemented sector and began drafting an O+P playbook.
  

IIDA Wisconsin | Crossroads Program

GOAL: To create a transportation grant fund specifically designed for student members within IIDA Wisconsin, allowing them to easily and effectively participate in IIDA events held in various cities across the state and demonstrate the benefits of IIDA.

Achievements:

• Increased student engagement with events.
• Empowered students to gain skills in planning transportation needs.
• Connected students to industry events so they can use the skills they gained as future IIDA volunteers.
  

Learn more about the Catalyst Grant and how your chapter can apply