Advancing excellence in interior design takes collaboration and support. Our IIDA chapters help us reach our goals and support our mission by impacting their local communities through volunteering, chapter events, and programming. This past year IIDA’s Catalyst Grant Fund supported 18 chapters helping members grow professionally and personally. Awardees received grant funds in 2025 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 Florida Central | Capitol Days

GOAL: To grow a stronger rapport with lobbyists in Florida and provide advocacy education and opportunities for chapter members across the state.

Achievements:

• Sponsored three Florida Central chapter members to attend capitol days in Tallahassee, Florida.
• United all three state chapters (Florida Central, Southern Florida, and Northern Florida), and collaborated with ASID counterparts.
• During the capitol days, members met with over 10 House Representatives and Senators, showing how all chapters can unite for the betterment of the interior design profession.
• With financial support from the Catalyst Grant, chapter leadership enabled three members to advocate for the profession in person and work directly with legislators.

IIDA Georgia | Constructing Confidence

GOAL: To advance emerging design professionals' industry knowledge through education, providing real world first-hand experiences, and onsite problem solving.

Achievements:

• Brought together young designers from three city centers in Atlanta for Constructing Confidence that nurtured unity across chapters, and fostered an environment of peer learning.
• Encouraged community between young design professionals by creating an open forum for questions on each project they completed.

IIDA Illinois | Emerging Leaders in Design Program (ELID)

GOAL: Uplift emerging talent, maintain member and chapter connectivity, and to add value to the industry at all career stages.

Achievements:

• Equipped early to mid-level designers with leadership skills and mentorship opportunities through monthly sessions led by experienced industry professionals.
• ELID was included as a benefit for the chapter’s A&D Sponsors in the 2026 package, providing participants earning a free IIDA Associate Membership upon completion. (Last session will be held in April 2026)
• Fostered collaboration between industry professionals and firm leadership through group activities and panel discussions.

IIDA Indiana | Pouring into Learning

GOAL: To re-engage design firm leaders while fostering mentorship, leadership development, and a stronger professional community.

Achievements:

• Brought emerging professionals and firm leaders together for in-person learning experience, creating meaningful opportunities to expand their professional community.
• Established a platform where the chapter and broader design community could educate and cultivate leadership and professional development — and with this increased member engagement.

IIDA Michigan | GYST — Governance & Culture Redesign

GOAL: To establish a clear and structured chapter governance model, strengthen board culture, and accountability that is in accordance with IIDA Michigan Chapter’s mission.

Achievements:

• Engaged a professional governance consultant to assess, redesign, and implement a sustainable board governance structure and culture framework for the chapter.
• Updated strategic planning session and board transition process, with75% of feedback from participants being positive feedback.
  

IIDA Mid-America | Overall Chapter Rebrand

GOAL: To create a cohesive brand strategy that conveys the chapter mission and benefits implementing a brand strategy that is easily transferable for future board members.

Achievements:

• Hired a local graphic design and marketing agency to upgrade the chapter website and brand identity on social media to better engage chapter members.
• Created a new chapter mission statement: “Connecting, supporting, and celebrating the people who shape interior design”.
• Launched the updated brand at the IIDA Mid-America Big Design Gala event in October 2025.

IIDA Mid-Atlantic | Board Leadership Training

GOAL: Invest in leadership development training for board members, and equip chapter leaders with leadership skills necessary to foster collaboration within the chapter.

Achievements:

• Held programming that strengthened board members strategic-decision making skills to help strengthen the impact of the chapter on the industry.
• Chapter leadership participated in four training sessions focused on delegation, building trust with volunteer organizations, building self-awareness, and learning how to diffuse conflict through healthy conversations.

IIDA New England | Not by Design: An Interactive Unconscious Bias Workshop

GOAL: Foster greater self-awareness in chapter members and build more inclusive organizational cultures by helping participants identify and unlearn their own unconscious biases through workshops.

Achievements:

• Fostered a greater self-awareness in chapter members by helping participants identify and unlearn their own unconscious biases.
• After completion of workshops participants left with:
  • A better understanding of the presence and impact of unconscious bias in organizations culture.
  • More effective intercultural communication strategies.
  • An understanding of the ethical implications of unconscious bias.
  • Stronger cross-cultural relationships and partnerships.

IIDA Northern Pacific | New programs and Initiatives

GOAL: Expand chapter outreach through programs and events that enrich and build upon their fundamental knowledge of JEDI topics.

Achievements:

• Hosted a storytelling workshop where students were gifted art kids and copies of IIDA’s “Design Your World” book.
• Hosted a social event titled “The Caffeine Corner” for their campus centers.

IIDA Ohio/Kentucky | Designing for Impact

GOAL: Empower chapter members to advocate for the interior design profession.

Achievements:

• Designed an advocacy tool kit to provide knowledge, tools, and confidence to chapter members interested in advocating for the value and impact of interior design.
• Developed takeaways, wearable branding, and digital assets tailored to inform their advocacy audience.
• Created a “Firm Supporting” and “Design Advocates” badges to represent all individual supporters of the profession

IIDA Oregon | Cultivating Radical Belonging

GOAL: Advance the interior design profession through chapter led programming like paid creative opportunities, educational outreach, and inclusive community events.

Achievements:

• Developed a BIPOC College Student(s) Graphics Toolkit Partnered with Portland State University to select two graphic designs students for a paid opportunity to create a BIPOC Collect Student(s) Toolkit to use in chapter communications and events.
• Chapter members attended the NorthWest Youth Careers Expo by Portland Workforce Alliance where Oregon high school students learned about different interior design careers hoping to inspire them to pursue education and careers in design.
• Hosted four EDI focused events that included roundtable and panel discussions focusing on social justice, neurodiversity in design, and understanding inclusive and universal design.

IIDA PA/NJ/DE | CEU Series and NCIDQ Study Series

GOAL: Provide CEU opportunities and NCIDQ Test prep for each active city center.

Achievements:

• Increased the preparedness of Associate and Student members taking the NCIDQ examination.
• Through CEU opportunities, they grew the number of Professional IIDA members within their local design community through CEU opportunities.
• The first Study Series cohort had seven participants preparing for the October 2025 exams.

IIDA Rocky Mountain | Burgeoning through Belonging

GOAL: Create in-person opportunities for the design community in areas outside of the Denver Metro area to foster a greater connection within the Rocky Mountain Chapter.

Achievements:

• Offered professional development activities and curated networking opportunities to share the benefits of IIDA membership to invested local professionals in Wyoming and Montana.
• Visited multiple firms and universities in Wyoming and Montana to provide IIDA swag and information about the benefits of joining the IIDA chapter.

IIDA Southwest | Website Revamp

GOAL: Strengthen the chapter’s digital presence and improve site functionality.

Achievements:

• Launched a mobile-friendly website that enhances user experience and streamlines operations for the chapter.

IIDA Tennessee | Rise and Refine

GOAL: Provide IIDA Tennessee members with professional development opportunities that will enhance their careers.

Achievements:

• Equipped mid-to-senior designers with structured training in leadership, management, and soft skills.
• Provided practical tools for leadership development and conflict management.

IIDA Texas/Oklahoma | Graphic Design Consultant

GOAL: Enhance brand consistency, and member engagement, and create a cohesive visual identity that resonates with current and potential members.

Achievements:

• Developed comprehensive brand guidelines including logos, color schemes, typography, and imagery.
• Provided training to chapter staff and volunteers on maintaining brand consistency.
• Enhanced the visual appeal and user experience of the chapter website.

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