We are pleased to announce an opportunity for universities and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to serve as partners to host and organize 2025-2026 Special Sessions of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design. Several Institute Sessions are hosted around the country throughout the year; National Sessions are planned and hosted by MICD staff in various cities around the country, while Special Sessions (previously called Regional Sessions) are hosted by universities or nonprofits selected through a competitive RFQ process. Up to four eligible applicants will be selected to host Special Sessions in 2025-2026.
The MICD model convenes seven mayors and a team of seven interdisciplinary design professionals at a 2.5-day workshop to share ideas and find solutions to the most pressing design and development challenges in each mayor’s city. Since 1986, over 1,200 mayors from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam have participated in MICD.
Review the 2025-2026 MICD Special Sessions RFQ here.
Funding: Up to $50,000 in funding will be awarded by MICD to each partner for reimbursement of approved direct expenses of the session.
Eligible applicants: Universities with accredited programs in Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and/or Urban Planning as well as nonprofit design organizations are invited to apply. Hosts will be selected through a competitive process.
Before submitting an application, interested applicants should:
- review the 2025-2026 MICD Special Sessions RFQ;
- attend or view the recording of the informational webinar for applicants (see below); and
- contact MICD Executive Director Trinity Simons Wagner (trinity@micd.org) with any additional questions.
Application deadline: Friday, January 10, 2025, 4:00 p.m. Eastern
Informational webinar: On October 30 at 1pm ET, MICD staff will host an informational webinar for universities and nonprofits interested in the 2025-2026 Special Sessions RFQ. All potential applicants are encouraged to attend the webinar or view the recording before submitting their response to the RFQ. Click here to register for the webinar.
Submission: Please submit all application materials as a single PDF document to trinity@micd.org.