American Institute of Architects - National Headquarters (AIANH)

American Institute of Architects - National Headquarters (AIANH)

1735 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006
202-626-7300
[www.aia.org]
Contact: James C. Dinegar, Chief Operating Officer

CEO: Norman Koonce, FAIA
Budget: $25 Million+
Staff Size: 155 - 165 Employees

Contact: Sandra R Gordon, Director, Public and Media Relations
Contact, alternate: Teena T Austin, Manager, Public Relations


CEO: William W Tipton Jr, MD
Budget: $1.7 million
Staff Size: 7+

Plexus Consulting Group, LLC
1620 Eye Street, NW
Suite 210
Washington, DC 20006
Phone:  202-785-8940
Fax:      202-785-8949
Email:   info@plexusconsulting.com

Vital Stats:

As members of the AIA, more than 66,500 licensed architects and associated professionals express their commitment to quality design and livability in our Built environments.

Architect members are currently licensed to practice architecture in the U.S. Associate members are unlicensed to practice architecture, but they do meet one of the following criteria. They are working under the supervision of an architect in a professional or technical capacity; they have earned professional degrees in architecture; they are faculty members in a university program in architecture; or they are interns earning credit toward licensure.

International associate members hold an architecture license or the equivalent from a licensing authority outside the U.S.

Emeritus members have been AIA members for 15 successive years and are at least 70 years of age, or they are at least 60 years of age and fully retired, or they are incapacitated so as to be unable to work in the profession.

Allied members are individuals whose professions are related to the building and design community, such as engineers, landscape architects, or planners; or senior executive staff from building and design-related companies, including publishers, product manufacturers, and research firms. Allied membership is a partnership with the AIA and The American Architectural Foundation.

Although the AIA functions as a national organization, at its heart are 268 local and state organizations providing members with the essential local focus that reflects the nature of their professional lives. AIA members adhere to a code of ethics and professional conduct that assures clients, the public, and colleagues of an architect's dedication to the highest standards in professional practice.

The Challenge | The Solution | The Process | Measurements & Results | Lessons Learned

The Challenge

How to urge Congress to fund school construction to help foster livable communities?

For AIA, schools are at the center of livable communities. The association estimates that across the United States, nearly 25,000 public schools are in a serious state of disrepair, plagued by substandard heating, ventilation, plumbing, and roofing systems. This number represents almost one-third of all public school buildings nationwide. With record public school enrollments approaching 53.2 million children, demographic trends have outrun America's aging public school infrastructure. According to General Accounting Office (GAO) estimates, over $112 billion is needed to repair existing schools in poor condition. To accommodate rising enrollments in high-growth areas of the country, 2,400 new schools will need to be built by 2003.

To capture the attention of Members of Congress and persuade them to address the issue of school modernization and renovation, AIA needed to develop an effective government relations campaign.

The Solution

To publish Good Enough for Congress?, a pictorial representation of why Americans deserve better school buildings.

AIA supports federal assistance to aid communities involved in school construction, renovation, and expansion. In 1999, AIA's government relations team launched an innovative campaign to lobby Members of Congress to pass legislation aimed at increasing school construction and renovation through use of tax credit bonds. This approach emphasized federal support rather than control over local school districts requesting assistance. To capture the attention of senators and representatives in both parties, AIA published Good Enough for Congress?, a book featuring pictures of the schools that the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committee members attended. The book reports on the current conditions of schools in each committee member's home state, and identifies projected modernization and renovation needs.

The Process

"Make things as easy as possible -- simplicity works best."

AIA's government relations team, comprised of worked from August 1999 to September 1999 to implement the Good Enough for Congress? campaign. Working methodically to "leave as little to chance as possible," here are the steps that they took:

• Prepared volunteer tool-kit, complete with:
  • Film
  • Project guidelines
  • Checklist
  • Introductory letter
  • Photo release forms
• Engaged AIA members nationwide
• Obtained release from NEA to incorporate national school data
• Arranged for delivery and assembly of volunteer photos and data
• Provided "Heads-up" advisory to congressional staffers
• Publication
• Distribution
• Appreciation

Volunteer Tool-Kit: First, AIA developed a volunteer tool kit, with a letter to AIA volunteers explaining Good Enough for Congress? and asking them to obtain photos and background information on each school to be included in the project. Each volunteer received step-by-step instructions including guidelines and a checklist for photographing the schools; an information form to record school building histories, statistics and architectural evaluations; an introductory letter to school administrators explaining the project; and a release form for the use of photographs.

Member Participation: Second, AIA phoned congressional district offices to identify the schools attended by members of the tax-writing committees. Third, AIA identified which of its affiliate chapters nationwide were located nearest the high schools that the Ways and Means and Finance Committee members attended. Chapter leaders were instrumental in helping to recruit local AIA volunteers to take photos and to record individual school statistics. Some volunteers drove up to three hours to deliver the photos under a tight one-week deadline.

Release Forms: To preclude potential legal issues from arising in connection with publication of the photographs, AIA asked volunteers to obtain a release from each school giving AIA permission "to use, re-use, and publish" the photos. Also, AIA obtained a release from the National Education Association (NEA) to allow publication of its statewide statistics on public schools.

Delivery and Assembly: To ensure that the photos and statistics arrived on time and in good condition, the government relations team provided each volunteer with a confirmation form to alert AIA to the incoming Federal Express delivery (pre-paid by AIA) containing the film and school information. AIA asked each volunteer to log and confirm via fax the Federal Express Locator Number and delivery date. AIA developed the film and prepared the layout and publication in-house.

Congressional Staff Advisory: To cover the bases with congressional staffers, AIA informed key staff that their Members' schools were to be profiled in the publication, provided background information about the project and asked for their support. While some staffers were more enthusiastic than others, no one was caught by surprise.

Publication and Distribution: Accompanied by a simultaneous distribution of press releases, AIA published 4,000 copies of Good Enough for Congress?, sending 2,000 to Democrats (with a picture of the President) and 2,000 to Republicans (without). The books asked Members of Congress to support H.R. 1660 "Public School Modernization Act of 1999", H.R. 1760 "America's Better Classroom Act of 1999", and S. 1454 "Public School Modernization and Overcrowding Relief Act of 1999". AIA estimated that the above bills would cost $3.2 billion and generate $25 billion in school construction and renovation activity.

Appreciation: Finally, AIA sent copies of the book along with a letter of thanks to the AIA affiliates and volunteers who were instrumental in the project's success.

Measurements & Results

Though the legislation that AIA originally envisioned supporting has since been modified, the outlook for passage by both Houses is good, and the Good Enough for Congress? campaign has contributed significantly to raising nationwide awareness about the need to modernize and renovate America's public schools. Since the conclusion of the campaign, H.R. 1660 and H.R. 1760 have been combined into one and reintroduced as a bi-partisan bill in the House. Momentum for passage of school modernization and renovation legislation is strong in both the House and Senate.

Moreover, the campaign focused wide-ranging attention on the school modernization issue and drew substantial response from media luminaries, cabinet members and the White House. Many news sources ran the story, including USA Today and ABC's World News Tonight. In the World News Tonight segment hosted by Peter Jennings, ABC took Sander Levin on a tour of Central High School in Detroit, highlighting the AIA project and addressing the broader issues of public school modernization and renovation.

Lessons Learned

Just the facts."

By focusing on the school facts alone, AIA avoided partisan pitfalls and developed a call for action based on an objective assessment of school modernization and renovation needs. While both Republicans and Democrats welcomed Good Enough for Congress?, some Members' offices were more effusive than others and a few staff members were livid about the project. According to Jim Dinegar, AIA's Vice President of Government & Industry Affairs, if AIA had to reinvent the program from scratch, "it would not have done anything differently."