Design Workshop Foundation
"Landscape architecture has the ability to enhance public well-being promote mental and physical health, support ecosystems and mitigate climate change for a more resilient world. I'm inspired by the power of our profession and the communities that we are invited to partner with to work together towards a more just and sustainable future." - Sarah Konradi, Executive Director
Design Workshop Foundation was established in 2002 by Design Workshop Inc. with the vision to leverage the firm's resources in service to communities. Today, Design Workshop Foundation continues that legacy by working closely with communities to expand the reach of design, planning, and placemaking services and catalyze transformative change.
What started as a volunteer-focused endeavor has transformed into an organization with a vision to utilize landscape architecture, planning, and design to create a more equitable future. Design Workshop Foundation's mission, vision, values, and strategic plan focus on equity, justice, and community-led action. In 2022, the Foundation launched the Community Capacity Building Initiative, a technical assistance effort to support under-resourced communities in overcoming built environment challenges. Designed to address the systemic lack of funding of public projects in historically under-represented communities, the Foundation provides no-cost support for community teams across the U.S.
Design Workshop Foundation's goal is to bridge the gap between vision and implementation for communities, with efforts rooted in the principles of collective impact. The Foundation aims to drive systemic change by empowering partners to transform projects into advocacy initiatives, as well as policy and funding changes.
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