The LAF USA Fellowship for Innovation and Leadership stands as a beacon for transformative thought and creative action in the field of landscape architecture. Launched by the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF), this prestigious fellowship program is designed to nurture mid-career and senior-level professionals who possess the vision, commitment, and drive to create meaningful and lasting change in the world through landscape architecture.

What is the LAF USA Fellowship for Innovation and Leadership?

Founded in 2016, the LAF Fellowship for Innovation and Leadership was created to support professionals who want to advance the discipline of landscape architecture in new directions. The fellowship is not just about academic study—it’s about activating ideas that can shift paradigms, influence policy, foster equity, and enhance the built environment.

Each year, the LAF selects up to six Fellows to embark on a year-long journey of inquiry, learning, and project development. Fellows receive financial support of $25,000, mentorship, and structured opportunities to develop and present their work to a broader audience.

Fellowship Structure and Support

The LAF Fellowship is designed to accommodate working professionals, offering a flexible structure with maximum impact. Here’s how the fellowship unfolds:

• Residency Periods: Fellows participate in three 2.5-day residencies in Washington, D.C., where they engage with thought leaders, present ideas, receive feedback, and form a cohort of mutual support and inspiration.
• Year-long Project: Each Fellow undertakes a self-directed project that aims to advance an innovative idea or address a critical issue. These projects can take many forms—research, writing, design, film, prototypes, policy proposals, or community engagement initiatives.
• Mentorship and Networking: Fellows gain access to a network of LAF alumni, practitioners, scholars, and advocates. Regular check-ins and guidance from mentors help refine their ideas and accelerate impact.
• Public Presentation: At the end of the fellowship year, all Fellows deliver a public presentation at the LAF Innovation + Leadership Symposium, showcasing their work and insights.

Areas of Innovation

The Fellowship encourages projects that explore bold and timely topics. Past Fellows have addressed a wide range of issues, including:

• Climate change resilience and mitigation
• Racial and environmental justice
• Indigenous knowledge and land stewardship
• Urban agriculture and food security
• Public space equity and access
• Storytelling and advocacy through multimedia
• Technological integration in design

What unites all projects is a commitment to social relevance, design excellence, and the power of landscape architecture as a tool for transformation.

Who Can Apply for the LAF USA Fellowship for Innovation and Leadership?

The LAF Fellowship for Innovation and Leadership is open to:

• Mid-career to senior-level professionals with a degree in landscape architecture (or a related field with significant experience).
• Applicants must demonstrate thought leadership, a compelling idea, and the capacity to bring it to life.
• U.S. citizenship is not required, but applicants must be based in the United States or its territories during the fellowship year.

Importantly, the fellowship values diversity in experience and perspective, and strongly encourages applications from underrepresented communities in the design professions.

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Impactful Alumni Projects

Some notable projects from past Fellows illustrate the fellowship’s impact:

• Kofi Boone explored how African American cultural landscapes can shape more inclusive and equitable public spaces.
• David de la Peña focused on participatory design strategies in underserved communities across Latin America.
• Kate Orff, renowned for integrating ecological systems into urban design, used her fellowship to deepen her research on living shorelines.

These projects demonstrate how landscape architecture can be a medium for environmental stewardship, cultural expression, and social change.

Why Apply?

The LAF Fellowship is more than funding—it’s a transformational experience. Here’s what makes it so impactful:

• Time and Space to Focus: The fellowship gives recipients the rare opportunity to step away from daily professional demands and fully immerse themselves in a meaningful idea.
• Credibility and Visibility: Being selected as a Fellow offers national recognition and a platform to amplify one’s voice and vision.
• Collaborative Cohort: Fellows benefit from a community of like-minded innovators and a support system that often extends beyond the fellowship year.
• Influence on the Profession: Projects have the potential to shape policy, practice, and pedagogy, influencing the next generation of landscape architects.

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How to Apply

The LAF Fellowship for Innovation and Leadership has a competitive but accessible application process. Here’s a general outline:

• Application Deadline: 15 September 2025
• Announcement of Fellows: Early 2026
• Fellowship Year Begins: April 2026

Application Requirements:

• Personal statement and project proposal
• CV or resume
• Work samples
• Letters of recommendation

Applications are evaluated based on the strength of the idea, the applicant’s experience and leadership qualities, and the project’s potential to influence the field.

To apply or get more information, visit the official LAF website: www.lafoundation.org

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Final Thoughts

The LAF USA Fellowship for Innovation and Leadership is a unique opportunity to reshape the boundaries of landscape architecture. It empowers individuals to use their creative capacity to respond to the world’s most urgent challenges—whether that’s healing fractured communities, restoring damaged ecologies, or reimagining public space in a more equitable way.

For those with bold ideas and a strong desire to lead change, this fellowship can be a career-defining moment. In a time when visionary leadership is more needed than ever, the LAF Fellowship is lighting the way for the future of landscape architecture—and the future of our shared environments.

Apply by 15 September 2025 and take the first step toward becoming a catalyst for innovation and leadership in the field of landscape architecture.

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