The Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) invites institutions to submit proposals to host a Special Session during the 2027-2028 program cycle.
For 40 years, the Mayors’ Institute on City Design (MICD) has brought mayors and design professionals together to address challenges facing American cities. Founded in 1986 by former Charleston, SC Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., MICD has helped more than 1,300 mayors lead with design and envision new possibilities for their communities. The MICD is a leadership initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the United States Conference of Mayors.
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 RFP process.
MICD seeks up to four institutional partners to host Special Sessions in 2027 and 2028. Each will work closely with MICD staff to deliver a two-and-one-half-day session, bringing together seven mayors and seven nationally recognized design professionals.
Review the 2027-2028 MICD Special Sessions RFP here.
Funding: Up to $60,000 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.
Application deadline: January 28, 2027, 4:00 p.m. Eastern
Before submitting an application, interested applicants should:
- review the 2027-2028 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 ([email protected]) with any additional questions.
Informational webinar: On November 10 at 2pm ET, MICD staff will host an informational webinar for universities and nonprofits interested in the 2027-2028 Special Sessions RFP. All potential applicants are encouraged to attend or view the webinar recording before submitting their response to the RFP.
Submission: Please submit all application materials as a single PDF document to [email protected].