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Mission and Programs

Mission

Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999. By tapping a network of more than 40,000 professionals willing to lend time and expertise to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford their services, we bring design, construction and development services where they are most critically needed. We are building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design.

Programs

In 1999, we launched our first venture, an international competition to design five-year transitional housing for returning refugees in Kosovo. More than 300 architects and designers from 30 nations participated in the competition which resulted in five built prototypes. An exhibition of the finalists and selected designs was showcased internationally. Since then, Architecture for Humanity has developed a network of over 7,000 architects and designers and hosted a second competition to design a mobile HIV/AIDS health clinic for Africa. This second project led to over 532 entries from 51 countries and is currently being exhibited around the world. As a result operational clinics were built in Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania.

In addition to implementing design initiatives and competitions, Architecture for Humanity also aims to promote humanitarian and social design through advocacy and education programs. Architecture for Humanity has consulted with government bodies and relief organizations on a number of projects, including mine clearance programs and playground building in the Balkans; post disaster reconstruction assistance in Grenada, India, Sri Lanka and the United States; and refugee housing on the borders of Afghanistan. Elementary and high school students have benefited from our design initiatives through after-school workshops, and at the university level, architecture and design programs around the world have used our competitions and design criteria as a model for semester-long projects.

Management & Technical Assistance
Management & Technical Assistance

Accomplishments for Fiscal Year Ending 12/31/2007

1. In 2007 Architecture for Humanity completed its 100th project - compared with just seven two years ago. More than 14,000 people directly benefited from built solutions and we provided professional design services on four continents, with over 250 volunteers, designers and architects.
2. Launched the Open Architecture Network. The Open Architecture Network is an open source online community dedicated to improving the built environment through design. It is the first site to make architectural plans and drawings freely accessible to all. The site currently boasts more than 11,000 users.
3. Launched the Open Architecture Challenge, a design competition in partnership with AMD to design technology centers and bring internet connectivity to 50 percent of the world by the year 2015.

1. Scale our efforts by strengthening our chapters and volunteer network through better communications and a more formalized structure.
2. Decrease our dependence on grants and donations by develop earned income revenue streams through advertising and sponsorship on the Open Architecture Network.
3. Take our approach and model to scale by developing regional design programs managed by regional program managers.

We measure our impact by the number of people who have participated in our design programs and have directly benefited from the design services we provide?more than 75,000 people to date. We've provided design services for projects on four continents, with over 200 volunteers, designers, architects, and firms. We recently completed our 300th structure, compared with just seven structures two years ago - an exponential rise in the number of lives impacted by our work.

However, statistics alone are not the only way we measure our impact. Many nonprofits exist for the purpose of building low-cost shelters, in some cases building as many as 5,000 to 20,000 homes in a region. Each home is based on the same cookie-cutter design, with little thought to the impact of the home on the environment, the community, or future generations. Architecture for Humanity takes a different approach. We focus on innovation. Our goal is not to replicate one idea, but to generate thousands of different designs, each inspired by the community, respectful of the site and dignified in its approach.

Whether we are recycling clay bean curd pots to create sound attenuation in a community center in Sri Lanka, installing a solar powered water pump in Tanzania, or exploring new water-proofing treatments that will save $15,000 in construction of new homes for families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, our work pushes the boundaries of low-cost structures.

These innovations, and others like it, are meaningless unless they are shared. The Open Architecture Network, developed and managed by Architecture for Humanity allows local solutions to be shared and adapted globally.

Chief Executive Profile

Architecture for Humanity was co-founded by its Executive Director, Cameron Sinclair, who was trained as an architect at the University of Westminster and at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London. During his studies, Mr. Sinclair developed an interest in social, cultural and humanitarian design. His postgraduate thesis focused on providing shelter to New York's homeless population through sustainable, transitional housing. After completing his studies, he moved to New York where he has worked as a designer and project architect. Sinclair is a regular guest critic and lecturer at schools and colleges in the United States and abroad. He has spoken at a number of international business and design conferences on sustainable development and post disaster reconstruction, including guest appearances on BBC World Service, CNN International and National Public Radio. In 2003 Sinclair was named a Nice Moderist by Dwell Magazine. He is a recipient of the ASID Design for Humanity award and the Lewis Mumford Award for Peace. In 2004 Fortune Magazine named him as one of the Aspen Seven, seven people changing the world for the better. Most recently Sinclair was one of three winners of the 2006 TED Prize and nominated for the UK Designer of the Year.

Additional Comments

Architecture for Humanity has received both national and international recognition for its programs.

In 2002, co-founder Cameron Sinclair was named Dwell Magazine's first "Nice Modernist." Fortune named him one of the Aspen Seven, seven people changing the world. He is a recipient of the 2004 ASID Design for Humanity Award, the 2005 Lewis Mumford Award for Peace, and the 2006 RISD/Target Emerging Designer of the Year. In 2006, Sinclair was one of three TED Prize winners, honoring visionaries who have "positively impacted life on this planet." Architecture for Humanity won a 2005 INDEX Design to Improve Life Award, the 2006 Wired Rave Award for Architecture, the 2007 Center for Architecture Foundation Award, a 2007 Travel + Leisure Global Vision Award in innovation, and The Observer Ethical Awards for Innovation. The 2007 Zumtobel Group Award recognized the Open Architecture Network for Sustainability and Humanity in the Built Environment. In addition, the work of the designers and firms who volunteer their time has been exhibited widely and recognized by numerous industry honors.

"Architecture for Humanity represents the finest of the new breed of architectural leadership, employing architectural skills and directing them for the larger good," wrote Robert Ivy, Editor in Chief of the Architectural Record about the organization. "Committed, unapologetically architectural in name and mission, Architecture for Humanity stands up for people in need."

Financial Data
From the organization's FORM 990

Revenue and Expenses: Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2007

Revenue			Expenses
Contributions $1,080,247 Government Grants $91,724 Program Services $127,213 Investments $51,412 Special Events $0 Sales $0 Other $0			Program Services $1,141,652 Administration $108,096 Other $63,895 Total Expenditures $1,313,643
Total Revenue	$1,350,596		NET GAIN/LOSS	$36,953

Balance Sheet: Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2007

Notes
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot long survive, but the types of assets and liabilities also must be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.

Assets	Jan 1, 2007	Dec 31, 2007	Change
Cash & Equivalent	$1,336,699	$1,175,773	$(160,926)
Accounts Receivable	$0	$0	$0
Pledges & Grants Receivable	$15,640	$84,892	$69,252
Receivables/Other	$10,462	$785	$(9,677)
Inventories for Sale or Use	$0	$0	$0
Investments/Securities	$0	$0	$0
Investments/Other	$0	$0	$0
Fixed Assets	$28,564	$110,721	$82,157
Other	$1,169	$17,611	$16,442
Total Assets	$1,392,534	$1,389,782	$(2,752)
Liabilities	Jan 1, 2007	Dec 31, 2007	Change
Accounts Payable	$93,812	$79,780	$(14,032)
Grants Payable	$66,413	$42,634	$(23,779)
Deferred Revenue	$0	$0	$0
Loans and Notes	$0	$0	$0
Tax-Exempt Bond Liabilities	$0	$0	$0
Other	$18,438	$16,544	$(1,894)
Total Liabilities	$178,663	$138,958	$(39,705)
FUND BALANCE	$1,213,871	$1,250,824	$36,953

Comments from the organization
Architecture for Humanity's annual report, including our most recent financial statements are available for download on our web site.

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