Pictured left to right: 2022 Collaborative Achievement Award recipients Dan Collison and Meghan Elliott, Assoc. AIA.

Through the Collaborative Achievement Awards program, AIA Minnesota recognizes individuals and organizations for exceptional contributions to AIA, the profession, or the quality of the built environment.

The submission window for the 2024 AIA Minnesota Collaborative Achievement Awards is closed. The next submission window will open in early June 2025.

Eligibility

The person making the nomination must be a current AIA Minnesota member. The person being nominated for the award does not need to be an AIA member.

Nominees may be recognized for significant achievement or a body of work in a range of endeavors including, but not limited to:

  • Administration;
  • Architectural education;
  • Architectural scholarship and criticism;
  • Building technology innovation;
  • Construction;
  • Industrial design;
  • Information science;
  • Professions allied with architecture and architectural patronage;
  • Public policy and design advocacy;
  • Research, art and craftsmanship;
  • Service to AIA or any of its components;
  • Visualization, recording, and illustration; and
  • Writing and publishing.

Professions allied with architecture and architectural patronage may include, but are not limited to contractors, materials, exhibitors and other collaborators. Nominated clients must work broadly with architects, beyond one firm.

Recipients of the Collaborative Achievement Award should embody the core values of AIA Minnesota: Authenticity, Equity, Collaboration, and Integrity.

All AIA Minnesota award programs will now require a declaration that candidates for awards are in compliance with the AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Nominators will need to certify that candidates comply to the best of their knowledge. This is part of our commitment to ensuring that recipients of AIA Minnesota awards comport to the highest standards of character and professionalism, and is in compliance with requirements for AIA national awards.

Submission Requirements

To be considered for this award, an AIA member must nominate an individual and prepare the necessary submittal materials. Individuals cannot self-nominate.  Submissions should include:

  • (1) Nomination letter. The nominator is to write a letter of nomination highlighting the nominee’s contributions and achievements; extraordinary achievements that may be cited within the submission that warrant this special recognition.
  • (2) Letters of Reference. One-page letter focusing on one or two aspects of the candidate’s submission, signed, and on company letterhead.
  • Exhibits (15 page maximum). Images, drawings, or other materials that demonstrate the candidate’s or organization’s accomplishments that relate to the purpose of the award.

Note: Nomination letters should be third party and may not be from an individual that is within the nominee’s organization, with the exception of nonprofit organizations and public entities. 

2024 Collaborative Achievement Award jury:

Scott Schlotthauer, AIA, Chair
Amy Carroll, AIA, NOMA
Mohammed Lawal, FAIA, NOMA
Rosemary McMonigal, FAIA
Thea Rozenberg, AIA

2022 Collaborative Award Recipients

Dan Collison has been an influential leader in the formation of downtown Minneapolis and neighborhood nonprofits.
Meghan Elliott, Assoc. AIA, is a dedicated advocate for historic preservation and redevelopment in Minnesota.

Read the press release.

Past Collaborative Achievement Award Recipients

Download a list of past Collaborative Award recipients.