If you come to one of our Design Grant Review meetings, you’re likely to find architect Jeffrey Brummer around the table. Jeff is a co-chair of this committee, which meets twice per month to take a look under the hood at one or two of our pro bono design grant projects in progress.
As a Collaborative volunteer, Jeff is at the heart of what we do—providing pro bono preliminary design grants to nonprofits to get their development projects off to a good start. He has volunteered on over eight design grants, focusing mostly on neighborhood commercial corridor projects. He also serves on our Design Grant Selection Committee, helping us select the nonprofits who will receive our design grants and also serves on our Design Services Committee.
Jeff participates regularly in, and often leads, our Design Grant Review Committee meetings. And he’s not just there for the pizza! “I've always liked to see what is going on… you get to see great projects all the time.”
Jeff explains the design grant review process this way, “It’s a project critique. There’s a mid review and a final draft review. During the mid review, three months in to your project, you present where you are. You’re looking for advice; you’re looking to make sure you’re on the right path. But you’re also giving us a chance to see your project and learn more about it. The final draft review is to get that final advice, while putting together your final package before presenting it to the client.”
“You’re sitting down with a group of people who could be from all walks of design and life and they can give you some great suggestions.”
"The more you see and the more you participate, the more confidence you get… the better designer you can become. It teaches you to work with people, and to take ideas and give ideas. I think this is one of the most beneficial things I‘ve received as a member of the Collaborative."
If you’re a volunteer, join Jeff at our Design Grant Review Committee meetings every first and third Tuesday at noon.