ASID Introduces the Advocate by Design Fund
Furniture World News Desk on
6/17/2019
The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) announced that it has established the Advocate by Design (AxD) Fund, a political education fund that aims to strengthen the design industry’s presence within national, state, and local policy decision making. As a testament to the Society’s commitment to fight for impactful policy for the interior design profession at all levels of government, the AxD Fund will help ASID Government and Public Affairs (GPA) inform the public and policymakers on the impact of interior design work and the policy issues important to the profession and industry.
“Nearly 90 percent of our lives is spent in interior spaces so the practice of interior design directly affects all Americans and deserves a strong voice in policy decisions that influence the industry,” states Bryan J. Soukup, Esq., vice president, GPA, ASID. “We believe that successful advocacy doesn’t happen by accident and requires diligent planning, thoughtful deliberation, long-term strategic vision, and active participation by stakeholders. The Advocate by Design Fund will enhance the Society’s ability to advocate for the interior design industry and profession on the federal, state, and local levels of government, fighting for legislative and regulatory policy issues that advance and protect the practice of interior design and its related interests.”
The AxD Fund is not a PAC, and will not direct funds to any individual candidate for office. The Fund will enable ASID GPA to increase its efforts to support and defend beneficial public policy for ASID members, chapters, and design professionals. Donations to the fund will assist ASID in covering unexpected needs, enable the Society to expand its reach and scope, cover member travel costs, create and distribute interactive materials and documents, host new events, provide additional money to chapters for advocacy initiative grants, and work to change the public narrative about interior design through effective policy and political messaging.
ASID has been advocating for positive interior design public policy for 50 years, and is dedicated to informing decision makers and citizens on the impact of design on the human experience and the health, safety, and welfare of the public. As the only major interior design member organization based in Washington D.C., ASID is currently advocating for the design profession on the following federal issues: practice rights, environmental issues, resilience, trade issues, materiality, tax policy, building codes and standards development, workforce development, and student debt, among other issues. In state policy, ASID GPA is working on several topics including practice rights, taxes, lien rights, firm ownership, and building code adoption. The AxD Fund will support the work of Bryan Soukup who is responsible for a range of advocacy affairs, including representing the profession’s policy interests before all levels of government and internationally, managing contract lobbyists and other consultants, speaking on advocacy with members and outside organizations, and determining political strategy.
Join ASID on July 19 at 6 p.m. at STK Atlanta for
The ASID First Annual Evening of Thought Leadership and Public Policy. Show your support for the work of ASID GPA and share your thoughts on the state of the interior design profession through the lens of public policy. Choose “special event” at registration to reserve your seat.
For more information on the ASID AxD Fund, visit
asid.org/advocate-by-design.
About ASID: The American Society of Interior Designers believes that design transforms lives. ASID serves the full range of the interior design profession and practice through the Society’s programs, networks, and advocacy. We thrive on the strength of cross-functional and interdisciplinary relationships among designers of all specialties, including workplace, healthcare, retail and hospitality, education, institutional, and residential. We lead interior designers in shared conversations around topics that matter: from evidence-based and human-centric design to social responsibility, well-being, and sustainability. We showcase the impact of design on the human experience and the value interior designers provide.
ASID was founded over 40 years ago when two organizations became one, but its legacy dates back to the early 1930s. As we celebrate nearly 85 years of industry leadership, we are leading the future of interior design, continuing to integrate the advantages of local connections with national reach, of small firms with big, and of the places we live with the places we work, play, and heal. For more information, visit asid.org.