The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Fund has launched a new program to support women of color obtain landscape architecture licensure and increase racial and gender diversity within the field. 

In its inaugural year, the Women of Color Licensure Advancement Program will provide 10 women of color with a two-year, personalized experience that includes up to $3,500 to cover the cost of sections of the Landscape Architectural Registration Exam (LARE), along with exam preparation courses, resources, and mentorship from a licensed landscape architect. 

According to data from the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Board (CLARB), only seven percent of landscape architects are non-white and only 30 percent are women. It is clear that obtaining licensure can have huge ramifications. The ASLA notes that a report by The Alliance for Responsible Professional Licensing found that among highly complex, technical fields, such as landscape architecture, a license narrows the gender-driven wage gap by about a third and the race-driven wage gap by about half.

“The statistics are telling, and it is important we make major strides to ensure the makeup of the profession closely mirrors the communities they serve,” said ASLA President Eugenia Martin, FASLA. “We need to address these gaps, and women of color achieving licensure is a part of the solution.”

“As stated in ASLA’s Racial Equity Plan of Action released in 2021, we are committed to fostering equity and inclusion within the profession. There is much more work to be done, but we believe this program is an important step towards meeting those goals,” added ASLA CEO Torey Carter-Conneen.

The Women of Color Licensure Advancement Program was established with a $100,000 donation from former ASLA President Wendy Miller, FASLA, and James Barefoot, Marq Truscott, FASLA, Rachel Ragatz Truscott, ASLA, and CLARB.

More information about the program, including application criteria and key dates can be found here.