Funding Priorities

Pratt Institute has identified the following priority areas as central to advancing academic excellence, enhancing the educational environment, and strengthening the community -- scholarships, faculty development, buildings and grounds, the Center for Sustainable Design Studies, historic preservation, and community affairs.

Scholarships

Scholarships open a door to the future for the gifted and dedicated individuals who come here each year. Without the support that such awards provide, many of those with the vision, talent, and drive to create transformative work would not be able to benefit from the tremendous resources Pratt affords its students. In addition, by enabling the most promising and dedicated students to attend Pratt, regardless of their means, scholarships help Pratt remain competitive and sustain a vibrant educational and creative environment that thrives on diversity.

Faculty Development

Faculty are the heart of any academic enterprise and form the foundation of academic excellence, student achievement, and institutional prestige. As an institution dedicated to the practical application of knowledge, Pratt Institute attracts to its faculty individuals who are not only leaders in their creative and professional fields, but are also dedicated to the process of preparing the next generation of pioneers in a range of disciplines. From conveying the essence of a subject or craft to encouraging its application across the spectrum of disciplines, stellar faculty, more than any other element of the educational experience, have the power to transform the lives of their students and everyone they touch. To ensure that Pratt continues to attract the superlative educators who engender excellence and innovation, the Institute is committed to strengthening its faculty, and providing support for their academic and creative initiatives.

Buildings and Grounds

Over the past 15 years, Pratt has created new facilities that complement the older structures and bolster the educational experience, and has also beautified Pratt's grounds, including the establishment of New York City's largest outdoor sculpture garden. These improvements have not only transformed the campus into a wonderful cultural oasis for the community, but have also played an important role in enabling Pratt to attract and retain the most talented and dedicated students and faculty members. Today, Pratt's Brooklyn campus provides students with a real campus experience, just 25 minutes from Manhattan. Maintaining and enhancing its physical plant, as one of Pratt's most fundamental resources, is essential to the school's ability to successfully prepare the creative leaders of the future.

The Center for Sustainable Design Studies (CSDS)

Established in 2007, the Center for Sustainable Design Studies and Research (CSDS) serves as a hub for Pratt's commitment to integrate sustainability into our programs and graduate environmentally responsible citizens.  CSDS "Living Lab" program links academics with Pratt's "green" campus initiatives creating opportunities for students to work on projects that have a direct impact on their lives. The CSDS "Interns for Change" develop case studies, conduct in-depth research on materials and processes and offer sustainability consulting to our faculty and alumni. CSDS is also the new home of the Pratt Design Incubator. Founded in 2002, the Incubator is an entrepreneurial workspace where recent alumni launch start-up businesses and collaborate on projects that link sustainability to enterprise.

Historic Preservation

One of the largest independent art and design schools in the country, Pratt Institute is also an architecturally, culturally, and historically significant resource with a campus featuring several 19th and 20th century buildings recognized by city, state, and national historic commissions and registries. Pratt Institute takes great pride in its landmark Brooklyn and Manhattan campuses and is committed to preserving its rich historic resources. Over the past decade, Pratt has repaired and restored many of the historically significant buildings on campus and is committed to preserving Pratt's unique sense of place for future generations of students and New Yorkers.

Community Affairs

From its earliest days, Pratt Institute has also recognized its responsibility to contribute to the community of which it is a part, and strongly believes in providing creative and educational programs to underserved youth that enhance their continuing education and expand their opportunities. To that end, Pratt has capitalized on the strengths of its faculty to develop a range of art, design, and tutorial education programs that benefit from the variety of local partners available in Brooklyn.

For information on funding opportunities available in these priority areas, please contact the Division of Institutional Advancement at 718-636-3537.