LAF announces opportunities for sponsorship of its 27th Annual Benefit, Sonoran Celebration, on Sept 28 at the Phoenix Art Museum. This high-visibility event, held during the ASLA Annual Meeting, draws over 300 guests from the design, building, and sustainability industries. LAF also will celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the Olmsted Scholars Program, the premier national award program for landscape architecture students.

Sponsors that commit by April 20 will receive an invitation to an exclusive dinner reception in Washington, DC on May 4, as well as a private reception hosted at Kornegay Design on Sept 27 in Phoenix. These private events provide coveted opportunities to interact in a small-group setting with members of the LAF Board of Directors, leaders in practice, academia, and industry.

2011 Annual Benefit Sponsors enjoy a private reception with the LAF Board and staff.

What did last year’s sponsors say about supporting LAF’s Annual Benefit?

     “Great opportunity to network with leading
     landscape architects from around the country.”

     “We enjoyed getting to meet the board members
     and see how our firm can assist their firms. We
     also enjoyed learning more about LAF and how it
     can apply to our industry.”

     “Your organization is good for our industry.
     Thanks for all you do!”

     “We enjoyed the private reception. It was a great
     night and we felt honored to be there. We would
     love to continue as a sponsor and see how we can
     assist more as we move forward with our
     relationship. We believe that by having limited
     sponsors per certain industries helps as it makes
     us feel very special.”

To take advantage of this exclusive opportunity, download  a Sponsor Registration Form or contact Matt Alcide at malcide@lafoundation.org or 202-331-7070 x13.

LAF’s 2011 Annual Benefit raised over $140,000 to support LAF’s research and scholarship programs. With your support, we expect 2012 to be an even greater success!

If you’ll be in San Diego for ASLA Annual Meeting & EXPO, we hope you’ll join us for one or more of the following events to support and raise awareness about LAF programs. In addition to the Olmsted Scholars and Landscape Performance Series , we’ll be showcasing Case Study Investigation (CSI), LAF’s newest initiative to integrate landscape performance in professional practice and design education.

The Sky’s the Limit - LAF 26th Annual Benefit
Sun, Oct 30, 5:00-9:30pm
Join us on the exclusive Ivy Rooftop at the Andaz Hotel for a delightful evening, where we’ll honor the 2011 Olmsted Scholars, recognize the faculty Research Fellows who led the summer Case Study Investigation (CSI) collaborations, and showcase the Landscape Performance Series a year after launch. Proceeds support LAF’s research and scholarship programs.

LAF Booth in ASLA Expo Hall (#1118)
Mon, Oct 31, 9:00-5:00pm
Tue, Nov 1, 9:00-5:00pm
Stop by our booth to learn more about LAF, meet the 2011 Olmsted Scholars, see the Landscape Performance Series and results from our Case Study Investigation (CSI) initiative, and register for our Sustainable Destination Sweepstakes. We’ll also be conducting video interviews, so come prepared to share your thoughts for potential inclusion in our Conversations with Leaders in Landscape - we’d especially like to get anecdotes from past LAF Board members, scholarship winners, and reserach grantees.

EXPO Learning Lab: Landscape Performance Series
Mon, Oct 31, 10:30am
Learn how to use the resources of the Landscape Performance Series to demonstrate the impact of your projects and showcase your work.

Sustainable Destination Sweepstakes
Tue, Nov 1, 4:30pm
Join us in the ASLA Expo Hall as we draw the two grand prize winners of the week-long trip for two to Crosswater Ecolodge & Spa in China and the long weekend at the Carneros Inn in Napa, California. Entrants need not be present to win.

LAF announces opportunities for sponsorship of its 26th Annual Benefit, The Sky’s the Limit, on October 30 at the Andaz Hotel in San Diego, California. This high-visibility event, held in conjunction with the ASLA Annual Meeting, draws over 300 guests from the design, building, and sustainability industries. LAF also recognizes the 2011 Olmsted Scholars, the premier national award program for landscape architecture students.

Benefit sponsors who commit by April 30 also receive an invitation to an exclusive dinner reception on the Georgetown Waterfront in Washington, DC on Friday, May 6. This coveted event provides a unique opportunity to interact in a small-group setting with members of the LAF Board of Directors, leaders at some of the top firms in the industry.

Sponsorships are available at the $25,000, $15,000, $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500 levels. To take advantage of this exclusive opportunity, download a Sponsor Registration Form or contact Dabney Kerr at dkerr@lafoundation.org or 202-331-7070 x13.

LAF’s 2010 Annual Benefit was completely sold-out and raised over $100,000 to support our research and scholarship programs. With your support, we expect 2011 to be an even greater success!

The 2010 Olmsted Scholars at the LAF Annual Benefit.

Twenty of this year’s 38 Olmsted Scholars attended a series of LAF events in Washington, DC Sept 10-12. The highlight was the LAF Annual Benefit, where the Olmsted Scholars were recognized during a special ceremony. Outgoing LAF Board President Chip Crawford presented certificates to each scholar and said the experience  was completely energizing. “It was really moving to be in a position to recognize some of the brightest people entering into our profession.”

LAF staff, Board Members, and program sponsors had the opportunity to meet and interact with the Olmsted Scholars beforehand during a special luncheon. “I was delighted to finally meet this impressive group,” remarked LAF Executive Director Barbara Deutsch. “The Olmsted Scholars are truly inspiring; they will get a lot done — wherever they go!”

Following the luncheon, the scholars participated in a strategy session and shared their thoughts on how to further build the community of Olmsted Scholars, who now number 90 with the program in its third year.

Many of the Olmsted Scholars were also onhand at LAF’s booth in the ASLA Expo Hall. They helped promote LAF programs, and most braved the camera to be filmed for our Conversations with Leaders in Landscape series. We hope to use the footage to produce a video on the 2010 Olmsted Scholars, to be released later this fall.

Additional photos from the Benefit (now posted) and other Olmsted Scholar events (coming soon) can be found on LAF’s Flickr Photostream.

This year, LAF has a number of activities planned to increase awareness about our programs and their impact. Our 25th Annual Benefit atop the NEWSEUM promises to be a one-of-a-kind event. We’re offering a number of ways you can learn about our new Landscape Performance Series and how it can help you show the value of sustainable landscape solutions. And we’re debuting a new website and our Conversations with Leaders in Landscape videos, including a chance to participate by visiting our Expo Hall Booth. If you’ll be in town for the conference, we hope that you’ll join us for one, some, or all of these events.

Top Story! LAF 25^th Annual Benefit
Fri, Sept 10, 7:00-10:30pm
Join us for an unforgettable evening atop the NEWSEUM, where we’ll recognize the 2010 Olmsted Scholars, launch the Landscape Performance Series, and debut LAF’s new website and Conversations with Leaders in Landscape videos. Proceeds support LAF’s research and scholarship programs.

LAF Booth at ASLA Expo Hall (#2155)
Sat, Sept 11, 9:30-5:00pm
Sun, Sept 12, 9:30-5:00pm
Stop by our booth to learn more about LAF, see our new Landscape Performance Series and website, meet the 2010 Olmsted Scholars, and register for our Sustainable Destination Sweepstakes. If you choose, come prepared to share your thoughts on camera for potential inclusion in LAF’s new Conversations with Leaders in Landscape videos.

Landscape Performance Tools Education Session
Sat, Sept 11, 11:00-12:30pm
Don’t miss this session, which provides tools and ideas to help you quantify the benefits of projects and increase your impact. LAF’s Barbara Deutsch and Heather Whitlow, Deb Guenther of Mithun, and Beth Meyers of the University of Virginia present Landscape Performance Tools: Metrics for Culture and Environment. Panelists will use case studies to illustrate the value of metrics in showing environmental, social, economic, and aesthetic benefits of high performing landscapes.

Sustainable Destination Sweepstakes
Sun, Sept 12, 4:30pm
Join us in the ASLA Expo Hall as we announce the winner of the week-long trip for two to the unique Anvaya Cove community in the Philippines, valued at over $8,000. Entrants need not be present to win.