The Paul R. Williams Scholarship & Education Fund was created to inspire, support, and celebrate young people pursuing careers in architecture. The fund is named for trailblazing architect Paul R. Williams, FAIA, who designed more than 3,000 structures across his five-decade career that began in the 1920s, including some 2,000 designs in his native Southern California. Even with the racist practices of the era, including those that barred him from living in many of the neighborhoods where he built homes, Williams became favored by affluent business leaders and celebrities, earning renown as “architect to the stars,” while also building affordable housing and public projects. 

To inspire future generations through the legacy of Mr. Williams and other trailblazing figures in the field, the Fund will introduce K-12 students to career paths within the field of architecture. The Fund will also provide financial support and mentoring to students of color on their journey to professional licensing, with scholarships for fourth and fifth-year architecture students attending one of the seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) offering an accredited architecture program, as well as at the University of Southern California, Mr. Williams’ alma mater.

All contributors of $102 or more will become Charter Members of the PRW Inspiration Circle, the founding donors to the Fund’s primary mission: to influence and inspire the creativity of young people who will be the innovative thinkers of tomorrow.  Why is $102 significant?  It represents more than 100 years since Paul R. Williams became the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the 2% of African American licensed architects today…a number we cannot afford to forget.

Your support will make a difference in the trajectory of a future architect. We hope you will join us. 

Checks can be mailed to:

Community Initiatives / Paul R. Williams Scholarship & Education Fund

PO Box 45515

San Francisco, CA 94145-0515

*Please make check payable to Community Initiatives and note "PRW Fund" on the memo line. 

To Donate by Donor Advised Fund: 

Please provide your fund administrator with EIN# 94-3255070 and our address:

Community Initiatives/Paul R. Williams Scholarship & Education Fund

PO Box 45515

San Francisco, CA 94145-0515