Washington, D.C. accelerator offers $160,000 to get mass timber into real projects
The Washington Architectural Foundation has opened applications for the DC Mass Timber Accelerator, which will give up to four project teams $40,000 each, $160,000 in all, to study mass timber on buildings they are already developing, with free engineering help from WoodWorks.
The foundation, the charitable arm of AIA|DC, launched the program on Nov. 2 with the Softwood Lumber Board, the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities and an anonymous donor. Under the request for proposals, grants can pay for design and engineering, cost estimates that compare mass timber with a comparable steel or concrete design, code analysis, permit documents and technical studies such as fire, acoustic or life cycle work. They cannot pay for materials, construction labor, land or financing, and only costs incurred after selection count.
Each project must center on one building in the National Capital Region as the RFP defines it: the District; Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties in Maryland; and Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties plus the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church in Virginia. D.C. projects get preference. Architects, developers, engineers and builders with a project in active development can apply, and no mass timber experience is needed. The structure must be mostly CLT, nail-laminated, glulam or dowel-laminated timber; hybrids qualify. The foundation favors affordable housing, K-12 schools, mixed-use buildings and domestically made timber.
Winners owe quarterly reports, drawings, a schedule set against steel or concrete, and a final report on cost and lessons learned. WoodWorks will advise free of charge on structure, fire ratings, codes and detailing, and the American Wood Council will help with codes. The RFP's timeline sets a Feb. 15, 2027, deadline at 4 p.m. Eastern, but its submission section says Feb. 1. Selections are due March 1, and the program closes Dec. 17, 2027.
The Softwood Lumber Board's Accelerator Cities network has put $2.1 million since 2022 into similar programs in Alabama, Boston, Georgia, New York City, Portland, Oregon, and Santa Monica, according to the release.
Why it matters: Teams with a D.C.-area building still in early design can get $40,000 and free WoodWorks engineering to price mass timber against steel or concrete. The RFP lists two deadlines, so plan to submit by Feb. 1, 2027.
Sources
- D.C. Mass Timber Accelerator: Request for ProposalsDistrict Architecture Center (Washington Architectural Foundation), Nov 2
- Request for Proposals: DC Mass Timber AcceleratorWashington Architectural Foundation, Nov 2
- New program aims to advance mass timber projects in Washington, D.C.Woodworking Network, Nov 4