Established in 1977, the Association for Community Design (ACD) is a network of individuals, organizations, and institutions committed to increasing the capacity of planning and design professions to better serve communities. ACD serves and supports practitioners, educators, and organizations engaged in community-based design and planning.

ACD is incorporated as a 501(c)3 membership organization and is governed by a board of directors. Membership is open to both organizations and individuals. The modest dues collected by the ACD support an annual conference, program development, and the maintenance of this website.

Mission

To serve practitioners, educators, individuals and organizations engaged in community-based design and planning

Serve as the primary clearinghouse for community design practitioners, educators, and organizations

Advance research, education, and best practices in community design

Provide a national voice on policies that affect community design

Equity & Justice
Advocating with those that have a limited voice in public life

Diversity
Promoting social equality through discourse that reflects a range of values and social identities

Participatory Decision-Making
Building structures for inclusion that engage stakeholders and allow communities to make decisions

Quality of Life
Advancing the right of every person to live in a socially, economically, and environmentally healthy community

Integrative Approach
Creating strategies that reach beyond the design of the built environment

Place-based Solutions
Generating ideas that grow from place and build local capacity

Design Excellence
Promoting the highest standards of quality in the design and construction of the built environment