Building connection through service Community Action

Creating community is about team-building and a welcoming workplace culture, but it’s also more than that – it’s about giving back to neighbors in need, building partnerships with local schools, taking on leadership roles in service organizations, and getting to know the people around us. At Hoffmann, community means making space where everyone can thrive.

A Sampling of Our Community Action Programming

  • Hoffmann Scholarship, our signature initiative, offered in partnership with the Connecticut Architecture Foundation to support talented students pursuing architecture and engineering careers. Unique among CAF programs, the Hoffmann Scholarship includes a paid summer internship opportunity.
  • Employee Student Loan Repayment Benefit, our pioneering program to assist staff in paying down student debt.
  • Mentorship and education through the ACE (Architecture, Construction, and Engineering) Mentor Program, My Architecture Workshops Summer Camp, AIA and NOMA student chapters, K-12 schools, and more.
  • Habitat for Humanity build days and other paid community service initiatives for employees.
  • Community outreach, from collecting school supplies and holiday toys to beautifying a food bank to volunteering in classrooms.
  • Food drives with friendly competition among our offices to see which can collect the most donations for our neighbors in need.
  • Team-building activities that raise funds for charitable organizations like the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and the American Heart Association.
  • Book and Film Club to share conversations about topics suggested by our teammates, including neurodiversity, women in architecture, design for disability, innovative approaches to homelessness, and more.
  • Career fairs with the Minority Construction Council, Women in Architecture and Design, NOMA and AIA student groups, and local trade schools, where we serve as panelists, mentors, and presenters.
  • Sponsorship of programs and initiatives that support the education and development of emerging professionals and offer opportunities for advancement in the design professions.
  • Service leadership in community organizations and industry groups, where we serve on boards and steering committees and lead activities to improve outcomes in the places we live and work.
Hoffman Architects events
Hoffmann Architects volunteering
Hoffmann Architects volunteers

From encouraging involvement in service organizations to providing paid opportunities to engage with peers and members of the community, Hoffmann is committed to fostering a work culture that values openness to new ideas and perspectives, encourages innovation, attracts and retains top talent, and promotes mentorship and pathways to leadership. Interaction with members of the community through service enables our project teams to be more effective in engagements with clients and consultants, with sensitivity to each person’s unique perspective, experiences, and needs.

Hoffmann’s community action initiatives promote camaraderie and facility collaborating across differences in age, educational background, and life experience to achieve a common goal. By offering junior staff early and frequent occasions to take on leadership positions through mentoring, organizing food drives, running a book and film club event, or coordinating a Habitat for Humanity build day, Hoffmann supports emerging professionals in building the organizational and interpersonal skills that drive opportunities for career advancement. In fact, we’ve been recognized for our commitment to professional development with the AIA New England Components Emerging Professional Friendly Firm Award for several years in a row. We’ve also garnered many awards for our leadership in raising the bar for service, outreach, and a positive workplace culture.

From inspiring the next generation of building enclosure specialists to bringing the joy of Thanksgiving dinner to a family in need, we get as much as we give when we share our strengths with those around us. Nothing brings coworkers together like the shared triumph of crossing a finish line in a charity race or the satisfaction of seeing our school supply donations give a child the confidence to face down those first-day-of-school jitters. What builds connection for our team and opportunities for growth also brings us closer to those who share our communities.

Career Opportunities

At Hoffmann, we appreciate the importance of creating an environment in which all employees feel valued, heard, and empowered.

Industry Recognition

Hoffmann’s team is proud to serve as trailblazers in building community and creating opportunity in the design professions. Our initiatives have garnered awards and recognition from a variety of organizations, including:

AIA New England Emerging Professional Friendly Firm Award 2025
AIA Connecticut J.E.D.I. Award, Honorable Mention 2024
AIA New England Emerging Professional Friendly Firm Award 2024
AIA Connecticut J.E.D.I. Award 2023
AIA New England Emerging Professional Friendly Firm Award 2023
The Construction Institute Special Industry Recognition Award for DEI 2023
Liberty Bank / Hartford Yard Goats Baseball Community Kindness Heroes Award 2023
AIA New England Emerging Professional Friendly Firm Award 2022
AIA Connecticut J.E.D.I. Award 2021
The Construction Institute Champions of Change Award 2021