Support the Astronomical Sciences: Introducing the AAS Fall 2016 Campaign

The Society’s autumn fundraising campaign typically runs concurrently with our membership renewal drive for the coming year. Membership renewal reminders, which include the AAS Fall 2016 Campaign details, are now in the mail, but not everyone will get one. If you already paid your 2017 dues or indicated that you do not want a paper invoice, then this is your call to give to the funds, prizes, programs, and activities that have meaning to you. BONUS: Donate $250 or more to any fund, or mix of funds, and you’ll be invited to the Donor Reception and Donor Lounge at the 2017 winter and summer meetings.

The Society and its Divisions have more than 50 opportunities to support your colleagues and help secure the future of the AAS and American astronomy — the 12 opportunities below form the core of this year’s fall campaign:

Once established, the AAS Initiative Endowment Fund will provide a steady source of funds on which the Society can rely in perpetuity. Your gift will be counted toward the $20,000 needed for the fund’s formal approval by the AAS Council. We’re up to 70% of our goal — with only two months to go!

AAS Dependent Care Grants aid members who need child/dependent care to attend a meeting of the AAS.

The FAMOUS (Funds for Astronomical Meetings: Outreach to Underrepresented Scientists) Fund will be used to provide grants to members who have difficulty financing their travel to AAS meetings.

The AAS General Fund supports advocacy efforts, operations, and membership services.

The Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy celebrates outstanding research and the promise for future exceptional work by postdoctoral woman researchers.

The Doxsey Travel Fund provides graduate students and postdocs within one year of receiving or receipt of their PhD a monetary prize to enable the oral presentation of their dissertation research at a winter meeting of the AAS.

Donations to the DDA General Fund will help support a new Early Career Prize honoring the contributions of a dynamicist who is not more than 10 years past their PhD at the time of the nomination.

The DPS Hartmann Student Travel Grant Program provides funding to enable students to attend meetings.

The HAD Osterbrock Prize honors the author(s) of a book judged to advance the field of the history of astronomy or to bring history of astronomy to light.

The HEAD Mid-Career Prize is made every 18 months for a significant advance or accomplishment (observational or theoretical) in high energy astrophysics by an individual astrophysicist within 10 years of receiving their PhD.

Donations to the LAD Prize Fund will help support the prizes to be awarded by the Division, normally on an annual basis, for contribution to laboratory astrophysics: the Laboratory Astrophysics Prize, the Early Career Award, and a Dissertation Prize.

The SPD Karen Harvey Prize recognizes a significant contribution to the study of the Sun early in a scientist’s professional career.

The AAS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and all donations by US taxpayers are deductible under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.

No gift is too small — every dollar helps further our mission to enhance and share humanity’s understanding of the universe. If you have any questions about the Society’s full range of giving opportunities or need assistance with your gift, please contact Diane Frendak by email or by phone at 202-328-2010 x109.