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Policy

Philanthropy Elevates The ACS Mission

by Catherine Sigal, Chair, ACS Development Advisory Board
November 30, 2015 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 93, Issue 47

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Credit: Bachrach
Sigal.
Credit: Bachrach

Most of us are aware of but seldom have time to reflect on the ACS mission: “To advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people.” As a society composed of and governed by chemistry professionals, ACS is uniquely positioned to further this critical mission, which addresses not only the vitality of the profession but also the grand challenges facing the world in health care, food sufficiency, protecting the environment, and providing sustainable energy. The role of philanthropy in this process is pivotal. As 2015 draws to a close, I want to take this opportunity to highlight some of the society’s programs made possible by the generosity of donors, which include individuals, corporations, and foundations.

This year, Teva Pharmaceuticals provided its third $900,000 contribution to its scholar grants program, which supports early-career investigators pursuing research with potential or direct connection to medicinal chemistry. The program was renamed the Teva Pharmaceuticals Marc A. Goshko Memorial Grant Program in memory of the Teva vice president who was instrumental in initiating the program in 2009. This generous donation brings Teva’s cumulative gift amount to $2.7 million. In this era of tight federal research funding, such support of young scientists in academia is critical. To date, there have been nine Teva Scholars, each receiving a grant of $100,000 per year for a period of three years.

Further, this year marks the 20th anniversary of the ACS Scholars Program, which is being celebrated with special symposia, events, and C&EN articles featuring scholars and alumni. Several companies have made major contributions in response to the ACS Scholars 20th Anniversary Appeal. These include benefactor Procter & Gamble; sustaining partners BASF, DuPont, and Merck & Co., a new member of this group; and new partners Pfizer, Genentech, and Gilead Sciences. We are indebted to these corporations for their strong commitment to diversity and chemical education. Alan Maingot, P&G vice president of research and development, says, “Diversity is a core value at P&G, and this program aligns with our business priorities. We should be thanking ACS for supporting outstanding programs that help develop the next generation of chemists.”

Individual donors also responded with great generosity to the ACS Scholars 20th Anniversary Appeal, establishing an endowment that currently stands at $2.3 million and growing. Many donors used planned giving to make leadership gifts by specifying a donation to the program in their wills or by creating a charitable annuity or remainder trust to benefit the program. In addition, Gilead became the first corporate donor to contribute to the endowment, funding an ACS Gilead Scholar annually. Grateful acknowledgment also goes to the volunteer mentors, who give their time and energy to advise ACS Scholars throughout their college experience, providing the human element that makes the program truly exceptional.

Corporations and foundations made important contributions in other areas of chemical education in 2015. The Ford Motor Co. and the Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation provided grants to support high school chemistry teaching. Specifically, the Ford grant will be used to produce teaching resources using the theme “The Chemistry of Cars.” The Dreyfus Foundation grant will be used by the American Association of Chemistry Teachers to develop multimedia for students to explore and learn about atomic and molecular structure.

Although there is much to celebrate with the impactful gifts received by ACS this year, continued fund-raising for the ACS flagship program Project SEED is critical. Project SEED provides summer research experiences in chemistry to economically disadvantaged high school students. ACS members have loyally supported this outstanding program since 1968. All of us know that an early introduction to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is vital to attract students to these disciplines, and that is what Project SEED does for chemistry. As you think about year-end donations or renew your ACS membership this year, please consider a donation to this worthy program.

With all the compelling good causes requiring charitable support, you may ask yourself, “Why donate to a professional organization?” For me, the answer is that ACS is uniquely positioned to better the world in high-impact ways I can appreciate. These include cultivating future scientists in chemistry and chemistry-related fields, supporting chemistry teachers, educating the public and advocating for chemistry, enabling career development, furthering the practice of green chemistry, promoting diversity and innovation in our field, and so much more. It is not only the areas of emphasis but also the oversight and manner in which funds are spent that is important to all of us. ACS does it all with the highest degree of professionalism that ensures programs are executed well and effectively. As chair of the ACS Development Advisory Board, I want to extend my deepest thanks to our 2015 donors. As we look ahead, please join me in elevating the ACS mission through increased philanthropy.

To contribute today, please visit the ACS website at www.acs.org/donate or contact Kathy Fleming, director of development, at k_fleming@acs.org.

Views expressed on this page are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS.

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