ASM History: Restricted Funds of the American Society of Mammalogists

Abstract

Abstract The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) currently has 13 Restricted Funds intended to make financial resources available to support the mission of the Society by providing grants and awards to students, early-career mammalogists, and members who perform activities relevant to ASM. Restricted Funds are specified to support a Society objective or area of research. When initially established, the originator(s) defined the use of a Restricted Fund. However, descriptions and requirements of each Restricted Fund are not often stored in a readily available location or format making it difficult for potential applicants to determine how to proceed. We collected information on each Fund from journal articles, book chapters, minutes of ASM Board of Directors meetings, and personal communications from ASM members. Then we compiled information relevant to each Restricted Fund to centralize this information and make available the intended purpose of each Restricted Fund. Several of the Funds have reached a level to be self-sustaining at the current award amounts, but others remain in desperate need of funding to be able to support the intentions of the originators. Mammalogists recognize through their establishment of Restricted Funds that allocations from these Funds are instrumental in supporting the development of students and junior colleagues as they hone their science and contribute to the science of mammalogy.