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GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA FOUNDATION
How Members Can Get Involved:
Serving Geoscience • Support students, research, and
education through a voluntary
and the Profession contribution to the GSA
Foundation when you renew
your 2021 membership.
The mission of the Geological Society of matching challenge, and despite the • Help others be part of our
America Foundation is to develop and pro- unprecedented circumstances during the GSA member community. The
vide funds to support the goals and pro- spring of 2020, our donors surpassed the Membership Assistance Program
grams of the Geological Society of match amount. The Foundation will con- and Fund enables those who cannot
America. These funds are distributed tinue to provide membership and help stu- afford the cost of membership,
according to the needs of the Society and dents from underrepresented groups attend or who experience difficulty in
in a manner consistent with the desire of their first GSA annual gathering: GSA transferring funds from their country
the donors. The responsibilities of the 2020 Connects Online. to the USA, to become members.
Foundation are twofold: (1) to support Our donors remain committed to helping Support and spread the word.
GSA programs, and (2) to preserve the students obtain vital field experience, and
Foundation’s assets for the future. we were able to offer 19 scholarships from January 2015. The
the J. David Lowell Field Camp Scholarship staff greatly appreci-
2019–2020 HIGHLIGHTS Program. Four of these were supported by ates him and his years
In fiscal year 2020, the GSA Foundation the Petroleum Geoscientists Fund for of caring leadership.
received annual campaign contributions and Undergraduate Field Experience. Due to The Foundation is
pledges of more than US$807,300 from COVID-19 circumstances, while some 2020 continuing a strategy
individual GSA members and corporations. field camps are still convening in person or of communications
Our success was assured by 7,316 separate virtually, those recipients whose field camps themed around
gifts at all levels, a testament to the enthusi- have been cancelled will use their funds Community of Support, in keeping with
asm and dedication of GSA members and next summer. one of the enduring qualities that GSA
supporters. Corporate partners helped us re-think and members value most: the sense of commu-
On 5 May 2020, people around the world adapt our seventh year of the GeoCareers nity found within the Society.
came together for Giving Tuesday Now to Program, with a virtual version to be Most recently, we have featured interviews
tap into the power of something that GSA included during GSA 2020 Connects Online with donors who gave to GSA CARES at https://
already lives by: a sense of community to and additional career webinars throughout gsa-foundation.org/gsa-cares_camala-garzione/.
support one another. During this critical the year.
time, people everywhere experienced In 2019, our student donors continued to
unexpected challenges. GSA and the GSA show their generosity, as 1,161 gave back to
Foundation each committed US$50,000 to GSA in support of their fellow students. The
create a new program, GSA COVID-19 Foundation was pleased to recognize this
Assistance and Relief Effort for Students dynamic group through their own unique
(GSA CARES). We thank you, our mem- giving circle, Tektonikos. The accompany-
bers and GSA Sections, who went above ing tagline, “Building the Future,” conveys
and beyond the challenge to match this so their important role in the geosciences.
that we were able to offer US$188,000 in We are deeply appreciative of those who
assistance to our students—those who will include the Foundation in their estate
be stepping into ever-vital future roles in plans, and Legacy Circle gifts are vital to The Foundation is pleased to help donors
the geosciences. unrestricted funding. We are inspired that support GSA programs and priorities
The Campaign for GSA’s Future wrapped we continue hearing from donors making important to them. Looking forward, the
up during the GSA 2019 Annual Meeting in new legacy gift commitments, and we look Foundation and GSA are collaborating to
Phoenix, Arizona, USA, having raised forward to introduc- carry out even more effective resource
US$6,270,000 from 176 donors to support ing them personally to building strategies. With your help, we will
GSA programs into the future. The GSAF’s new presi- shape a strong future for GSA.
Foundation celebrated its campaign success dent, who joined We encourage every member to avail them-
with a special combined Penrose Circle, GSAF in July, Dr. selves of the opportunity to serve GSA and to
student awards, and campaign donor dinner. Christopher Grant support the Foundation in our combined
We also thank dozens of other individu- Maples, so that he can efforts to ensure the dynamism and strength of
als, Associated Societies, GSA Sections, learn firsthand why the geosciences. Please visit the Foundation’s
and corporate sponsors for continuing to this is such an important personal commit- website at www.gsa-foundation.org for infor-
help advance On To the Future, GSA’s ment from some of you. Dr. Maples mation and ideas regarding ways you can
flagship diversity initiative. A very gener- replaces Dr. John W. (Jack) Hess, who was make a philanthropic impact for GSA and
ous individual donor once again offered a the president of the Foundation since the geosciences.

30 FY2020 GSA Annual Report