• Purchase Apparatus

• Faculty Development

• Develop New Experiments

• Sponsor Conferences

• Support Publications/Websites

• Creating New Awards/Prizes

• Foundation Operations

• Unspecified Future Programs

Contributions for the Permanent Endowment

• Endowment funds will be invested by the Board of Directors, and spending these funds, in any area, will be limited to a maximum of 5% per year, so as to preserve the principal.
• Endowment gifts may be targeted, by the donor, to any area of the Foundations programs or operations.  Example
  Michael Faraday contributed $50,000 to endow the “Alpha Miners” program. His gift, which (at 5%) will yield about $2500 annually, will be used to allow a faculty member to attend a major APS meeting (such as the solid-state March meeting) with the express purpose of identifying cutting-edge experimental physics that could be incorporated into an advanced laboratory program. Michael made this generous gift in the hope that, like his own Faraday Effect, current research discoveries will become part of the advanced laboratory canon.
• The donor may endow and name any particular program or operation by gifts that will fully fund this program or operation with 5% of the capital gift.  Example
  Galileo Galilei wanted to remind the Church of some of the very nasty things they did to him, so he chose a gift to the Foundation of $2 million, which will provide $100,000 every year for the “Galileo Equipment Fund” to provide advanced laboratory apparatus for those faculty who have successfully completed an ALPhA Immersion program and demonstrated the need for the experiment they worked on to become part of their own advanced laboratory program. This apparatus will come with a nameplate, reminding the students of their benefactor, and, possibly, reminding the Church of its responsibilities.
• The endowment gift may be given for unrestricted use as determined by the Board of the Foundation.
• The endowment gift may be given as a legacy in the donors will.  Example
  The foundation was thrilled to discover that Albert Michelson had stipulated in his will that $20,000 was to be gifted to the first foundation that was specifically dedicated to experimental physics education. Since none existed before, his trustees had kept these funds in escrow until now. If you are considering leaving a legacy gift to the Foundation, we would greatly appreciate your letting us know, so that we may help you with the paperwork and any legal advice. We also never had a chance to thank Albert!

Contributions for Current Expenditures

• The full amount of the contribution will be spent within two years of the gifts’ donation.
• Funds can be directed at any specific program or operation by the donor.  Example
  One of Jonathan’s former students (who wants to remain anonymous) heard about the Foundation and has sent a $150 contribution to support the ALPhA Miners program because she remembers her excitement when she did the Mossbauer experiment in the UB advanced lab. This experiment had received the Nobel Prize only a few years before!
• Funds can be used to both support and name a program or operation, if these funds are sufficient to run this program or operation for at least three years.  Example
  Isaac Newton wanted to create the most prestigious prize for the teaching of experimental physics, and wanted the prize to carry his name. The prize was for the development of a new cutting-edge advanced laboratory physics experiment that even small schools would be able to afford. So the foundation created the “Newton Award”, which provides a hand engraved brass-on-hardwood plaque, and all- expense paid trip to a national physics meeting, along with a $20,000 cash award. (Newton wanted to make a big splash.) The total cost of this prize (with overhead) comes to $25,000 per year. A consummate experimentalist, Newton wanted to see the impact this prize would have on the physics community before creating a permanent endowment. He chose, therefore, to subsidize the prize for three years, which is the minimum time for a named program. A gift of $75,000 was used to create this program and, based on the overwhelming response the prize has received, the Foundation is hopeful that Newton will secure the future of the prize with a $500,000 endowment gift.
• Funds can be contributed for unrestricted use by the Foundation, as determined by its Board.

• Friend – $100-$199
• Sponsor – $200-$499
• Supporter – $500-$999

• Patron – $1000-$5000
• Life Benefactor – over $5000, one-time gift
• Founding Life Member – fully endowing any names or unnamed program