The American Folklore Society offers two opportunities for individual donors who want to support the work of the Society as it communicates knowledge about folklore and strengthens the field—the AFS Endowment Fund and the AFS Sustainers’ Fund.

The AFS Endowment Fund provides opportunities for donors who want to make a present gift, or a future pledge, that will be invested rather than spent. We will use the investment income from these gifts to keep the Society and field strong for the long-term future.

The AFS Sustainers’ Fund provides opportunities for donors who want to make a present gift to the Society that will be used to support and enhance its current programs and services.

1. AFS Endowment Fund

In 2003 the Executive Board of the American Folklore Society created the AFS Endowment Fund as a way for Society members and other donors to support the field of folklore for the long term by strengthening the organization at its center.

Since the endowment-building campaign began, 36 of our colleagues have made present gifts or pledged future contributions to the Endowment Fund.  A number of them have shared stories about why they gave.

We invite you to join them.

Your gift to the Endowment Fund will provide a source of permanent financial support to the Society, sustaining its long-term ability to support work that expresses your personal and professional values. The Endowment Fund has three sub-funds to which you can direct your contribution: the General Fund, for unrestricted contributions; the Communications Fund, to support AFS publications in all media; and the Gatherings Fund, to support AFS meetings of all kinds.

Anyone can make a present gift or a future pledge to the Endowment Fund. We welcome gifts and pledges in any amount: your participation is what is important to us. We are able to accept many forms of support, and we’d be happy to discuss the options with you so that we can find the best way to fulfill your own goals and plans. The Society is a non-profit organization, and contributions to the Endowment Fund are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The amount of your gift or pledge will always remain confidential, but (unless you would prefer to remain anonymous) we will recognize your support by adding your name to the AFS Legacy Council, our collective name for donors to the Endowment Fund.

If you want to make a gift to the Endowment Fund, please contact Timothy Lloyd, Executive Director, American Folklore Society, Mershon Center, The Ohio State University, 1501 Neil Avenue, Columbus OH 43201-2602 USA; 614/292-3375 to discuss your plans. Our Endowment Donor Guide may answer some of your initial questions.

2. AFS Sustainers’ Fund

In 2010, the Executive Board of the American Folklore Society created the AFS Sustainers’ Fund as a way for Society members and other donors to support the Society's growing profile of present-day activities each year. That year, 39 of your colleagues donated a total of almost $11,000. In 2011, 69 AFS members donated just over $12,000 to the campaign, and in 2012, 80 members donated $11,466.

We invite you to join them.

We will use your Sustainers' Fund contribution to support and enhance AFS's current programs and services--publications, web-based resources, conferences, prizes, travel stipends, support for students, and the like. Anyone can make a gift to the Sustainers’ Fund. We welcome gifts in any amount--your participation is what is important. Contributions to AFS, a non-profit organization, are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The amount of your contribution will always remain confidential, but unless you would prefer to remain anonymous we will add your name to the alphabetical list of Sustainers’ Fund donors.

If you want to contribute to the AFS Sustainers' Fund, please follow the link below to our secure online donation page, or if you prefer you can send your donation by mail to 2013 Sustainers' Fund, American Folklore Society, 1501 Neil Avenue, Columbus OH 43201 USA.