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The Need for a Campaign
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Since their founding, the National Academies have relied heavily on government sponsorship of their research studies for Congress and the federal agencies.
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But project-by-project study requests from the government are often insufficient to enable the Academies to anticipate issues and problems before a response is necessary: government funding leaves vital issues unaddressed.
Likewise, simply informing the government will not keep democracy strong; today's information must be shared with all interested parties -- including the public -- in a form they can understand and use.
Thus, as the roles of science, engineering, and medicine in society increase, the National Academies are expanding their missions. Achieving those broader missions will depend on financial support from individuals, corporations, foundations, and other philanthropies.
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The Campaign for the National Academies seeks to raise $300 million from private sources, especially from individuals who recognize that harnessing the knowledge and expertise of society’s best minds will have a profound and lasting impact on the future of the nation.
The Campaign will enable the National Academies to:
- More broadly disseminate study reports -- for example, by increasing the print run of an important public health report or a study on educational performance, by producing lay versions of highly technical yet broadly relevant reports, or by translating reports into other languages.
- Initiate many projects that are important to our nation but that do not have government sponsorship -- and thus enhance the Academies’ capacity for long-term agenda setting and shorter-term policy guidance. Recent examples of self-initiated projects include To Err Is Human, an influential study on medical errors; Starting Out Right, a guide to improving children’s reading skills; and Our Common Journey, a landmark report on harnessing science and technology for sustainable development.
- Guide the development of science, engineering, and medicine by helping to set funding priorities, analyze research strategies, and convene leading researchers to identify trends and opportunities.
___________________W h y . A . C a m p a i g n ?___________________
The Need for a Campaign
A Letter from the Presidents
Thoughts from Norm Augustine
Return to Why a Campaign 
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