Thank you for supporting ESAL!

Your donation allows ESAL to continue raising awareness, creating support services, and building relationships to help engineers and scientists actively engage with their local communities and governments.

FAQs

What does ESAL use its funding for?

ESAL furthers its mission by bringing people with STEM backgrounds and local civic leaders together, developing and sharing resources, hosting events and workshops, and shining light on the important work happening in U.S. states and communities. While the majority of our operations are guided by volunteers, funding allows us to:

retain two staff members (and hopefully more in the near future)
contract for specialized services
license the digital tools and platforms that underpin our outreach and education
sponsor local events and gatherings, and
host local civic engagement workshops and panels at scientific conferences, expanding our reach to more STEM networks and state and local civic leaders.

Here are some specific examples:

$100–$250 covers a small- to medium-sized local civic engagement convening or outreach event run by an ESAL volunteer or network member.
$500–$1,500 covers a local or regional key actors event for 50 people (depending on donations of event space).
$1,000 covers our network's overall technology needs for one month.
$1,500–$2,500 covers the cost of an ESAL volunteer or staff member delivering an in-person local civic engagement workshop to a STEM group.
$3,500–$5,000 covers costs to exhibit at conferences of local and state leaders and build connections with them.

Each year, we evolve how we show up for states and local communities, bring together STEM and civic leaders, and create capacity-building opportunities for our STEM network. This list is not a comprehensive list of financial needs, but rather provides some examples of how we could make the most of your contribution.

Is my donation tax-deductible?

ESAL is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization, and donations to our organization are tax-deductible. Our EIN is 83-2077343. ESAL has a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid by Guidestar.

There is an additional tax incentive for you to give in 2025.

Do you itemize your taxes? Donations in 2025 will offer tax savings, whereas donations in 2026 will not. Giving this year, you can support our mission and receive the tax benefit.

What changed? H.R. 1, the "One Big Beautiful Bill," takes effect in 2026. At that time, the first 0.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI) given to charity will no longer be deductible. This means that for many people, their charitable donations starting in 2026 may not offer any tax savings.

Grants made through Donor-Advised Funds are not tax-exempt.

Will I receive a receipt?

You will be e-mailed a receipt that includes the details of your donation.
If you do not receive one, please contact donations@esal.us.

Does ESAL have a major gifts program?

Yes, ESAL is launching our major gifts program in November 2025. For us, any gift of $1,000 or above is major! We offer a range of recognition, engagement, and network-building benefits for major gift donors. We will work with you to identify the benefits that are meaningful to you. We want to know our donors and grow in this work together.

Gifts of a transformational size, especially when given for general operating purposes, allow us to plan for smart and sustained growth, catalyzing the work of more scientists and engineers in communities across the country.

If you are interested in giving at this level and joining this program, please connect with us at founder@esal.us.

Can I support ESAL with a grant through my Donor-Advised Fund?

Yes, absolutely.

If you wish to recommend a grant to Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally (EIN 83-2077343) through your Donor Advised Fund (DAF), please log in to your DAF account through your fund management company, financial advisor, or community foundation. Indicate in your account your desire to give to Engineers & Scientists Acting Locally and the amount you wish to donate this year.

Please complete this form to let us know about your anticipated DAF grant.

If you have any questions about the form or giving through your Donor Advised Fund, please get in touch at donations@esal.us.

Can I support ESAL through my employer giving platform?

Yes, if your employer is enrolled in the Benevity platform, you can give to ESAL through Benevity. Search for “Engineers and Scientists Acting Locally” to locate our organization's profile.
Reach out to donations@esal.us if you have any questions or issues.

What if I would like to donate my time? Can I volunteer with ESAL?

Yes, ESAL is a volunteer-led organization and is often seeking new members with an array of skill sets and experiences. Our programming, communications, network-building, and resources are managed by volunteers. You can review open positions at esal.us/volunteer or email volunteer@esal.us for more information.