Natural Science Collections Alliance

Our members are part of an international community of museums, botanical gardens, herbariums, universities and other institutions that house natural science collections and utilize them in research, exhibitions, academic and informal science education, and outreach activities.

News & Updates

NSC Alliance Joins Coalition in Urging At Least $9.9 billion for NSF in FY 2026

The Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF), of which NSC Alliance is a member, has written to appropriators urging them to provide at least $9.9 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in fiscal year (FY) 2026. “Funding for NSF lags far behind congressionally authorized levels and the amount needed to truly meet our national […]

NSCA Joins Science Groups in Urging Congress to Protect U.S. Scientific Research

On March 4, 2025, NSCA joined the American Institute of Biological Sciences and 50 other scientific societies and organizations in sending a letter to congressional leaders urging them to oppose recent executive actions that are harming the U.S. scientific enterprise. “Recent actions have disrupted vital scientific research, impeded scientific meetings and review panels, delayed salary […]

2024 Year in Review

As the year wraps up and we head into the holiday season, we invite you to take a look at NSC Alliance’s accomplishments in 2024. We engaged in a number of efforts to elevate the profile of natural history collections with policymakers, researchers, and the general public. A few highlights are presented below: Read the full annual […]

NOAA Finalizes MMPA Permit Rule Change, Quotes NSCA & SPNHC

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has finalized a rule change for Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) permits in support of which NSCA and SPNHC jointly submitted comments earlier this year. The revision makes it possible for NOAA to issue permits for longer than the current 5-year term. The joint comments are mentioned and […]

Webinar – Natural History Collections and Repatriation: When Does NAGPRA Apply?

Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024Time: 3:00-4:00 PM Eastern Time / 1:00-2:00 PM Mountain TimeThis webinar will be recorded. Please join us for an information session about repatriation and how it relates to natural history collections, including zoological, botanical, paleontological, and geological collections. Speakers, including National NAGPRA Program Manager Melanie O’Brien and others, will discuss the […]

Science Coalition Urges Congress to Robustly Fund NSF in Final FY 2025 Appropriations Package

The Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF), of which NSC Alliance is a member, has sent a letter to House and Senate appropriators urging them to fund the National Science Foundation (NSF) at no less than $11.9 billion in the finalized fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations legislation. CNSF is an alliance of over 140 professional […]

Science Coalition Urges House Appropriators to Provide Additional FY 2025 Funding to NSF

The Coalition for National Science Funding (CNSF), of which NSC Alliance is a member, has issued a statement urging House appropriators to strengthen support for the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the final fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations legislation.  CNSF is an alliance of over 140 professional organizations, universities, and businesses that advocates for the […]

NSCA Signs Letter Urging Congress to Robustly Fund Non-defense Discretionary Programs

NSC Alliance joined more than 1,100 local, state, and national organizations in sending a letter calling on Congress to reject arbitrary funding levels for non-defense discretionary appropriations, and instead fully appropriate the necessary funds to keep pace with rising costs and keep poison pill policy riders out of the fiscal year (FY) 2025 spending package. […]

New Publication from BCoN: Planning for Specimen Management in Funding Proposals

The Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN), in collaboration with the U.S. Culture Collection Network, has published a new Special Report in the journal BioScience providing guidance on implementing a specimen management plan requirement for research proposals that involve collecting or generating specimens. This requirement, which was first proposed in the National Academies report on biological collections […]

NSCA & SPNHC Submit Joint Comments on NOAA Marine Mammal Protection Act Proposed Rule

The Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSCA) and the Society for the Preservation of Natural History (SPNHC) have submitted joint comments on a proposed rule to modify the duration of certain permits and letters of confirmation under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). “We support the changes in permit terms proposed by the National Marine Fisheries […]

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