The International Dark-Sky Association: A Resource for Astronomy and for Environmental Education

Crawford - AST 99- 06557该提案寻求一次性组织发展赠款，这将使国际黑暗天空协会（IDA）能够通过有针对性的战略扩大其成员基础，预计将导致坚实的财务基础，确保该组织的活力，因为它追求其对抗光污染的目标。IDA致力于通过推广良好的户外照明实践来保护黑暗的天空，以造福天文学和整个社会。IDA在过去十年中有效地提高了人们对光污染问题的认识，并制定了有效的解决方案。开发协会现在必须扩大以应付其显著增加的工作量，并必须建立一个组织结构，以消除对志愿人员的依赖，志愿人员迄今为止一直承担着该组织的工作。IDA打算大幅扩大其成员基础，以支持其预算来自成员的贡献。IDA打算遵循的战略，以实现其成员的目标是做大量的邮件，以选定的团体有兴趣在天文学。有了所寻求的资金，开发协会将能够大大扩大其外联工作，并有望实现其目标。IDA一直是保护美国在天文设施（光学望远镜）方面投资的主要因素，并与商业和专业照明社区建立了有效的工作关系，通过采取合作共赢的战略来改善光污染，同时通过节能节省大量资金。该组织希望得到加强，继续与光污染作斗争，并保护美国和世界各地的光学天文设施。

ABSTRACT Crawford - AST 99-06557This proposal seeks a one-time organizational development grant which will allow the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) to expand its membership base with a targeted strategy that is expected to lead to a firm financial basis, ensuring the vitality of the organization as it pursues it's goal of fighting light pollution. IDA seeks to preserve dark skies for the benefit of astronomy and society in general, through promotion of good outdoor lighting practices. IDA has been effective in over the past decade in developing awareness of the light pollution issue, and in devising effective solutions. IDA now must expand to meet its significantly increasing workload, and must create an organizational structure to eliminate dependence on volunteers, who carried the work of the organization until now. IDA intends to significantly expand its membership base, to support its budget from membership contributions.The strategy IDA intends to follow to achieve its membership goal is to do large mailings to selected groups with an interest in astronomy. With the funding sought, IDA will be able to greatly expand its outreach efforts and expects to achieve its goals. IDA has been a major factor in protecting U.S. investment in astronomical facilities (optical telescopes) and developed an effective working relationship with the business and professional lighting communities, by adopting a cooperative win-win strategy for ameliorating light pollution, that at the same time results in large savings through energy conservation. The organization expects to be strengthened, to continue its battle against light pollution, and in defense of U.S. and worldwide optical astronomy facilities.