At times, the importance of the AISF has been de-emphasized.  These web pages referring to the contributions, proposals, and/or the F.A.Q. pages, along with a few other printed articles, share but a little of the sound fiscal position and the generosity of the Foundation as it actively and quietly fulfills its purposes.

In 1971, the American Iris Society Foundation (AISF) was established and became a tax-exempt organization shortly thereafter.  In its early years, with the energetic leadership of Presidents Hugo Wall and William Bledsoe, quick progress was made in building up Foundation funds.  The drive originated and directed by one of the first Foundation Trustees, Helen McCaughey, was especially productive.

The first project that the AISF financed was the publishing of a revision of Garden Irises (later titled The World of Irises).  The Foundation made money available for publication costs by an interest-free loan to AIS. As the loan was repaid from sales of the book, funds were made available for the next undertaking. This book was of signal importance in furthering iris knowledge and study.  Its revision encompasses progress made since its original publication in 1959 and marks a milestone perhaps unequalled in its field. 

The Foundation gives grants and loans.  The grants are given to organizations and individuals who are doing research with iris or a related field.  Loans are given only to sections of the AIS for the purposes of getting books printed on iris or related subjects.

During the first decade (1971-1980), AISF funded many other projects including (but not limited to) the following:  

• Society for Siberian Irises in support of their book that was published in 1981
• Alabama A & M University project, supported jointly by the Foundation and Region 24, investigating soft rot of irises.  The initial results of this research were reported in the July 1981 Bulletin.

AIS Foundation Home Page

Based on information from the AISF 1999 Activity Report, some past awardees and projects supported by the Foundation included:

• University of Georgia for the collection and classification of irises.
• University of Nebraska and University of Iowa for research on the causes of scorch.
• Louisiana State University for genetic research on the relationships among Louisiana iris species and interspecific hybrids.
• University of California for research on Pacific Coast native irises.
• University of Maryland
• Japanese Iris Society for publication of book on Japanese Irises
• Cornell University/Dr. Currier McEwen for research on diseases of Japanese and Siberian irises, utilizing electron microscopy.
• Dr. James Waddick for collecting and research on irises in China.
• Dr. George Rodionenko for studies on new species of iris occurring in Siberia.

In addition to the above listing, the Foundation:

• Supports the AIS library through the binding of AIS bulletins and funding for computer, copying, scanning and printing equipment.  These activities were supported in part from the Evelyn Jones Memorial Library Fund.

   

• Administers the Dallas Iris Society's scholarship trust which provides support for deserving students in the Dallas area to study horticulture.  Each year, the Dallas Iris Society sends the recipient name.  In return, AISF utilizes interest earned from their funds, to send a check to the scholarship recipient.  The Dallas Society hopes to contribute to the AISF fund until it becomes self-perpetuating.  Currently, the Dallas Society gives a check for the balance of the amount awarded.

   

• Administers the award for the Ackerman Youth Essay Contest.  The Youth Essay Contest is still handled by the Youth chairman but the Foundation sets up the committee to judge the entries and then make the awards available to the Youth chairman, who in turn awards them to the individuals.  In the past, an award of $100.00 had been given to only one AIS Youth member.  In year 2000, the AISF made two Youth divisions based on age.  Therefore, two $100.00 awards are given.  The two age categories are age 12 and under, and age 13 through age 18.  For more information about this Youth Essay Contest (and other Youth Contests which are not funded by AISF), click here to go to the Youth-Iris Web Site

AIS Foundation Home Page

Based on information from the AISF 2002 Activity Report, recipients of  funded projects (new and previous recipients) include:

• Dr. Arnis Seiums to study the Juno Irises in Syria.  This study would include:  proposed studies in the field, collecting herbarium, and molecular and cytogenetic work on living material that would likely to contribute significantly to the future monograph on subgenus Scorpiris as well as a taxonomic revision of them for Flora of Syria.

   

• Dr. Yuval Sapri for the study of Oncocyclus populations in Israel.  Because of the human population growth, many of the areas that are home to various Oncocyclus species are being destroyed.  Dr. Sapir plans to cultivate plants of all Oncocyclus species of Israel in a Common garden.

   

• Dr. George Ivanovich Rodionenko has been busy this last year preparing many articles for publication and the foundation wishes to continue to support him in his work.  His contact information is:

  Dr. George Ivanovich Rodionenko
  Serdobolskaja str. 9-36
  St. Petersburg, 197343
  Russia
  
  His submitted articles include:

  • Iris lactea, a mysterious species
  • Iris laevigata, the nodal species of Laevigatae series
  • Iris ruthenica
  • Iris setosa
  • Gems of the Trans Caucasian Flora

    
    

• Mongolian Academy of Sciences: Finance a trip to bring back seeds and plants of I. uniflora and I. laevigata.  The trip is scheduled for Spring, 2002.
  
• Maretta Colasante for translation of iris papers from German, French and Italian into English.
  
• Nina Alexeeva to fund a trip to Britain to examine herbarium specimens at Kew Gardens and the British Museum, and to fund collection of specimens in Russia.
  
• Continued financial support of AIS Library, Dallas Iris Society, and Eckerman Essay Contest.  (For more details, see above).

AIS Foundation Home Page

Based on information from the AISF 2005 Activity Report, recipients of funded projects included:

• Dr. George Ivanovich Rodionenko has been busy these last years preparing many articles for publication and the foundation wishes to continue to support him in his work.  His contact information is:

  Dr. George Ivanovich Rodionenko
  Serdobolskaja str. 9-36
  St. Petersburg, 197343
  Russia
  
  His submitted articles include:

  • Iris lactea, a mysterious species // Signa, 2005, N 75, p. 3734-3737
  • Life of Seed // Signa, N 75, 3795-3805
  • The Life of Rhizomes // The Iris Year book, 2005 p 38-49
    
• Carol Wilson (Portland State University)  Continuing support for Molecular systematics/phylogenetics project.  Her goal was to collect five species, most occur in China.  Part of her research includes extraction of DNA, ITS sequential data collection, MatK sequential data, TrnL-trnF sequential data and PsbM-trnD sequential data.  She has made considerable progress on her "The Genus Iris website."  It can be viewed at www.rsabg.org/iris.  This site is linked from the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden homepage.  Carol was able to visit with the AIS Foundation in person at the Portland National Convention.
  
• Milan Blazek (Pruhonice/Prague)  Continuing support over a two year period going to various places to study, collect and confer with experts.
  

In 2006, the AIS Foundation continued to support Carol Wilson, Milan Blazek, and George Rodionenko

AIS Foundation Home Page

In 2007, the AIS Foundation entered into two new and exciting adventures.  One was the settlement of the Sid DuBose estate.  The purpose of a Trust from this acquisition is to support an iris library.  The nature of the activity was not further defined.  Settlement was finalized the following year.

The other adventure was the naming of the AIS Foundation as the benefactor of the Presby Gardens in Upper Montclair, New Jersey.  Linda Sercus, director of the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens met with the AISF Trustees to explain the circumstances.  Ms. Sercus explained that the Citizen Committee of the Presby Memorial Iris Garden is the parent organization that has become the caretaker of the garden.  It was formed as a non-profit organization 80 years ago.  As with all organizations, there must be by-laws and one of the by-laws must include a designated person or organization that would received all assets if the gardens were dissolved.

As time passed, the gardens became a financial burden for Barbara Walthers; so, the Citizen Committee purchased the dwelling and the 3.5 acres the house stood one.  They allowed Barbara to remain in the house for the rest of her days.  This property is adjacent to the park where the irises are planted.  The park belongs to Essex County, the city of Upper Montclaire.  Therefore, for the next 50 years, Barbara could walk out of here house and into the iris garden.  Presently, there are approximately 10,000 plots available to received named or species iris.

The house itself, is a typical farmhouse of the time but the Citizen Committee has plans to convert it into a full time educations center and has gone on to get grants to further the study of this project.  They have been employed a landscape architect to plot passive walkways, etc. so that it would be readily accessible to the public.  Presently, the home houses the offices of the committee and tons of memorabilia, including the earliest of iris catalogs.

But, the reason for the overture is to name the Foundation as the benefactor of the garden in case of dissolution.  The reason is two fold.  Both the AIS and the Presby gardens share the same parentage.  John Wister & Frank Presby, two of the first officers of the AIS, are the reason why the Presby garden exists.  So, it is only logical that we form some sort of relationship.  Secondly, the iris collection, although new additions are added yearly, is probably the largest collection of historical iris in the world.  The breadth and depth of this collection is incalculable.  Therefore, it makes sense for the Foundation to work with all of the sections of the AIS, including HIPS, to disburse these historical iris if and when necessary.  Linda went on to ask the Foundation to consider such an offer of being the benefactor of the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.

AIS Foundation continues to support Carol Wilson, George Rodionenko, Yuval Sapir, and Amy Bouck.

In 2008, the Sid DuBose trust was in the final stages of settlement, with Phil Ediinger as the trustee and Bob Plank as the appointed co-trustee.  Again, the purpose of the Trust is to support an iris library.

AISF continues to support Carol Wilson with her genetics research in the World of Iris.  Also funded was Noland Martin and Sunni Taylor who are working with Lousiana Iris species.

AIS Foundation Home Page