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Welcome to the Stuntz Mycology Fund

The Stuntz Mycology Fund (SMF) was created in 2017 to continue the grant-making activities of the Daniel E. Stuntz Memorial Foundation (DESMF). The common mission of the SMF and DESMF (together, the "Stuntz Foundation") is to advance the appreciation of fungi and support mycological research and education in the Pacific Northwest. We fulfill this mission primarily by providing funds for purposes such as:

  • Students pursuing advanced degrees in mycology

  • Equipment, supplies, and services for mycological research

  • Travel for mycological research

  • Student travel to meetings and conferences

  • Educators at all levels conducting programs about fungi

  • Operational aspects of the University of Washington's Fungal Herbarium

The Foundation Objectives

  • Provide Financial aid to students of fungal systematics pursuing advanced degrees in the Pacific Northwest

  • Provide supplies and equipment for mycological research

  • Provide funds for travel to meetings and fieldwork

  • Support amateur and professional mycological programs in the Pacific Northwest

  • Update, enlarge, and classify the University of Washington mycological herbarium

The Stuntz Foundation's Vision

Our vision of the future is one where the general public is aware and appreciative of the essential roles that fungi play in our environment and our lives. We see opportunities for learning about fungi as a regular part of instructional curricula at all levels in the school system. We see laboratory and field research by academic institutions and other organizations (including those of citizen scientists) that is well-funded and conducted broadly. Herbarium and other collections of fungi are valued and protected. Good progress is made toward discovering and cataloguing the diversity of fungal species and understanding their ecosystem roles. As a foundation, we have contributed to this future vision.

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Dr. Daniel E. Stuntz

1909-1983
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University of Washington
1940-1983

Forty years of dedication continues into the future

The Daniel E Stuntz Memorial Foundation

The Daniel E. Stuntz Memorial Foundation was established in 1984 by a group of friends, amateur mycologists, former students, and colleagues to honor the late Dr. Stuntz, Professor of Botany, who specialized in fleshy fungi and taught at the University of Washington for over 40 years. Originally a funding organization, DESMF currently serves as a Supporting Organization to the SMF.

Roughly half of the corpus of the Stuntz Foundation is derived from a bequest from Dr. Patricia Winter.

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Dr. Winter ("Dr. Pat") joined the Puget Sound Mycological Society in 1972. She immediately became very active in the Society, attending and participating in meetings and particularly the annual mushroom exhibit where she for years managed the freeze-dried mushroom display. She had great admiration for the PSMS members and particularly enjoyed the slide presentations and discussions at the meetings. She got to know Dr. Stuntz very well and admired his expertise in mycology as well as his devotion to students. Dr. Winter made a number of very generous financial contributions to the Society during various fund-raising drives.

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Dr. Winter suffered from several critical health issues and, during the last year of her life, decided to donate a large sum and her final estate assets to the Daniel E. Stuntz Memorial Foundation so that it could better carry out its mission. She shared Dr. Stuntz‘s love for students and wanted to provide resources that would go to support graduate students in mycology. She had worked hard to earn her degrees and knew first-hand the financial struggles of a student.

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Thus, Dr. Winter created the Dr. Patricia Allynson Winter Fund, the primary purpose of which is to support female graduate students in mycology who plan to pursue a career in teaching. The first grant from the Winter Fund was made in 1991.

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In making her donation, Dr. Winter specified the following conditions:

  • The donation will be set up as a fund, entitled, "The Dr. Patricia Allynson Winter Educational Fund."

  • Financial grants from the fund are to be given to aid students in the following order of preference:

  1. Female students of mycology who plan to continue in the teaching profession

  2. Other students of mycology

  3. Post-doctoral research or study in mycology

  4. General support of mycology classes or activities

  5. Expenses for visiting lecturing professional mycologists

  6. Amateur mycology students and/or support of their activities

  • Grants may be given annually to one or more students in varying financial amounts.

  • Recommendations of grant recipient(s) should be made by Dr. Joe Ammirati, or his successors, to the Stuntz Foundation Award Committee.

  • Grants shall not be issued to students of degrees other than mycology (botany)

  • Any student grant(s) should be given through the Stuntz Foundation indicating that the grant comes from the Dr. Patricia Allynson Winter Fund.

  • As this fund is established to provide student support, no portion of this fund shall be used/granted to support activities of the Puget Sound Mycological Society.

Between 1984 and 2016, DESMF awarded approximately 100 grants, totaling approximately $305,000.

 

The Trustees are hopeful that those interested in fungi as a vital part of our ecosystems will support the efforts of young mycologists by contributing to the assets of the SMF and DESMF. The board would like to sponsor more studies and educational activities, and with your help the fund will grow and produce enough revenue to fulfill the dreams of young mycologists and volunteers in the service of ecosystem understanding and protection.

Daniel E. Stuntz Memorial Foundation Endowed Fund

In 2007, DESMF and the Puget Sound Mycological Society made the initial gifts to establish an endowed fund at the University of Washington. The purpose of the endowment is to provide support for research, education, and public outreach in relation to the mycological collections in the Burke Museum Herbarium at the University of Washington. The founding intent was that the endowment be developed to benefit the curation and development of the mycological collections, and eventually, to support a Curatorship in mycology at the Burke Museum. Currently, income from this fund provides supplemental support for the Fungal Herbarium's operations.

Learn more about the UW Endowment on the Donations page.

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