Awards & Mini-Grants

The North Central Region of the Astronomical League is an affiliate of the League but operates independently. As a result, the Region has its own awards and grant programs. Currently there are two award and two grant programs: the Region Award, the Newsletter Editor Award, the Membership Recruitment Mini Grant, and the Affiliate Recruitment Grant. Each award and grant is conferred annually.

Region Award

The most prestigious of our awards is the Region Award. It is given annually to a member of the NCRAL that demonstrates extraordinary skill, generosity, and devotion to promoting amateur astronomy and support of the NCRAL events and goals.

In an effort to standardize and simply the nomination process, the NCRAL Region Award requires the use of the standardized nomination for linked below:

NCRAL Region Award official nomination form

Nominations submitted without the completion of this form will be disqualified.

Past Region Award Winners

YearRecipientClub
1989Frank Roldan

Berton L. Stevens
Wehr Astronomical Society, Milwaukee Astronomical Society
Chicago Astronomical Society
1990Dan TroianiChicago Astronomical Society
1991Katherine & William DuVallRacine Astronomical Society
1992Robert Schmidt
Dan Koehler
Minnesota Astronomical Society
Milwaukee Astronomical Society
1993Ronald ParmentierNeville Public Museum Astronomical Society
1994Rolland P. Van ZandtPeoria Astronomical Society
1995James FoxMinnesota Astronomical Society
1996Dave BeineWehr Astronomical Society
1997— no award — 
1998Warren J. “Nick” NicholsNorthern Cross Science Foundation, Wehr Astronomical Society
1999Dr. Harry B. NelsonPopular Astronomy Club
2000— no award — 
2001Sam BrueschRockford Amateur Astronomers
2002Barry & Carol BeamanRockford Amateur Astronomers
2003George McCourtNeville Public Museum Astronomical Society
2004Dan C. JardineSangamon Astronomical Society
2005Katrina DeWittNeville Public Museum Astronomical Society
2006Kevin BertNorthern Cross Science Foundation
2007Carl WenningTwin City Amateur Astronomers
2008— no award — 
2009Ray Stonecipher
Don DeWitt
Door Peninsula Astronomical Society
Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society
2010Ty WestbrookNortheast Wisconsin Stargazers
2011David OesperIowa County Astronomers
2012Gene DuPreeNorthern Cross Science Foundation
2013Gerry KockenNeville Public Museum Astronomical Society
2017David LeakeChampaign-Urbana Astronomical Society
2018Roy E. GustafsonPopular Astronomy Club
2019John HeasleyIowa County Astronomers
2020Lee GreenTwin City Amateur Astronomers
2021Wayne KuhnNeville Public Museum Astronomical Society
2022— no award — 
2023Brian ChoppNeville Public Museum Astronomical Society
2024Matt RynoMilwaukee Astronomical Society
2025Bob KingArrowhead Astronomical Society and Minnesota Astronomical Society

Newsletter Editor Award

NCRAL Newsletter Editor Award is given in acknowledgement of excellence in content and presentation for a club-level newsletter. It recognizes a critical service to an NCRAL affiliate that often goes unrecognized and unrewarded.

Click here for the award rules
Click here for NCRAL’s Newsletter & Nomination Judging Form (interactive PDF)
Click here to download the NCRAL logo for your newsletter.

2019 Bill Davidson, Rochester Astronomy Club
2020 Edith Auchter, Northwest Suburban Astronomers
2021 No nominations or applications
2022 Fr. Eugene M. Brown, Minnesota Astronomical Society
2022 David Leake, Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society
2023 Paul Levesque, Popular Astronomy Club
2024 Greg Frohner & John Leeson, Cedar Amateur Astronomers
2025 Jim VandeBerg, Des Moines Astronomical Society

NCRAL Mini Grants

Membership Recruitment

Click here for Membership Recruitment Application Form

2019 Twin City Amateur Astronomers, $250
2020 No applicants
2021 Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society, $250
2022 No applicants
2023 No applicants
2024 Northeast Wisconsin Stargazers, $250

Affiliate Recruitment

Click here for Affiliate Recruitment Application Form

2019 No applicants
2020 Twin City Amateur Astronomers, $250
2021 No applicants
2022 No applicants
2023 No applicants
2024 No applicants