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
| Year | Recipient | Club |
| 2026 | Steven Spangler | Cedar Amateur Astronomers, Inc. |
| 2026 | Keith Short | Rockford Amateur Astronomers |
| 2025 | Bob King | Arrowhead Astronomical Society and Minnesota Astronomical Society |
| 2024 | Matt Ryno | Milwaukee Astronomical Society |
| 2023 | Brian Chopp | Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society |
| 2022 | — no award — | |
| 2021 | Wayne Kuhn | Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society |
| 2020 | Lee Green | Twin City Amateur Astronomers |
| 2019 | John Heasley | Iowa County Astronomers |
| 2018 | Roy E. Gustafson | Popular Astronomy Club |
| 2017 | David Leake | Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society |
| 2013 | Gerry Kocken | Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society |
| 2012 | Gene DuPree | Northern Cross Science Foundation |
| 2011 | David Oesper | Iowa County Astronomers |
| 2010 | Ty Westbrook | Northeast Wisconsin Stargazers |
| 2009 | Ray Stonecipher Don DeWitt | Door Peninsula Astronomical Society Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society |
| 2008 | — no award — | |
| 2007 | Carl Wenning | Twin City Amateur Astronomers |
| 2006 | Kevin Bert | Northern Cross Science Foundation |
| 2005 | Katrina DeWitt | Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society |
| 2004 | Dan C. Jardine | Sangamon Astronomical Society |
| 2003 | George McCourt | Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society |
| 2002 | Barry & Carol Beaman | Rockford Amateur Astronomers |
| 2001 | Sam Bruesch | Rockford Amateur Astronomers |
| 2000 | — no award — | |
| 1999 | Dr. Harry B. Nelson | Popular Astronomy Club |
| 1998 | Warren J. “Nick” Nichols | Northern Cross Science Foundation, Wehr Astronomical Society |
| 1997 | — no award — | |
| 1996 | Dave Beine | Wehr Astronomical Society |
| 1995 | James Fox | Minnesota Astronomical Society |
| 1994 | Rolland P. Van Zandt | Peoria Astronomical Society |
| 1993 | Ronald Parmentier | Neville Public Museum Astronomical Society |
| 1992 | Robert Schmidt Dan Koehler | Minnesota Astronomical Society Milwaukee Astronomical Society |
| 1991 | Katherine & William DuVall | Racine Astronomical Society |
| 1990 | Dan Troiani | Chicago Astronomical Society |
| 1989 | Frank Roldan Berton L. Stevens | Wehr Astronomical Society, Milwaukee Astronomical Society Chicago 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.
NCRAL Mini Grants
Membership Recruitment
Click here for Membership Recruitment Application Form
| 2026 | No applicants | |
| 2025 | No applicants | |
| 2024 | Northeast Wisconsin Stargazers, $250 | |
| 2023 | No applicants | |
| 2022 | No applicants | |
| 2021 | Champaign-Urbana Astronomical Society, $250 | |
| 2020 | No applicants | |
| 2019 | Twin City Amateur Astronomers, $250 |
Affiliate Recruitment
Click here for Affiliate Recruitment Application Form
| 2026 | No applicants | |
| 2025 | No applicants | |
| 2024 | No applicants | |
| 2023 | No applicants | |
| 2022 | No applicants | |
| 2021 | No applicants | |
| 2020 | 2020 Twin City Amateur Astronomers, $250 | |
| 2019 | No applicants |
