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The funding for myFOSSIL is ending at the end of September. The National Science Foundation gave several millions of dollars (EDIT: almost 2 million) to create a website that encouraged exchange of ideas and education between the amateur and professionals in the paleontology community. myFOSSIL: link I look forward to educator and researcher Bruce MacFadden’s papers that describe what was accomplished at myFOSSIL during the last few years. Can you create a worthwhile and thriving community with several million dollars? I wonder if some of the many new TFF members of recent are members of myFOSSIL. We seem to be getting lots of new members recently. Welcome! I, along with many other TFF members, are also myFOSSIL members. I would love to hear from our members about what they liked about myFOSSIL. What did they do well that might help us make TFF better? My experiences at myFOSSIL were positive. Almost every time I posted a fossil or a question in the forums I was answered by a profession paleontologist. The downside of myFOSSIL was that there was very little activity in their forums. Weeks and months could pass before new posts were made. MyFOSSIL showed us that the involvement of professional paleontologist with the amateurs is important. I encourage all the paleontologists at myFOSSIL to check out The Fossil Forum and become members.

I thought this was an interesting concept... http://www.cardfund.org/ "The Community Archaeology Radiocarbon Dating (CARD) Fund was established and funded by Archaeological Research Services Ltd and the SUERC Radiocarbon dating laboratory in January 2016. The fund consists of a set number of radiocarbon dates available on an annual basis that community archaeology groups or projects can apply for. For 2016 there will be 10 radiocarbon dates available. The fund is not open to universities, students, professional archaeological organisations or large charities. It is directed specifically at community groups seeking to obtain radiocarbon dates on key samples from sites they have investigated." I could imagine something similar set up for avocational paleontology perhaps funded by individual membership fee or donations. Application criteria might encourage responsible/professional collection and documentation of a specimen suspected to have some scientific significance, but the local museum or university isn't interested or doesn't have the resources available. Establishing a qualified review committee transparent and agreeable to everyone might be more of a challenge. Darrow