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ABRF Colleagues,

I'm pleased to share this summary of the June ABRF Executive Board meeting:

Operational Updates

The Board reviewed the latest operational update report on key activities since the last Board meeting. 

Financial Update

Sara summarized ABRF current financial results (through April 30, 2025), which reflected positive results from the 2025 Annual Meeting, including an additional $180,000 in net revenue.  Current membership revenue is below budget, with new initiatives planned to target leading research institutions to join ABRF for the balance of the year. 

Mega Issue: ABRF's Options for Science Policy and Advocacy

Kym led the Executive Board through the Mega Issue framework to evaluate ABRF's interest in science policy and advocacy and to assess current services through FASEB as well as alternative ways for ABRF to participate in federal science policy and advocacy, either through different coalitions, by creating its own policy and advocacy capacity, or collaborating with other organizations on issues of mutual interest.

Following a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative, the Board agreed to eliminate options 1 (remain full FASEB member) and 5 (create independent ABRF policy/advocacy capacity), with a preference for option 2 (joining Research!America to access policy and advocacy information) along with possibly shifting to FASEB Associate membership, based on the applicable membership features and costs.  ABRF would also remain open to potential issue-based collaborations with other societies.

Board Task Force Updates

Tim presented a summary of the By Laws Task Force work to date, including options to change the Board term to 4 years and to clarify the process for selecting the Secretary/Treasurer and President-Elect.  The Task Force will continue to meet over the next several months to finalize their recommendations for a vote by the Executive Board in October, with the proposed changes distributed to the full membership for approval at the 2026 annual meeting.

Core Topic: ABRF Strategy Task Forces Update

The Strategy Task Force leaders will meet later today to discuss their progress to recruit additional members.

Programmatic Updates: Committees/Research Groups

The Executive Board approved the creation of a new Spatial Transcriptomics Interest Group, led by Brittany Adams with the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The monthly update report was shared prior to the meeting.

Status of Action Items from Prior Meetings

The status of Action Items (Tasks) from Prior Meetings is published in OnBoard.  ABRF will include a summary of these open Action Items in the monthly meeting materials.

Review Action Items for Next Meeting

June 2025 meeting – Action Items

 

Feel free to contact me (president@abrf.org) if you have any questions or suggestions.

Thank you for your continued support for ABRF.

 

Best regards,

Kym Delventhal

ABRF President

https://abrf.org/