Supporting Members

Max Planck Society is a non-profit research organization. It is supported by a very special circle of friends: our Supporting Members.

Over 400 Personal Supporting Members (individuals) as well as about 250 Corporative Supporting Members (companies, associations, and communities) support Max Planck in a variety of ways. 

As multipliers or advocates, our members inform about our concerns. They represent and stand in for Max Planck Society in the public arena and support science and research in society at large.

Annual Donation Projects

Every year, in addition to their membership fees, our Supporting Members donate to projects. With their support, they enable us to implement selected topics from our agenda for which funds would otherwise not be available. Just take a glance at the recently supported projects, below:

Role and function of our members

Our Supporting Members have an essential and active role: they have a seat and a vote in the Annual General Assembly. As highest organizational body, the General Assembly elects all members of the Senate, the most important decision-making body of Max Planck Society.

Since we are largely financed by public funds from the German federal and state governments, our private-law organizational form as a registered non-profit research organization guarantees our scientific autonomy. Thus, the Supporting Members ensure our freedom of research.

Supporting Members are also part of the Max Planck Community: multiple access and dialog formats are open to them. Depending on their personal interests or professional focus, they have exclusive access to our Max Planck Institutes, where speakers on specific research approaches and topics can be arranged.