The Council of Scientific Society Presidents is an organization of presidents, presidents-elect, and recent past presidents of about sixty scientific federations and societies whose combined membership numbers well over 1.4 million scientists and science educators.

Since 1973 CSSP has served as a strong national voice in fostering wise science policy, in support of science and science education, as the premier national science leadership development center, and as a forum for open, substantive exchanges on emerging scientific issues.

Council membership spans the top elected officers from the physical, mathematical and life sciences, and science and mathematics education. The Council is supported by dues and contributions from the supporting societies and annual contributions from Institutional Affiliates.

CSSP provides its members ready access to the top leadership of the research, mathematics, and science and mathematics education structure nationwide and the national prestige, power, and influence which attend its unique position.

The CSSP structure provides for a high degree of involvement and participation by its members in debates, task forces, committees, publications and projects.  CSSP seeks its members’ spectrum of views and consensus on major issues affecting its constituent communities and that affect the national future. CSSP is widely sought after to express these views and provide counsel and analysis to Federal Agencies, Congress, The White House, international, national, civic and professional organizations, policy development groups and news media.

CSSP creates, coordinates and co-sponsors seminars, roundtables, symposia and invited conferences which offer continuing opportunities for professional growth and CSSP undertakes projects which have the long range potential to strengthen the national future and the future success of all its constituent societies, covering such areas as math and science education, ethical, legal and social consequences of new science, information technology, population and environment, public understanding of science, international science, and the enhancement of the leadership of its constituent societies.

Guide Star, which tracks and evaluates over 1 million nonprofits, recognized CSSP as a Best Nonprofit of 2010.