MOST RECENT
Low-key philanthropist Stephen Winn, a Dallas-based investor and tech businessman, and his family have committed $50 million to help the University of Texas at Austin sharply expand ecology and climate research in the state.
Continuing its strategic shift, the veteran science funder has launched another new program. The aim is to address an underappreciated aspect of climate change: how it affects the neural systems of humans and animals.
The Engelstad Foundation supported Touro University Nevada's lone biomedical lab when few other funders would. A recent discovery there could lead to new treatments for HIV, and even cancer, Alzheimer’s and more.
Google.org is putting artificial intelligence at the center of its current efforts to foster innovation in climate research. It’s something of a return to form for a corporate funder that previously focused heavily on COVID response.
For decades, the bulk of the Kavli Foundation's funding went to establishing scientific institutes with multimillion-dollar endowments. Now, a new president is reshaping the science funder's strategy.
Psychedelics show great promise in a range of medical therapies, but legal constraints and stigma have kept public funding minimal. As a result, philanthropy remains crucial to advancing research. Here’s the latest gift.
Shari and Garen Staglin’s son Brandon began showing symptoms of schizophrenia as a teen. Today, he’s president of One Mind, which backs mental health, and the family is raising serious funds for research and more.
Artificial intelligence is on everyone’s mind now, but philanthropy has been boosting research or bracing for its implications for some time. Here are the major funders involved in the field.
Birds, bats, bees and other insects play an integral role in global food systems, biodiversity and climate. This membership-based organization and its foundation are working to protect and restore pollinators.
Among non-communicable diseases, diabetes has a particularly low profile as a global health concern. The Helmsley Charitable Trust has made it a central focus, including two recent commitments to the WHO.
The Russell Sage Foundation's Pipeline Grants Competition, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, promotes the careers of diverse academics who study economic opportunity, equality and social mobility.
Eric and Wendy Schmidt’s ocean science outfit has been helping scientists study the sea since 2009. The organization recently launched an advanced new science vessel, and it's free to scientists.
To build up collaborative research infrastructure, a landmark $100 million gift from businessman Gene Lay will launch a new institute spanning Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass General and Harvard Medical School.
Humans are living longer, but in our later years, we become more vulnerable to injury and age-related diseases. Wellcome Leap and the Singapore-based Temasek Trust are funding a new program to extend “healthspans.”
A $260 million gift from the Lord Foundation of California to USC seeded a billion-dollar, campus-wide effort to reshape technology research and teaching. It’s part of a unique windfall of funds that boosted four universities.
The Lauder family, with wealth from the cosmetics dynasty, is a top supporter of Alzheimer's research. We take a closer look at a recent $200 million commitment for drug development and philanthropy’s role in the field.
The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is backing an effort to diversify the neuroscience field and the people participating in research on brain disorders. Is more such funding on the way?
Computer technology pioneer Gordon Moore died last week at age 94. His legacy includes the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation — and a dedication to the idea that scientific progress can change the world.
Serial entrepreneur Anthony Wood helped usher in the current dominance of streaming TV. Now, he’s also ramping up his philanthropy with a DAF-centric approach and interests across a range of causes.
We recently published an in-depth paper on trends in neuroscience research funding as part of IP’s State of American Philanthropy project. Author Mike Scutari takes a look at some of the report’s key findings.
Since 1963, Salk Institute scientists have been advancing our knowledge of cancer, aging, infectious disease and more. With a new seven-year, $750 million fundraising goal, the aim is to grow both its facilities and research ranks.
With a $100 million commitment, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute is the latest funder backing research to prepare for pathogens with the potential to threaten human health, or even trigger new pandemics.
Sergey Brin’s foundation has nearly $5 billion in assets and a portfolio spanning Parkinson’s disease, science and activism. It’s not known for transparency, but we do know a fair amount about what it supports and why.
AI can now write fairly convincingly on any topic a human throws at it, including philanthropy. So we naturally checked in with OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT to see if it could provide us with some hot takes on the state of the field.
As part of IP’s State of American Philanthropy project, we recently published an in-depth paper on trends in cancer research funding. Author Mike Scutari overviews what we learned and offers clues on what to expect going forward.
Over 25 million Americans live with rare diseases, and 90% of rare diseases do not have an FDA-approved treatment. We look at how the National Organization for Rare Disorders is moving the needle in this evolving field.
Millions will experience the effects of cognitive decline without being diagnosed with a neurological disease. Two prominent funders of cognitive aging research share how they are working to overcome this challenge.
CURE Epilepsy funds research to cure and more effectively treat a neurological condition that affects 3.4 million Americans. Part of that mission involves ending the silence that still surrounds epilepsy.
The question of life beyond Earth is compelling, both scientifically and spiritually. As new technology reveals multitudes of planets beyond Earth, the quest to identify signatures of extraterrestrial life is drawing more support.
The Kavli Foundation is one of philanthropy’s most impactful supporters of neuroscience research. We check with Life Sciences Director Amy Bernard about the funder’s grantmaking priorities and an emerging area of focus.