March 07, 2023 What We Learned From a Deep Dive into Neuroscience Research Giving March 07, 2023/ Mike Scutari 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.Read More
December 15, 2022 How a Grantmaker Focused on Rare Diseases Galvanizes Critical Research and Patient Support December 15, 2022/ Mike Scutari 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.Read More
December 09, 2022 A Funding Leader Lays Out Key Priorities in Neuromuscular Disease Research December 09, 2022/ Mike Scutari The Chicago-based Muscular Dystrophy Association is a leading funder in the field of neuromuscular diseases. We check in with Chief Research Officer Dr. Sharon Hesterlee to discuss current challenges and priorities.Read More
November 29, 2022 As Americans Grow Older, These Funders are Advancing the Field of Cognitive Aging Research November 29, 2022/ Mike Scutari 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.Read More
November 17, 2022 This Research Funder Is on a Mission to Cure — and Destigmatize — Epilepsy November 17, 2022/ Mike Scutari 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.Read More
November 14, 2022 “A Period of Rapid Change.” How the ALS Association Shepherded a New Treatment to Market November 14, 2022/ Mike Scutari The FDA recently approved a new drug to treat ALS. Here’s how the ALS Association, equipped with funding from 2014’s viral Ice Bucket Challenge, contributed to that outcome — and what it’s looking to do next.Read More
October 26, 2022 “Explore the Gaps.” A Closer Look at the Kavli Foundation’s Neuroscience Grantmaking October 26, 2022/ Mike Scutari 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.Read More
October 20, 2022 Of Mice and Men: How Paul Allen's Giving Set the Stage for an Ambitious Effort to Map the Human Brain October 20, 2022/ Paul Karon Twenty years ago, Paul Allen's Institute for Brain Science launched with a project to map the mouse brain. Now, the NIH has tapped the institute to manage a global collaboration to map the human brain.Read More
October 11, 2022 Taking on Paralysis, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Seeks to "Care and Cure" October 11, 2022/ Mike Scutari Once viewed as the “graveyard of neuroscience,” the field of spinal cord injury has made headway thanks to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. We check in with two leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities.Read More
October 03, 2022 Why Three Deep-Pocketed Funders Joined Forces to Take on Bipolar Disorder October 03, 2022/ Paul Karon Bipolar disorder has been significantly understudied. In response, several donors with personal experience of the condition are working with the Milken Institute on a $150 million initiative to fund and coordinate global research.Read More
September 01, 2022 Seven Questions for Stephen Quake, the New Head of Science at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative September 01, 2022/ Paul Karon The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative recently named Stanford Professor Stephen Quake as its new head of science. We spoke about his new role leading CZI's ambitious mission to treat all human disease within the century.Read More
May 24, 2022 A Big Research Gift Shows How One Family Foundation Balances Tradition and Innovation May 24, 2022/ Paul Karon The 76-year-old Gates Family Foundation serves the state of Colorado using a leadership structure that blends community governance with family interests. The latest example is a $100 million medical research gift. Read More
May 12, 2022 How a Big Donation Will Help Stanford Scientists Team Up to Unlock Secrets of Brain Disease May 12, 2022/ Paul Karon Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's have long resisted treatment, but new technologies show a path forward. Phil and Penny Knight's $75 million gift to Stanford will fund new campus-wide research.Read More
April 14, 2022 Is Smartphone Use Taking a Toll on Kids? This New Family Foundation Wants to Find Out April 14, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen Are smartphones and social media contributing to the youth mental health crisis? The Winston Family Foundation’s new center at UNC-Chapel Hill is conducting research on the poorly understood impacts of technology use.Read More
September 30, 2021 For a Donor Couple, Support for Education and People with Disabilities Is Rooted in Lived Experience September 30, 2021/ Connie Matthiessen For former teacher Annie Jacob, K-12 philanthropy is close to the heart. She and her husband Ryan Jacob have been big donors to groups that support children and people with disabilities, reflecting their values and experiences.Read More
September 23, 2021 A Big Research Gift in the Field of Bionics Seeks Breakthroughs for People with Disabilities September 23, 2021/ Paul Karon A $24 million donation from a major funder of neuroscience has established the new K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics at MIT to develop next-gen synthetic limbs and other solutions for serious disabilities.Read More
May 06, 2021 Eli Broad Exemplified the Promise and Peril of Big Philanthropy May 06, 2021/ David Callahan Eli Broad, who died last week, was a larger-than-life philanthropist. He tapped his fortune to bankroll ambitious initiatives in education, the arts and science. His turbo-charged giving offers both inspiration and cautionary lessons.Read More
March 10, 2021 How Personal Tragedy Shaped a Major Funder of Neurodegenerative Disease Research March 10, 2021/ Paul Karon In 2009, Richard Rainwater was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disease, part of a group of disorders called tauopathies. Rainwater passed away in 2015, but his foundation continues to be a major supporter of related research.Read More
November 20, 2020 Why a Small Family Foundation is Giving Big for Neurodegenerative Disorders November 20, 2020/ Connie Matthiessen A $15 million gift is a reminder that giving for medical research is nearly always entwined with deeply human backstories about disease and suffering—ordeals that can reveal the limits of modern medicine and spur donors to action.Read More
October 29, 2020 What a New Funder is Doing to Help People with Neurodegenerative Diseases Get Care October 29, 2020/ Paul Karon Just a few months old, the Adira Foundation seeks to help people with neurodegenerative diseases by developing a holistic understanding of their needs. Funding is guided by extensive input from people with direct experience.Read More