February 23, 2023

Can Philanthropy Curb the Growing Threat of Wildfire? West Coast Funders Are Giving It a Shot

February 23, 2023/ Paul Karon

For a century, communities in the Western U.S. have worked hard to prevent and extinguish wildfires. But residents may have to learn to get along with a certain amount of fire. A few funders are navigating this tricky territory.

December 21, 2022

Green Heavyweights: The Nation’s 25 Largest Environmental Grantmakers

December 21, 2022/ Michael Kavate

We compiled a list of the top green funders in the U.S., based on the most recent full year of giving data available. One big takeaway: Living billionaires now dominate the list.

November 08, 2022

Foundations and Governments Pledged $1.7 Billion to Indigenous Land Protection. How Are They Doing?

November 08, 2022/ Michael Kavate

A pledge to help Indigenous people protect the world’s tropical forests is moving millions, but so far, most of the money isn’t going to Indigenous-led groups. Participants call it “quite alarming” and hope to see that change.

August 09, 2022

Telescopes Are Seeing Farther Than Ever Before. What's Philanthropy's Role?

August 09, 2022/ Paul Karon

While government funding is crucial for many of the telescopes used in astronomy, philanthropy has been involved for decades and is pitching in for the next generation of even more powerful telescopes.

July 11, 2022

Study: Philanthropy May Play an Even Bigger Role in Science Funding Than We Thought

July 11, 2022/ Paul Karon

Analyzing millions of tax filings, a research team found that philanthropic funding for science has reached $30 billion a year recently, rivaling government outlays. And that wasn’t the only interesting fact they unearthed.

June 16, 2022

Eight Leading Foundations Working to Keep Forests Green, Water Pure and Farms Fertile

June 16, 2022/ Michael Kavate

These legacy foundations are among the top grantmakers giving toward conservation, curbing pollution and improving agriculture in the United States. See who’s on the list.

June 06, 2022

Scientists Say a New Quantum Revolution Is Underway. Who's Funding It?

June 06, 2022/ Paul Karon

Arcane though it may seem, quantum physics has been — and will be — central to our understanding of the universe and to technologies that shape our lives. Here’s how some leading philanthropies are backing research in the field.

May 02, 2022

Good Reporting on Science and Health Is Becoming Ever More Vital. Who’s Supporting It?

May 02, 2022/ Paul Karon

Threats like pandemics and climate change underscore the crucial importance of accurate science and health reporting. Here are some of the funders supporting journalists in that work.

August 03, 2021

Funder Spotlight: How the Moore Foundation Works to Conserve the Natural World

August 03, 2021/ Michael Kavate

One of the biggest grantmakers for environmental conservation, Moore favors going narrow but deep, backing major groups with huge gifts in pursuit of measurable goals. Here’s what you need to know about the program.

February 03, 2020

Just a Couple of Science Funders Trying to Unravel the Mysteries of the Universe

February 03, 2020/ Paul Karon

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation are partnering to expand the study of black holes, some of the most important objects in the universe.

August 06, 2019

Why are These Science Funders Interested in Something That Happened Two Billion Years Ago?

August 06, 2019/ Paul Karon

Two funders that focus on basic science are set to delve into life's distant evolutionary past. In the process, they may also shed light on ecological, biological and health issues that are increasingly pressing today.

March 02, 2019

How a Major Research Funder Decided to Wrap Up its Longest-Running Science Initiative

March 02, 2019/ Tate Williams

Having funded marine microbiology since 2004, the Moore Foundation has announced it will wrap up its initiative in 2021. We talked to program director Jon Kaye about the initiative’s impact, how it decided to move on, and what’s next.

November 20, 2018

Medicine's Blind Spot: A Foundation Takes on Diagnostic Error

November 20, 2018/ Alice Dickow

Diagnostic errors are the most common cause of medical errors, causing an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 deaths per year. But there is little funding for research on this problem. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is looking to change that.

September 27, 2018

What a Top Science Funder is Learning From Its Deep Dive Into a Risky Area

September 27, 2018/ Tate Williams

A key strength of philanthropy is that it can play the long game, taking risks in a quest for transformative change. A great example is the Moore Foundation’s huge investment in the study of quantum materials. How’s that effort going?

February 13, 2018

Why This Foundation Is Betting on a Miniature Particle Accelerator

February 13, 2018/ Tate Williams

One thing science funders love is the creation of new tools. Sometimes that means paying for a massive telescope, sometimes it’s a creating tiny machines.

December 07, 2017

A Foundation Looks to Better Understand How Plastic Is Polluting the Seas

December 07, 2017/ Tate Williams

A global marine conservation funder, the Moore Foundation also has an interest in the environmental struggles of its home, the Bay Area. It’s backing an extensive study of plastic pollution flowing into its waters.