March 10, 2023 These Health Research Funders Are Facing Down the Next Pandemic Threat — Whatever It May Be March 10, 2023/ Paul Karon The Gates Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation and Open Philanthropy are collaborating under a partnership called Pandemic Antiviral Discovery, funding research to develop treatments that may be needed for future pandemics.Read More
March 06, 2023 This Small but Mighty Research Hub Is Expanding. Here’s Who’s Helping Make That Happen March 06, 2023/ Paul Karon 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.Read More
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. Read More
February 15, 2023 COVID Won't be the Last Pandemic. A Top Biomedical Funder Seeks to Get Ahead of Emerging Pathogens February 15, 2023/ Paul Karon 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. Read More
February 13, 2023 A Top Science Funder Wants to Keep Ukraine's Scientists at the Blackboard February 13, 2023/ Paul Karon The war in Ukraine offers scope for funders to draw on their strengths to assist the embattled nation. For the Simons Foundation, that means helping Ukraine's physicists, biologists and other scientists continue their work.Read More
February 06, 2023 This Wealthy Virginia Family Is Helping Make the State a Biotech Hub February 06, 2023/ Paul Karon Paul and Diane Manning, longtime supporters of diabetes research at the University of Virginia, recently committed $100 million to build an advanced biotech research institute there. Here’s a rundown on the gift and the donors.Read More
January 24, 2023 How a Boston-area Funder is Continuing the Legacy of a Champion of Global Health January 24, 2023/ Paul Karon The Cummings Foundation is mainly focused on Massachusetts, but is extending its sizable support for healthcare in Rwanda. A new $52 million gift carries on the legacy of global health legend Paul Farmer.Read More
January 12, 2023 Mental Health Professionals Are in High Demand. Who’s Funding Workforce Development? January 12, 2023/ Paul Karon As mental health programs expand, the nation is facing a growing shortage of professionals to work in settings from schools to hospitals. A few major players are engaged, but there’s a huge opportunity here for more funders.Read More
December 16, 2022 This Funder Forum Wants to Help Philanthropy Include and Center Disabled People December 16, 2022/ Paul Karon Created by a group of foundations, the Disability & Philanthropy Forum provides resources to help funders address the needs and rights of disabled people. Its North Star? Centering the disability community in decision-making.Read More
December 07, 2022 A Tech Winner Seeks Policy Change to Advance Racial Justice in the Industry December 07, 2022/ Paul Karon The Kapor Foundation has launched a multipronged initiative to allow communities of color access to the employment, economic and other benefits of the $2 trillion technology sector.Read More
November 15, 2022 Why a Regional Funder is Backing a National Ad Campaign to Open Minds About Mental Health November 15, 2022/ Paul Karon The Utah-based Huntsman Foundation is a lead sponsor of an upcoming multiyear Ad Council marketing and media initiative to drive awareness — and solutions — for the U.S. mental health crisis.Read More
November 04, 2022 Funding Seeks to Shed Light on a Crucial Question: Are We Alone in the Universe? November 04, 2022/ Paul Karon 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.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 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 28, 2022 As Attention to Mental Health Grows, a Major Nonprofit Lands a New Leader and Some Big Backers September 28, 2022/ Paul Karon Policymaker and former OSF Program Director Ken Zimmerman has been named head of Fountain House, a group that has also picked up big donors lately. What does that say about mental health philanthropy?Read More
September 15, 2022 Parkinson's Funders Take a Venture Philanthropy Approach to Speed Development of Treatments September 15, 2022/ Paul Karon The Parkinson's Foundation in the U.S. and Parkinson's U.K. have inked a new partnership to boost investment in treatments for the neurodegenerative condition that affects 10 million people worldwide.Read More
September 09, 2022 New Funding Aims to Accelerate Treatments for Lupus, an Autoimmune Disease with Many Faces September 09, 2022/ Paul Karon Often missed or misdiagnosed, lupus disproportionately affects women of color in the U.S. Here’s how a leading lupus research funder is speeding along the development of much-needed treatments.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
August 30, 2022 How Is Philanthropy Backing Science Journalism? August 30, 2022/ Paul Karon The pandemic drove home the need for quality science journalism, but the field has struggled along with the rest of the industry. Here are a few ways key funders are supporting training and coverage.Read More
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.Read More