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
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.Read More
March 18, 2022 Renaissance Philanthropy: The Many Major Donors to Emerge From a Single Hedge Fund March 18, 2022/ Philip Rojc Renaissance Technologies is one of the most successful hedge funds in Wall Street history, yielding one of philanthropy’s most prolific clans. Including the Simonses, well over a dozen donors draw from Renaissance wealth.Read More
August 04, 2021 The Simons Foundation Has a New President for the First Time in Its History. Where’s It Headed Next? August 04, 2021/ Paul Karon Since its launch in 1994, science funding powerhouse the Simons Foundation has been led by founders Jim and Marilyn Simons—until now. We spoke with its new president, astrophysicist David Spergel, to find out what lies ahead. Read More
September 04, 2020 Future of Big Philanthropy: 15 Heirs of Top Mega-Givers to Watch Closely September 04, 2020/ John Freund and David Callahan The children of America’s richest people won’t just control vast fortunes in the future. Some are already top givers themselves or have moved into leadership positions within leading family foundations. Read More
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. Read More
December 17, 2018 Dept. of Big Questions: Millions in Grants Flow to Research the Origins of Life December 17, 2018/ Tate Williams How life springs up from chemical soup is one of the biggest mysteries in science. The Templeton Foundation is one of a couple of funders backing exciting work springing up in related disciplines.Read More
October 01, 2018 Vast Wealth, Hidden Foundations: How Much Do We Really Know About Billionaire Donors? October 01, 2018/ David Callahan News last fall of a hidden $8 billion foundation based offshore in Bermuda underscores just how opaque the world of big philanthropy really is. In a post first published in November, we explore what other surprises might be coming.Read More
August 26, 2017 Calculated Giving: With Federal Funds Shrinking, Math Sciences Funders Step Up August 26, 2017/ Mike Scutari These are dark days for math researchers who depend on government funds. So it's a good thing that "quant" philanthropists have been writing some very big checks, lately. Read More
May 11, 2017 "You Get Ideas." Inside a Top Science Foundation's Most Ambitious Project Yet May 11, 2017/ Tate Williams We talk to mathematician-turned-hedge fund billionaire Jim Simons and foundation head Marilyn Simons about their big bet on a unique new research institute in Manhattan.Read More