Science Philanthropy Alliance

01/24/2025

Explore key philanthropic trends in our article, Reflecting on Trends in Philanthropic Giving in 2024. This piece highlights a significant increase in global ultra-high-net-worth individuals contributing $190 billion in philanthropic gifts in 2022—a 25% increase since 2018.

Special thanks to Strategic Communications Consultant Rose-Marie Brandwein for her contributions in co-authoring with Alliance Strategy Director Kate Lowry.

As we look to the year ahead, the Alliance reflects on some of the philanthropic funding trends and insights that were published over the last year. Below we share a selection of relevant publications from 2024, along with some of their key findings. Please refer to our Science Philanthropy Indicato...

01/24/2025

In her latest President’s Perspective, Caroline Montojo (Dana Foundation) highlights new initiatives to strengthen public engagement, embed civic science training in STEMM education, and connect researchers with communities.

Read more:

By Caroline Montojo With the start of every new year comes an opportunity to take stock of the previous one. Looking back on 2024, I am so proud of the progress we made at the Dana Foundation in our mission to advance neuroscience that benefits society and reflects the aspirations of all people.

01/23/2025

Fungi are incredibly resilient organisms that adapt to their environment. Their presence could benefit human health and our perception of the world.

Wellcome Trust is offering up to £3 million in funding to investigate the mechanisms of fungal adaptation.

Apply for Wellcome’s fungi research funding by January 28:

This award will fund research on the mechanisms and triggers for fungal adaptation. Find out eligibility, what's in scope and how to apply.

01/22/2025

2021 Rita Allen Scholar Nicole Scheff recently led a research study providing insight into novel solutions for improving outcomes for cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy.

Read the research, published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, here:

https://jitc.bmj.com/content/12/11/e009962

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are becoming the standard of care for recurrent and metastatic cancer. Opioids, the primary treatment for cancer-related pain, are immunosuppressive raising concerns about their potential to interfere with the efficacy of ICIs. We hypothesize that exoge...

01/21/2025

The Simons Foundation Triangle Program is seeking 15 collaborative teams — each composed of an artist, a scientist, and a curator/arts producer — to join the latest iteration of the program focused on the theme of “symmetry.”

Learn more and apply here: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2024/12/10/symmetry-a-call-for-artists-scientists-and-arts-organizations/

Symmetry: A Call for Artists, Scientists and Arts Organizations on Simons Foundation

01/17/2025

In the latest Templeton Ideas Podcast (John Templeton Foundation), experts give their thoughts on the connection between the health of the human body and the health of a whole person and why activities like art, music, and spirituality are nearly universal among humans, even though they aren't necessary for survival.

Tune in here:

In Season 6 of the Templeton Ideas Podcast, we explored awe-inspiring ideas with Chip Colwell, Tyler VanderWeele, Helen De Cruz and more.

01/16/2025

Genevieve B., Program Director of Wildfire Resilience Initiative and Special Projects at Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and other partners discuss the climate-driven wildfire crisis and highlight why a cross-sector approach to funding is essential for its mitigation.

Read more at the Stanford Social Innovation Review: https://ssir.org/articles/entry/wildfire-collaboration-innovation

The climate-driven wildfire crisis calls for a comprehensive, cross-sector approach to funding, research, and action.

01/15/2025

Wellcome Trust’s Climate and Mental Health Award will provide funding opportunities for researchers and scientists interested in understanding biological, psychological, and/or social mechanisms through which heat affects mental health in the most impacted groups globally.

The deadline for applications is January 21, 2025.

Learn more: https://wellcome.org/grant-funding/schemes/heat-and-mental-health-award?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=o-wellcome

This award will fund projects to advance our understanding of how heat impacts anxiety, depression and psychosis in the most impacted groups globally through biological, psychological and/or social mechanisms.

01/14/2025

The Simons Foundation recently published a short film honoring the life of Jim Simons and his work in mathematics, finance, and philanthropy.

Check out the link and discover more about the life and philanthropy of Jim Simons: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/01/09/watch-jim-simons-life-legacy-and-5-guiding-principles/

“Jim not only didn’t follow the pack, after a while, the pack realized where Jim was going and was the place to go.” - David Spergel, President, Simons Foundation

A short film chronicles Simons Foundation co-founder Jim Simons’ careers as a mathematician, the founder of Renaissance Technologies and a philanthropist.

01/13/2025

Join Sue Merrilees, Senior Director of Philanthropic Advising, and other research leaders for the UIDP Bay Area Forum 2025 on January 16 as they explore ways to strengthen and modernize university-industry partnerships to drive research and innovation that ultimately help to advance the human condition.

Registration now available here: https://bit.ly/BayArea2025

01/10/2025

If you are in the New York area, The Simons Foundation will host an event in their Presidential Lecture Series: The Earth's Core: The Engine of Our Planet with guest speaker Dario Alfè, Ph.D., 1/29, 6 PM - 7 PM.

Dive into the mechanics of the Earth's "engine" and the tools that offer deeper insight and potential discoveries.

Registration is now available here: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/event/the-earths-core-the-engine-of-our-planet/

The Earth’s Core: The Engine of Our Planet on Simons Foundation

01/09/2025

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month.

The Alliance recognizes the groundbreaking work of John T. Schiller and Douglas Lowy (The Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation), whose research enabled the development of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines, which prevent cervical cancer and other tumors.

Read more - http://ow.ly/ZyQn50MhUM7

Explore All 2017 Winners & Awards > Douglas R. LowyNational Cancer Institute John T. SchillerNational Cancer Institute For technological advances that enabled development of HPV vaccines for prevention of cervical cancer and other tumors caused