January 09, 2024 How the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Is Working to Ensure Equitable Access to Care January 09, 2024/ Mike Scutari A top priority for cancer research funders is ensuring that patients receive equitable and timely access to treatment and care. We check in with a leading advocate and grantmaker to see how it’s approaching this work.Read More
December 01, 2023 A Quiet Exodus: Funders Exit HIV Giving Even as Equity Gaps Grow December 01, 2023/ Athena Cross, Carl Baloney, and Jesse Milan Jr., Guest Contributors For World AIDS Day, guest authors Athena Cross, Carl Baloney and Jesse Milan Jr. call attention to diminishing HIV-related philanthropic support, despite prevailing racial equity gaps in diagnoses and treatment.Read More
November 27, 2023 Paul Allen's Philanthropic Legacy Continues with Funding for a Brand-New Field of Health Research November 27, 2023/ Paul Karon The late Microsoft co-founder’s Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group has launched its newest Discovery Center. Its goal: exploring how the human nervous system and immune system interact to shape health and disease.Read More
November 17, 2023 Progress on Breast Cancer Hasn’t Been Evenly Distributed. This Funder’s on the Case November 17, 2023/ Mike Scutari Tackling demographic disparities in outcomes and care has been a big priority for cancer funders lately. Susan G. Komen, a major backer of breast cancer research, care and advocacy, is no exception.Read More
November 15, 2023 Starting With a Big Boost for Rare Disease Research, This Couple Are Ramping Up Their Giving November 15, 2023/ Paul Karon Mike and Sofia Segal came to the U.S. in 1978 from Ukraine with $120 and built a fortune in the electric power industry. Now, they're rolling out a set of big donations, starting with a $17 million gift to fight a rare blood cancer.Read More
November 09, 2023 Military Experience Is Less Common Today, But These Funders Are Staying True to Veterans November 09, 2023/ Liz Longley Philanthropy for veterans often stems from personal or family experience, making a decline in the percentage of Americans who’ve served a cause for concern. But these veterans-focused funders bucked that trend in 2023.Read More
September 06, 2023 A Local Foundation, a Little-Known College, and a Potential HIV and Cancer Breakthrough September 06, 2023/ Paul Karon The Engelstad Foundation supported Touro University Nevada's lone biomedical lab when few other funders would. A recent discovery there could lead to new treatments for HIV, and even cancer, Alzheimer’s and more.Read More
August 25, 2023 Gates Remains Among the Few in Philanthropy to Drive Research for an HIV Vaccine August 25, 2023/ Paul Karon Philanthropy makes up only a small fraction of spending on research and support for people with HIV, still a major threat around the world. In the push for a vaccine, Gates and Gilead are leading the pack.Read More
July 13, 2023 After a Tragic Diagnosis, a Former NFL Player and His Wife Rally Support for ALS Research July 13, 2023/ Ade Adeniji ALS remains a devastating disease, but research is advancing, thanks in large part to the efforts of those impacted. Eric and Amanda Stevens have turned to the athlete and first responder communities to raise awareness and funds.Read More
July 13, 2023 Type 1 Diabetes Is an Overlooked Global Threat. This Health Funder Has Made it a Top Priority July 13, 2023/ Liz Longley Among non-communicable diseases, diabetes has a particularly low profile as a global health concern. The Helmsley Charitable Trust has made it a central focus, including two recent commitments to the WHO. Read More
June 09, 2023 A New Big Gift Tackles the Problem of Inflammatory and Immune-Mediated Disease June 09, 2023/ Paul Karon To build up collaborative research infrastructure, a landmark $100 million gift from businessman Gene Lay will launch a new institute spanning Brigham and Women's Hospital, Mass General and Harvard Medical School. Read More
April 26, 2023 Report Finds Scant Funding for Disability Rights and Social Justice — and Points the Way Forward April 26, 2023/ Paul Karon A study commissioned by the Disability & Philanthropy Forum is a must-read for funders aiming to drive social justice for disabled people and address complex and overlapping issues of racial, gender and other inequities.Read More
April 03, 2023 Can AI Help Locate Low-Cost Cancer Treatments? These Funders Want to Find Out April 03, 2023/ Paul Karon We can't have too many ways to fight cancer. Here’s who’s backing a nonprofit startup that’s using AI to repurpose generic drugs that could mean the difference between life and death for patients — and solvency or bankruptcy. Read More
March 16, 2023 How Effective is Effective Altruism? A Deep Dive Into Two of Open Philanthropy’s EA-Inspired Programs March 16, 2023/ Liz Longley Effective altruism has had a rough year, but remains a major force within philanthropy. We take a closer look at two of this EA-driven outfit’s programs: farm animal welfare and biosecurity and pandemic preparedness.Read More
March 15, 2023 Why a Relatively Small Funder Made a Big Donation to Study Neglected Diseases March 15, 2023/ Connie Matthiessen The $78 million gift from a foundation built by an heir to the du Pont fortune will fuel research and clinical care for children with cancer, sickle cell disease and other life-threatening blood disorders.Read More
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 01, 2023 Six Things to Know About This Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager’s Philanthropy March 01, 2023/ Michael Kavate Stanley and Fiona Druckenmiller have a $1.9 billion foundation and a reported fortune of $10 billion. Here’s a closer look at how the couple makes big bets for economic mobility, the environment and health.Read More
March 01, 2023 A Q&A With Stanley Druckenmiller on Priorities, Big Bets and Feeling "Incredibly Privileged" March 01, 2023/ Michael Kavate In this candid conversation, the storied investor and mega-donor discusses what he and his wife Fiona look for in grantees, how much they plan to give away, why they won’t sign the Giving Pledge, and more.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 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