Science Education
Most Recent
A Huge Gift to Cut Medical School Tuition Looks to Make a Dent in a Deep Systemic Problem
Crushing medical school debt has been contributing to a shortage of physicians and steering doctors away from needed but lower-paid specialties. A $1 billion gift will make tuition free at a New York med school.
Can Philanthropy and Government Work Together to Drive Socially Responsible Tech?
Five philanthropies are partnering with the National Science Foundation to advance the field of public interest technology — hopefully spurring the idea that public wellbeing must be a key element in tech development.
How Dalio Philanthropies’ OceanX is Working to Diversify Marine Research and Teaching
In the past year, this research nonprofit has expanded efforts to diversify ocean science through new educational partnerships with HBCUs Spelman College and Howard University — with more set to come.
How a Transformative Educational Experience Led to a Tech Winner’s Huge Surprise Bequest
Franklin Antonio, who died last year, was cofounder and chief scientist at semiconductor giant Qualcomm. He left $200 million to Summer Science Program, which introduces talented teens to advanced research.
A Look at How the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Backs Biomedical Researchers
Spun out of the Wellcome Trust, the U.S.-based Burroughs Wellcome Fund continues to sharpen its focus around diversity and equity in research, supporting early-career scientists, and more.
How Wall Street Winner Anne Dinning Backs Anti-Poverty Work and More
This leader at quantitative investment firm D.E. Shaw & Co. has been a big backer of the Robin Hood Foundation, along with public health work and other causes. With a fortune of $900 million, expect more giving to come.
A Tech Winner Seeks Policy Change to Advance Racial Justice in the Industry
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.
How Is Philanthropy Backing Science Journalism?
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.
IP Briefing: What’s Going on with Philanthropy for STEM Education?
STEM education is one of the few areas where corporate funders play an outsized role in philanthropy, but there are several institutional funders and major donors involved, as well. Here’s the field in a nutshell.
The Country’s Oldest Science Philanthropy Plays the Long Game by Supporting Young Scientists
The Research Corporation for Science Advancement has been funding science research for more than a century. Here are five takeaways on how the funder works, from an interview with President Daniel Linzer.
How This Dedicated Cleveland Funder Is Backing the City’s Cultural Institutions
For close to 70 years, the Mandel Foundation has been a supporter of organizations in Cleveland, Israel and beyond, dropping some big recent grants. The foundation’s president explains how and why it backs local institutions.
A Big Gift to Barnard College Highlights Need and Opportunity to Support Women in STEM
A $55 million donation to Barnard College, the largest in the school’s history, will fund expansion of science facilities at the elite institution. Can Barnard’s success be replicated elsewhere to support women in STEM?
For Fundraisers in STEM Education, Both New and Familiar Challenges
The past two years have brought new challenges for STEM education fundraisers, and have highlighted existing ones, including the need to reach under-represented groups. Several fundraisers weigh in on the state of the field.
Scientists and Laypeople Speak Different Languages. This Funder Wants to Bridge the Gap
The Kavli Foundation, a notable funder of scientific research, has announced a new program to bridge the communications divide between scientists and the public. It’ll be a tall order.
Philanthropy Has Fallen Short in Its Efforts to Make STEM More Diverse—We Have the Tools to Fix It
While STEM education funders point to diversity, equity and inclusion as priorities, research from Sloan and Higher Ed Insight shows that their efforts have fallen short. In this guest post, the authors outline a path forward.
Nursing Gets Relatively Little Philanthropic Attention. Here’s How a Family Foundation Prioritizes the Field
Healthcare couldn’t function for a single day without nursing, yet the profession receives relatively little philanthropic support. Jonas Philanthropies has expanded its signature program to support nursing teachers and leaders.
Bloomberg’s Latest Racial Equity Move Taps a Familiar Grantee to Diversify STEM
Bloomberg seeks to boost diversity in the sciences with a $150 million program to support students from HBCUs pursuing PhDs. It’s an extension of massive giving to Johns Hopkins, and of a more recent commitment to racial equity.
How One Funder Is Bringing Greater Diversity to Cancer Research Labs
Cancer research, like many academic fields, has a diversity problem. The V Foundation, a cancer grantmaker, is working to increase the number of Black oncology researchers and advance their academic careers.
Why a Private Funder is Partnering With a Federal Agency to Improve Science Communication
Funding for basic science research relies largely on strong public buy-in. We talked with the Kavli Foundation about its novel partnership with the Department of Energy to help scientists engage more meaningfully with the public.
Coding for Kids: 5 Things to Know About Google.org’s Support for a Popular Learning Platform
The tech giant’s foundation is betting big on the workforce of the future, helping students that are traditionally shut of the computer sciences. We unpack Google.org’s expanding partnership with the popular learning program Scratch.
America’s Richest Family Makes Another Big Gift to its Hometown School, This Time for Research
The Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation (the other Walton foundation) continues its run of mega-grants to the University of Arkansas, funding a new interdisciplinary institute for scientific research and commercial innovation.
How a Corporate Funder is Pushing Forward the Frontiers of Remote Learning
The Amgen Foundation has given millions to the Khan Academy to scale online science education, including the use of virtual experiments that simulate being in a lab. The pandemic has made this work all the more important.
In the Latest Big Campus Environmental Gift, a Push to Cross Boundaries
Higher ed donors are stepping up support for programs focused on conservation, climate change and other green issues. A donation for a new interdisciplinary center at William & Mary shows how such gifts can play out.
Geek Chic: How a Funder Uses Film to Get the Public Jazzed About Science
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has been backing an initiative at Sundance that supports filmmakers who explore scientific themes. If you go to the movies, you may have already seen the impact of this grantmaking.
A “Scientist at Heart,” This Financial Services Billionaire Focuses on Tech and Society
A growing number of Wall Street quants are tapping their wealth for philanthropy—and, unsurprisingly, focusing on STEM causes. We connect with David Siegel, another math guy turned investment manager, about his growing giving.
What the Right Hand is Doing: The Paradoxical Giving of a Billionaire Mega-Donor
Most top donors align their political and philanthropic giving so that both advance their values. Then there’s Ken Griffin, a patron of science and the arts who also bankrolls a Trump-dominated GOP that’s attacking those sectors.
Behind a Big Boost for a Legacy Institution, Deep-Pocketed Conservationists
Nature-focused legacy institutions like zoos and gardens are finding creative ways to engage the public and appeal to funders, including the billionaire donor class. A major gift to the Chicago Botanic Garden shows this dynamic in action.
Supporting Science Teachers and Students: A Look Inside the Amgen Foundation
Amgen Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the hugely profitable biotech company, is laser-focused on nurturing the next generation of scientists. We connect with its leader about the foundation’s core programs and strategies.
Closing the Digital Divide: How Comcast-NBCUniversal Does Community Impact
Comcast-NBC Universal Foundation’s work on the digital divide, as well as its other philanthropic efforts, focuses strongly on communities where the company has a presence. Here’s an inside look at how this media giant does its giving.
Another Huge Gift Finds Donors Responding to Surging Demand for Engineering Grads
Some commentators have argued that funders over-hype the demand for STEM jobs. A recent $100 million gift to UCLA, however, suggests that donors with decades of experience in the engineering field have a very different take.
