Science philanthropy occupies a unique role within the research ecosystem—and one that is particularly critical during periods of uncertainty and change. At our most recent members meeting, we asked leaders from across our network to reflect on what makes science philanthropy distinctive, why it matters right now, and what drew them to this work. Their responses offer a glimpse into the passion, curiosity, and sense of purpose that motivate our community and guide the Alliance’s work to advance discovery science.
As co-founder of the Simons Foundation and an early champion of the Science Philanthropy Alliance, Marilyn Simons has played a pivotal role in advancing science philanthropy as a field. In this conversation, she reflects on her own journey as a philanthropist and the importance of a peer community where funders can share knowledge, exchange ideas, and work together to advance discovery science.
The Global Parkinson's Genetics Program (GP2), part of the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) initiative established by philanthropist Sergey Brin, is working to transform our understanding of Parkinson's disease by building one of the world's most diverse genetic datasets. In this conversation, Ekemini Riley shares a concrete example of how philanthropy's flexibility and willingness to take risks can help move promising ideas from concept to impact.
Planetary Guardians is an initiative led by Virgin Unite—the nonprofit foundation of the Virgin Group and the Branson family—that brings together leaders from science, philanthropy, business, and civil society to improve our understanding of planetary health and humanity's relationship with the natural systems that sustain life. In this conversation, Jean Oelwang reflects on the power of collaboration to address complex global challenges and the role philanthropy can play in convening diverse partners around ambitious, long-term goals.
