Philanthropic funders: team up to jump-start innovative science
Briefly

As US federal science funding cuts tighten, philanthropic organizations play an essential role in sustaining scientific advancement. While private funding cannot fully replace public grants, initiatives like those from The Kavli Foundation can strategically back high-risk early-stage projects and foster collaboration to maximize investment returns. In 2021, philanthropic organizations contributed significantly to US basic research funding, demonstrating their pivotal role in supporting transformative science. By expediting the funding process compared to governments, philanthropies can effectively enable innovative research that may otherwise struggle for resources.
Philanthropies must back early-stage, high-risk work to bolster science, as government funding dwindles. Collaborative efforts can maximize investment returns, driving transformative research forward.
Private funders are well-positioned to provide venture capital-like support for fundamental science, enabling innovative ideas that have the potential to revolutionize technology despite inherent risks.
Philanthropic organizations can expedite the funding process, getting money into researchers' hands faster than government sources, which often involve lengthy evaluation and decision-making.
The potential impact of philanthropic investments could be magnified through further collaboration, as they have substantial resources to fuel necessary scientific advancements.
Read at Nature
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