“Ins and Outs” of Foundations Purpose: Sketch the Foundation “World” in general

“Ins and Outs” of Foundations

Purpose:

• Sketch the Foundation “World” in general

• Focus on foundations that support health research

• Convince you:

• Foundations have a unique role in research
• To consider applying for foundation support of your research

U.S. Health Research and Development Expenditures

Giving in 1998

Special Role of Foundations

Strengths of Philanthropic Support

• Move quickly to fill a gap

• Function as neutral conveners

• Model successful approaches

• Develop information for policy debate

• Fund politically unpopular areas of research

• Take risks

Limitations of Philanthropy

• Limited funds to commit to research

• Less willingness to support overhead or infrastructure

• Desire to model and move on

• Tendency to carry out own program rather than work collaboratively

What are Foundations?

• Non profit, non-governmental organizations of different types

• company sponsored (Merck)

• operating (HHMI)

• community (Cleveland)

• independent (BWF)

Corporations and Their Foundations: Merck

• Derive funds from a for-profit company

• Grants generally related to the business efforts

• 60% of pharmaceutical and computer corporate contributions were product donations

An Operating Foundation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute

• Hires its grant recipients (scientists) as employees

• Provides long-term support to permit risk taking and protection from working on politically unpopular research

Community Foundations: Cleveland Foundation

• In a good position to receive individual dollars

• Limited tradition of support for biomedical and basic research

• More beginning to move into this area

• Identification of research and approaches are issues

• The Cleveland Foundation Story as a Model

Conversion Foundations: Jewish Healthcare Foundation of Pittsburgh

• Generally a sub-class of independent foundations.

• Formed from dollars derived when nonprofit health institutions convert to profit making (e.g. sale of a private hospital)

• Many new foundations of this type

• flexibility

Independent Foundations: Burroughs Wellcome Fund

• Established by a philanthropist with a mission

• Mission strategies determined by an independent Board of Directors

• Scope of funding can vary

• Includes many small, family foundations: McDonnell Foundation

The Key to Success:

• Identifying the best foundations to approach….

Many Foundations

• Support basic research

• Support health services research

• Support specific disease-oriented research

Foundations, Voluntaries and Medical Research

• Juvenile Diabetes Fndn. http://www.jdf.org/

• Doris Duke Charitable Fndn. http://ddcf.aibs.org/medical/index.asp

• James S. McDonnell Fndn. http://www.jsmf.org/

• Amer. Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org/

• Amer. Heart Assoc. http://www.americanheart.org/

• Amer. Diabetes Assoc. http://www.diabetes.org/

Doris Duke Charitable Fndn.

• A large diverse foundation that also supports medical research:

• “The Medical Research Program of the DDCF currently seeks to support clinical research and address the gap between the exponential increase in basic biomedical discoveries and their application to improve human health. We believe that a vigorous clinical research enterprise is essential for the timely translation of basic research findings into new treatments, preventions, and cures for human diseases.”

McDonnell Fndn

• 3 current program areas:

• Bridging mind, brain & behavior
• Studying Complex Systems
• Brain Cancer Research

• “Despite its costly human toll, brain cancer is a relatively under-funded area of cancer biology research. The Foundation is particularly interested in supporting novel research that will generate new knowledge leading to increased rates of survival and improve functional recovery for individuals with brain cancer.”

Another Source: “Voluntaries” American Cancer Society

• “As the nation’s largest private, not-for-profit source of funds for scientists studying cancer, the American Cancer Society focuses its funding on investigator-initiated, peer-reviewed proposals.”

• $119M for research in 2000

• “To advance the medical sciences by supporting research and other scientific and educational activities”

Next Steps

• Competitive Programs:

• Work with grants office to identify foundations in research area
• Review websites for program specifics
• Contact responsible program officer to verify that your research idea falls in target area
• Contact at least 2 successful grantees
• Apply

Next Steps:

• Ad Hoc Opportunities:

• Work with your Foundation liaison office to determine feasibility and as partner in process
• Opportunities more for infrastructure and special one-time activities such as special conferences that will have an impact
• Look carefully at the competitive programs --Is there a match?
• Email, call – don’t visit unless invited

Next Steps:

• Ad Hoc (continued):

• Initially contact by email

• Use plain English: what do you care about? Why does it matter? Why is it a prime candidate for a risk-taking funder?

• 5 Focus Areas:

• Basic Biomedical Sciences
• Emerging Infectious Diseases
• Interfaces in Science
• Translational Research
• Science Education

• Strategy: support young investigators early in their careers with bridging grants - $500K

Foundations with few $ Can Play an Important Role in Research:

• Encourage you to consider foundations as funders for:

• unique areas
• More risky research
• Interdisciplinary research
• Politically sensitive research
• Special activities

“One thing is certain… If you never write a grant, you will never get a grant.”

Reasons to Seek Funding

• You have a coalition but have no funds.

• You have a coalition project that requires additional funding.

• You have received an RFP (Request for Proposal) from federal/state agency or foundation.

• Your position depends on grant support.

• You are trying to fund a position for another individual.

Why Seek Research Funding?

• Funding for immunization coalitions has waned, making it harder for coalitions to continue and/or initiate activities

• Funding sources (e.g., APA, CDC, CMS) often seek competent organizations to test immunization initiatives

Sources of Funding

Federal Agencies

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine (ATPM)

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Private Foundations (National, State, Local)

• Kaiser Family Foundation

• Kellogg Foundation

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

• Knight Foundation

Individuals

• (especially as bequests)

Corporations

• Johnson & Johnson

• NationsBank (and other banks)

• Aetna (and other insurance companies)

• Canon

• Pharmaceutical companies (e.g. Merck)

• Most Fortune 500 companies

Non-Profit Agencies/Organizations

• March of Dimes

• American Red Cross

• American Academy of Pediatrics

• Community Access to Child Health (CATCH Grants)

• Service clubs (Lions, Rotary, Kiwanis, Junior League)

• Charitable organizations (e.g., churches)

• Hospital foundations

Grantsmanship’s “Golden Rule”

• The one who has the gold

• makes the rules.

Grantseeking is a Process

Before You Begin a Grant Proposal

• 1. Know your consumers and their needs

• 2. Know public/private service areas and

• networks

• 3. Know where gaps and service duplications exist

• 4. Know your program’s capacities, strengths,

• weaknesses

• 5. Research all funding options available

• 6. Know the source you are applying for

• 7. Develop generic proposals

Generic Proposal Outline

• Proposal Summary

• Intro/Background about your organization

• Statement of Challenge/Problem/Opportunity

• Program Goals/Objectives/Outcomes

Grant-Seeking Do’s

• Do your homework regarding issues, assets, funding sources & successful proposals.

• Invite all stakeholders to plan, become involved & support your efforts to secure funding. CLUE: Involve potential funding source in project development.

• Find & nurture project champions - take a team approach.

• Identify funders’ needs & granting patterns - match your proposal to target audience.

• Be organized - stay ahead of application deadlines.

Grant-Seeking Do’s (con’t)

• Use existing needs assessments (health depts., cooperative extension, universities, planning commissions) - document impact of your efforts.

• Contact funding source - “market” your proposal.

• Don’t let dollars drive program design or propose something you don’t want to do.

• Develop generic proposals that are well-written & reviewed by others.

• Persevere & keep a sense of humor.

Objectives

• Identify the benefits of securing research funding to implement coalition activities

• Site three examples of how research funding has been used to developed immunization programs

• Address the reporting requirements for research funders

Conclusions

• Funding for coalition activities exist

• Coalitions should seek research funds to further their activities

• Reporting requirements to research funders are not difficult