Medical Research

/

Whether motivated by a personal connection to a particular disease or a general humanitarian inspiration to save lives and advance knowledge, donors have many reasons to give for medical research. The bulk of medical research is funded by governments and corporations, such as pharmaceutical companies, with philanthropy accounting for a relatively small share of revenues for research organizations (about 3%, according to the Milken Institute). But philanthropic giving plays a unique and critical role. Government and corporate grantmakers tend to be risk averse, while private philanthropy has more flexibility. That means donors can play a critical role in supporting innovative research and possible cures that show promise but have longer odds of success. Donors can also support advocacy to help unlock federal funding for important work. 

Over the last few decades, philanthropists have collectively given hundreds of millions in funding to accelerate research on prevention, detection and treatment of cancer, for instance. Philanthropists can choose to invest in projects that may take many years before they show any results but have the potential to be transformative if given the time to develop. As federal budgets fail to keep up with inflation and the potential for new discoveries, there are many gaps for philanthropy to fill and plenty of opportunities to make a transformative impact. 

Strategies for Impact

Universities, hospitals, scientists, private research institutes and multifaceted organizations such as cancer centers are engaged in a wide range of efforts relating to medical research that philanthropic funders can support. Below, we discuss several areas where donors might focus their funding and spotlight several organizations in each.    

  • Fill funding gaps. Philanthropists have the flexibility to fill gaps, and there are definitely gaps that need filling when it comes to medical research. Looking at cancer research, for example, some cancers (breast, leukemia) receive greater funding than others (cervical, liver), and the discrepancy is not necessarily tied to need. Some cancers are underfunded considering how common and lethal they are — for instance, colorectal cancer receives less funding even though the condition is quite prevalent in the U.S. population. Some researchers think it might be because of their lethality that some cancers are funded at lower levels, as donors choose to give in areas where there is a high likelihood of positive outcomes. There are also racial disparities, as cancers that disproportionately affect Black patients receive less funding, a researcher at the Cleveland Clinic found. A donor can choose, however, to address these disparities and give where funding is most needed, whether that is underfunded cancer research or research into rare diseases or prevention, another area that could use more funder support. 

  • Fund basic research. Basic science research is foundational to all medical research, and can lead to developments that impact the entire field. This is core knowledge research that is furthest from commercialization and for which fundraising is difficult in a largely profit driven world. Basic research might take longer to find measurable results, but a donor who is in it for the long haul and does not need to see a specific outcome in the short term can make a bigger difference by funding basic science research. Academic research centers, government institutes and nonprofit research institutions conduct this type of research. Examples include Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind at the University of California, San Diego, the Broad Institute and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

  • Get promising treatments through the “Valley of Death.” Translational or preclinical research advances promising discoveries from the basic phase to clinical testing. According to the Milken Institute, the “full spectrum” of translational research can take three to six years on average. A dearth of funding or an unclear path to commercialization can prevent promising therapies from advancing to the translational stage of the continuum — a failure point known as “the Valley of Death.” This is a pivotal opportunity for donors who can provide sustainable funding through — and out of — this phase. The Catalytic Impact Foundation is a nonprofit that uses funds to invest in early stage life science and healthcare companies and guide innovative treatments through “the Valley of Death.” CIF’s portfolio includes 10 companies in its Brain Health priority area.

  • Boost prevention research. Most donors give for diagnostics and shepherding groundbreaking treatments to market, but some forward thinkers are also adopting a more holistic approach to preventative research. In one of many examples in which researchers are exploring links between lifestyle and specific conditions, in 2022, researchers discovered that people who work in manufacturing, welding and chemical operations and are exposed to hazardous chemicals may face a higher risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). There is great need for more investment in understanding how behavioral and lifestyle factors can affect medical conditions and outcomes and increase understanding of variations in the development of disease in people from different backgrounds.

Insights and Advice

In considering which impact strategies to support, donors should consider their personal interests and outlook to find the best fit. Keep an eye out for emerging opportunities to give with maximum impact. Here, we offer a few insights and suggestions:

  • Don’t go it alone. Intermediaries can do a huge amount of the leg work of identifying opportunities in the field, and getting involved with one of these groups is a great way for donors to save time and give more effectively. Notable groups include FasterCures, Friends of Cancer Research, Health Research Alliance and Genetic Alliance. The Research Acceleration and Improvement Network consists of foundations interested in the venture philanthropy approach to medical research. A number of organizations in the field publish updates and reports about medical research that can be helpful in your giving process, such as the American Cancer Society’s Research Highlights. The Milken Institute has created several helpful primers on funding medical research. You might also connect with a giving circle related to a disease you want to address through your local community foundation or by browsing the Giving Compass Giving Circle Directory or Amplifier Giving, which supports giving circles guided by Jewish values.The grantmaker affinity group Grantmakers in Health may also have some resources you find helpful. 

  • Address inequities. Health disparities persist, and some of this starts at the level of research. Black communities, for example, have historically been underrepresented in  or abused by clinical medical research. And research relating to diseases that disproportionately impact people of color is still too often underfunded. Funders can address these and other inequities by backing diverse research teams and giving to research institutions such as HBCUs that have relationships of trust with historically underrepresented or medically mistreated communities. Funders are also supporting genomic research, which could yield treatment breakthroughs for disproportionately affected groups. Some of the biggest organizations in the field are taking steps to address inequities: The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has an Equity in Access Research program that funds research to better understand the underlying causes of health disparities and possible solutions, and Susan G. Komen has a health equity initiative to eliminate disparities in breast cancer outcomes. 

For Donors Getting Started

Donors who are new to this space should take the time to learn about the landscape. A good place to start is by reading IP’s State of American Philanthropy reports on giving for cancer research and neuroscience research.

In addition, peruse recent articles that IP has written about what’s happening in this area of philanthropy. Some philanthropic organizations, such as the Milken Institute, also offer reports and articles to help donors understand the giving landscape. 

Charity Navigator is a reputable place to search for worthy organizations around the country. Its search tool allows donors to filter results for specific diseases, as well as to identify organizations within their state. 

But the best way to get started giving for medical research is to make some initial gifts, learn from the groups you’re supporting, and connect early with a funding intermediary that can help you learn more about this giving area and increase your giving in a thoughtful way. 

Have suggestions for improving this brief? Please email us at editor@insidephilanthropy.com.