United States federal research funding has historically been a key driver of scientific advancement, economic growth, and societal well-being. The level and consistency of financial support provided by government organizations such as the NIH, NSF, DoE and others has directly accelerated the number of breakthroughs in medicine and technology, while also stimulating innovation and job creation within academia and in private industry. Federal funding also induces complementary investments from other funding sources, including nonprofits and/or foundations, private donors, and industry. However, government funding has been declining since the 1960s, and now is more uncertain than ever. Many scientists who historically have relied on federal funding to support their program are starting to consider other funding sources.

Why have multiple revenue streams?

Unless you are independently wealthy and able to personally fund your research program, your ability to complete the research mission of your job is dependent upon outside funding sources including federal grants and contracts, university funds, endowments, industry contracts, foundation funding, and gifts/donations. Many of these funding sources require spending on a consistent schedule, however some can be held in reserve. The greater the diversity of your funding portfolio, the less reliant you are on any individual funding mechanism, the fewer the constraints you will have on your spending, and the better able you are to weather shifts in funding availability.

Working with different groups with different interests and requirements will also make you a better scientist. This process helps you think about your core research interests from a broader perspective, and forces you to draw direct links between your research and its impact on different populations and in unique contexts. Your ability to communicate your research and its impact will improve. You’ll also attract a wider pool of talent, drawing from those interested in both basic and more applied research projects. Non-federal research funding can also provide a mechanism to fund more cutting-edge, less “safe” research projects.    

What are Foundations?

Foundations are nonprofit organizations overseen by a board of directors (or trustees) that provide grants to support charitable causes, including scientific research. Foundations can be private or public, and can be established by individuals, families, or corporations. Foundations often focus on specific areas of study or disease.

Foundation Funding can take a variety of forms including including traditional research grants, funding for trainees or early-career researchers, or mechanisms that support high-risk, high-reward projects. They also sometimes establish research institutes or endowed chairs at universities, providing long-term funding stability. The Gates Foundation is an example of a foundation with a broad research focus, while the American Cancer Society and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund are more specific in the scope of research they support.

How much funding is available?

The amount of funding available varies dramatically between different foundations and between funding mechanisms within a foundation. The amount of indirect funding available, how that amount is calculated, and what it covers also varies. As a case study, on the day I wrote this post, the American Cancer Society (ACS) had 6 active funding calls listed on its website, including opportunities for postdocs and clinician scientists, discovery research grants, and grants for translating established research to the clinic. Annual funding via these mechanisms ranged from $66,000 to $545,000 per year, and indirect costs were set at 8% for some mechanisms and 10% for others.

Writing for Foundations

Writing for a foundation is similar to writing for any other funding source. You have to understand what they are interested in funding, and then write a proposal that clearly conveys its alignment with those interests.

Your first step should be to do your research on the funder. Examine their current funding calls, and select the one that you think fits your research interests. Look at both the funding announcement and at the foundation’s general grant policies and principles. Note critical terms and be prepared to explicitly address them in your proposal. Sticking with our previous example, if you have an early stage basic research project that relates to cancer, the Discovery Boost Grant (DBG) could be a good fit. From the funding call, note that they want “high-risk, high-reward exploratory cancer research” in the areas of “developing research methodologies, establishing feasibility, or leading pilot tests”. Note also that the purpose of the fund is to allow for the generation of preliminary data to secure additional grant funding. The call also links to the general ACS policy guidelines. This document not only gives a nuanced set of application instructions, the appendix also includes examples of lay summaries and abstracts. It gives examples of how the ACS assesses if a proposed project aligns with their funding priorities. Importantly, it describes key areas of research the ACS is interested in funding. Take notes on all of these things, and then verify that what you are proposing aligns.

When you go to write, use the exact language used by the foundation in your proposal. You cannot be too direct. Sticking with our ACS DBG example, include sentences such as “Here we propose to establish the feasibility of [your method] as a novel way to predict tumor growth in response to [behavior].” Make sure you both state and show that your research program is high risk, but also high reward. Comment explicitly on what preliminary data the project will generate and how you will use that to apply for future funding, naming the funding mechanisms and the potential funders. Call back to ACS’s seven areas of research funding, and note how you fit. You’ll want to include these specific callouts in all major scientific proposal documents, including the title, the lay summary, the abstract, and the actual research proposal. If the foundation is like ACS and provides you with examples, study them, mapping out how each project met the foundation’s criteria so you can emulate it.

In addition to language, also pay attention to who will be reviewing each grant segment and write to that audience. Some foundations have a standing review board listed. Look up those people so you can understand their expertise and tailor your explanations to facilitate their understanding of your research program. Most NIH study sections will have narrower and deeper expertise than most foundation review panels. Nobody can be wowed by your research plan if they can’t understand it, its potential impact, or its relevance to their cause.

Pivoting a basic science project

All of the above assumes that you have a research project that aligns with the mission of a specific foundation in a direct and communicable way. However for many people engaged in basic research, the type of research typically funded by NIGMS, this is not necessarily the case.

Basic researchers interested in expanding their focus to include the scope of research supported by Foundations and other non-profits will need to make some adjustments. This is not an easy process, but it is possible, and it is a worthwhile endeavor.

Step 1: Brainstorm

Take a step back from your immediate research goals, and think broadly. What types of research have you done in the past? What is its impact? What techniques do you have expertise in? What types of research questions can be addressed by your technical expertise? Using a generative artificial intelligence chatbot can be a useful brainstorming tool, though remember that the freely available chatbots are not private. Also, chatbots need guidance. Below is a sample prompt:

PROMPT: I need some help targeting my basic science research program for funding by foundations. My research program focuses on [fundamental cellular process]. Specifically I work with [model organism] and [techniques] to understand how [research question]. I believe that [ hypothesis]. This is important for [impact]. [Fundamental cellular process] is important to the progression of many diseases and cancers. Can you list 10 different diseases that my research program could benefit, along with charities and foundations that fund research into these diseases?

Other places to look for help at this stage are the introduction and discussion sections of papers in your field. Look for any more applied papers that cite your research in Pubmed.  The abstract and narratives of grants funded in your immediate research area can also be informative. The NIH RePORTer tool can help you identify relevant grants.

Step 2: Validate

Look at the websites of foundations you’ve identified. Your goal is to find a foundation that could fund a research proposal that you, with a reasonable amount of effort on your part, could complete. What might a “reasonable effort” entail? If you think data generated by a technique you are an expert in could benefit a specific disease, you might need to find a collaborator willing to provide you with samples and do a quick pilot to establish feasibility. Alternatively, you might need to find a collaborator willing to test one of your ideas in a cell culture or rodent model system. Perhaps you need to mine publicly available datasets to establish credibility for a mechanistic hypothesis. Think carefully on what you need to do to make yourself look credible to the foundation.

Next you need to get feedback from someone in the area of research you are interested in moving towards. This could be a colleague, or it could be a foundation representative. You need someone who can give you feedback on your idea. Work carefully on your pitch. Clearly articulate why solving your proposed basic research question will directly translate into an advance that is within the scope of the foundation. Do not rely on platitudes like “understanding when and why specific genes are expressed is of fundamental importance”. Really listen to what they tell you, and be ready to go back to the drawing board if they bring up concerns about the relevance or feasibility of your idea.

Also try out your idea on non-scientists. You need to convince them that your research question is not just something that would be nice to know. It is something that can directly impact a disease or condition. Be very clear and very explicit about the significance and impact of what you are proposing. 

Step 3: Write

Now, write your proposal. Remember that this funder is not the NIH, and that there are likely norms for how proposals for this organization are structured, and what is included in them. Ensure that your submitted proposal “looks” like the type of proposal that they are used to funding. Find colleagues at your institution or in your field who have received foundation funding and ask them for advice, or ideally, a peak at an old grant. Ask specifically how they focus on different sections of their proposal. How much depth is included? What types of preliminary data do they include? Do they include letters of support?

If possible, talk through your approach with someone at the foundation. Many employ people who act similarly to NIH program officers. These individuals can help you avoid pitfalls that you might not even be aware of. This process is going to take longer due to its newness, so start early and be ready to revise. And always remember to thank those who help you through this process.

Conclusion

Remember, you are a scientist with a knowledge base and a skillset that you are applying toward a specific research goal. Foundations also have goals, and you need to prove that your skills can help them reach their goals.