We support discovery science through donations from the public.
The Science Foundation’s aims are:
1. To catalyze discovery science through competitively awarded gifts.
We support discovery science by releasing regular requests for proposals; release is based on availability of funds for a particular program. Once enough proposals have been received or a date has passed, we convene review panels to evaluate proposals based on their merit. We distribute funds to faculty/researchers through their institution’s affiliated non-profit arm to directly support discovery science research. Projects are typically small, with some programs capped ~$10K and others ~$100K. Researchers are expected to communicate results with both the research community and the public through appropriate channels, honoring principles of data sovereignty and privacy.
2. To engage and inspire the public in the process of funding discovery science.
We seek to create an alternative funding structure for basic science through donations from the public and to educate and engage the public in the process of how science is funded in order to build trust between the public and the scientific enterprise. Proposal review incorporates evaluation of public outreach content, which is shared immediately with the public for supported projects. Support for science depends on public engagement; we connect the public to the process of funding science while taking care to prevent undue individual influence. Donors can choose which programs to donate to, but not which projects will be funded, and programs are formulated by our board with public input.