The F. M. Kirby Foundation has a rich history of philanthropic investments that create and promote strong, healthy communities. This is perhaps most directly exemplified in our health funding, where we support institutions providing high-quality, accessible patient care and conducting cutting-edge research. We are particularly proud of our support of early career investigators, believing that building a pipeline of talented scientists working on today’s problems will yield tomorrow’s life-saving solutions. Within the Health program area, specific strategies include:
Cancer Research:
While the National Cancer Institute is the primary funding engine behind cancer research in the United States, grant recipients often must jump through hoops and follow onerous restrictions to be eligible for funding. The Foundation believes its philanthropy can serve as a counterpoint to that government bureaucracy, and as such, seeks to provide early-stage, nimble funding to key partners so they have the resources they need to succeed in the fight to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Grants in this category support both individual research centers and research conglomerates with an additional educational focus.
Medical Center Support:
The Foundation believes that to guarantee high-quality, accessible patient care, we must invest in our local health systems. Grants in this category support medical centers or hospitals in which a family member or Director has a special interest, whether for geographic or personal reasons.
Neuroscience and Neurodegenerative Disease Research:
As the population ages, rates of people living with neurological impairments continues to rise. The Foundation hopes for a day when these diseases are more fully understood, leading to robust prevention efforts and more accurate and timely diagnosis and treatment. Grants in this category include research to address Alzheimer’s & dementia, perception and sensory disorders, spinal cord injuries, and others.
Type 1 Diabetes Research:
This category is limited to support of JDRF, which works tirelessly to advance life-changing breakthroughs in technologies and therapies for people living with T1D, while driving towards its goal of finding a cure for the disease.
General Biomedical Research:
Grants in this category support research harnessing scientific discovery to improve human health in areas ranging from inflammatory bowel disease to organ donation, to ophthalmology.
The F.M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to celebrate 10 years of continuous partnership with JDRF, the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization. From funding innovative research to advocating for government action to providing a support structure for those living with Type 1 diabetes (T1D), JDRF is a leading organization in learning more about the disease in order…