A case study-based session on how funders structure multi-party partnerships (selection of partners, roles, governance/decision rights, shared measures, and what keeps coalitions durable). We’re aiming for a practical, case-based Master Class on how high-performing funder coalitions are built and run, and what it takes for universities to plug in and succeed. We will have representatives from the following: the Allen Institutes, Weill Neurohub, and the Kavli Foundation.

This year’s Newcomers session is designed to give a clear, practical introduction to corporate and foundation relations (CFR)—what the work actually looks like day to day, and how to get started in the field. We’ll cover the core pieces of the work, from how CFR is structured across institutions to how you build relationships internally and externally. Along the way, we’ll also call out some of the most common misconceptions about the field and share what we’ve learned through experience. Panelists will talk openly about their own paths into CFR, including what they wish they had known early on and how they’ve navigated things like institutional dynamics, partnership-building, and developing a personal toolkit that works. The session is interactive by design, with time to connect with others, reflect on your own experience, and ask questions in a supportive, low-pressure environment. Whether you’re brand new to CFR or still figuring out how your role fits, you’ll leave with a better sense of the field and some practical ideas you can use right away.

In times of crisis, philanthropy becomes society's "passing gear." But are foundations and universities shifting gears together or working at cross-purposes? Join David Callahan, Founder and Editor of Inside Philanthropy, and Amber Miller, President of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, for a conversation exploring how political polarization, eroding public trust, and unprecedented scrutiny are reshaping the philanthropic landscape. Expect candid insights on what foundations really think about university partnerships right now, practical guidance for navigating delicate conversations about "sensitive" research areas, and bold predictions about the future of philanthropy-higher education collaboration. Callahan and Miller will share examples of what's working, what's not, and what entirely new models of partnership we should be experimenting with when traditional approaches no longer suffice.

The full title of this presentation is "Building mutually-beneficial partnerships with private companies: unleashing institutional giving to support students, faculty and staff." During this session you will learn about the evolution of the UC Berkeley School of Public Health's long-standing relationships with healthcare, pharmaceutical and health insurance companies over the past decade. These philanthropic partnerships began with a focus on providing financial and wrap-around supports to URM/first-gen and LMIC students to prepare the next generation of diverse public health professionals and build capacity in the Global South. These five funders provided over $20 million in support for fellowships at an average of about $1.5M per year. When these corporations wanted to see more benefits the partnerships evolved to include collaborative research projects on topics of mutual interest and executive education for their employees/leadership. We will then draw out the guiding principles behind successful public-private partnerships.

In this interactive session you will have a chance to think about which local companies share your values and could use your university's intellectual assets to address challenging research questions, translating research to practice in service to community. You will get a chance to apply the guiding principles from Berkeley Public Health's success to your unique situation.

The future of biomedical research depends on stronger, more dynamic partnerships between those who fund discovery and those who steward it within academic institutions. This panel invites a bidirectional conversation between university development offices and philanthropic funders to explore how each can better understand the other’s priorities, constraints, and opportunities for collaboration. As traditional funding streams face increasing volatility, the need for creative, trust-based relationships that align mission-driven philanthropy with institutional strategy has never been greater.
Panelists will examine how development offices can more effectively translate institutional research strengths into compelling philanthropic opportunities—and how foundations and philanthropies can structure their giving to build resilience across the ecosystem. Together, they will discuss models for shared risk-taking, sustainable funding pipelines for early career investigators, and infrastructure investments that protect long-term research continuity. The session will surface practical approaches to ensure that critical biomedical research remains supported, innovative, and impactful—even amid shifting economic and political landscapes.

With federal research budgets shrinking, faculty are under more pressure than ever to find support from private foundations.  At MSU we built a Foundation Funding Resource Hub to make that search easier and more sustainable.  The Hub gives faculty access to curated opportunities, proposal templates, and guidance that they can use on their own, without relying on one-off support.  What started as a complex manual process turned into an automated, faculty-centered resource that responds to both national funding cuts and budgetary staffing limits.  The session would highlight how our constraints drove us to rethink the model and how other institutions might take similar steps.

Scientific funding is undergoing profound change — from shifting federal mandates to evolving philanthropic priorities and growing pressure to support bold, high‑impact research. In this interactive panel, leaders from NSF and major private foundations will share how they are navigating this moment: what forces are shaping their decisions, how they balance risk with accountability, and where they see room for innovation in funding models. The discussion will also probe the future of collaboration across sectors and the emerging opportunities that could redefine the next decade of scientific investment. The session includes audience Q&A.