In This Newsletter
Convenings
Program Updates
Reports and Resources
Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy and Our Partners in the News
Season's greetings from Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy! This year has been our biggest and one of the best yet. Together with our partners, our team has produced and published more than a dozen open-access reports, deployed strategic funding toward strengthening biomedical research ecosystems and facilitate access to care, and led major efforts to build consensus and motivate action around topics such as veterans’ health, gun violence prevention, and postsecondary education and training.
We are pleased to share a roundup of our work from the past few months. Follow us on LinkedIn and X for real-time updates and information. Also, keep an eye on our Giving Compass blog platform, the Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD2) updates page, and the Milken-Motsepe Prize page.
The Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy team made a splash at the Future of Health and Middle East and Africa Summits. The Future of Health Summit convened experts who explored topics including AI advancements to improve health care, funding opportunities for rare disease, and advancing gun violence prevention strategies. Researchers, clinicians, scientists, and practitioners all spoke on the importance of community support, conversation, and dialogue when it comes to advancing medical research or broaching tough issues.
Future of Health Summit Highlights
Harnessing Community Power: Driving Health Equity Research
Everyone deserves a fair opportunity to achieve the best possible health outcomes. With health equity as a cornerstone of our work, this session brought together diverse voices to explore paths to transformative change. Their aim is to ensure that research and care reflect the unique needs and priorities of communities that may have been left behind by an inequitable system.
Panelists (left to right): Nicholas St. Fleur (moderator), Color Code Podcast, STAT; Cari Almo Gallman, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Vanessa Garrison, GirlTrek; Terris King, King Enterprise Group, Liberty Grace Church of God; Louis Muglia, Burroughs Wellcome Fund; Matthew Tejada, Natural Resources Defense Council.
Catalysts of Change: Philanthropy, Advocacy, and Innovation in Rare Disease Research
Rare disease patients, advocates, and researchers are playing an outsize—and in some cases, overlooked—role in transforming research and care for a range of diseases. This panel explored innovations in genomics, data, and cross-stakeholder collaboration that have driven progress. Panelists also offered lessons and insights for tackling common conditions more effectively.
Panelists (left to right): Caitlyn Barrett (moderator), Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy; Yvette Cozier, Boston University; William A. Gahl, National Institutes of Health; Adam C. Resnick, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Tania Simoncelli, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
The Next Frontier in Mental Health Research
With one in eight people affected by mental illness, innovation in mental health is more urgent than ever. This panel delved into groundbreaking approaches, from brain circuitry studies to personalized treatment options, that offer new hope for those affected.
Panelists (left to right): Alice Park (moderator), TIME; Cara Altimus, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy; Doug Drysdale, Cybin; Ryan Field, Kernel; Maria A. Oquendo, University of Pennsylvania.
Building Safer Communities: Public Health Approaches to Gun Violence Prevention
This panel addressed gun violence as a public health crisis, and highlighted ways in which public and private sectors are collaborating for impactful change. Panelists in this session spoke frankly about the need to work together across perspectives and backgrounds—whether in everyday conversations bridging political divides, or large-scale advocacy efforts—to find solutions that create safer communities.
Panelists (left to right): Omer Awan, (moderator), University of Maryland, Forbes; Zachary Meisel, University of Pennsylvania; Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Moms Demand Action; Alex M. Johnson, California Wellness Foundation; Stefanie Feldman, Assistant to the President, White House Staff Secretary, and Director of the White House Office on Gun Violence Prevention; and, Center for Gun Violence Prevention; Northwell Health.
Brain Check: Innovations in Prevention, Detection, and Intervention for Neurodegenerative Disease
Our brains hold the essence of who we are, and proper care for this vital organ is central to well-being. As the population ages, healthy eating, exercise, and good sleep habits can improve brain health more than people realize. Experts on this panel discussed the latest in prevention, early detection, and intervention—and highlighted ways to manage brain health proactively.
Panelists (left to right): Sylvie Raver (moderator), Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy; Vikram Bhaskaran, Roon; Everett Cook, The 10,000 Brains Project; Joanne Pike, Alzheimer's Association; Jonathan Rosand, Global Brain Care Coalition; McCance Center for Brain Health; Massachusetts General Hospital; Harvard Medical School; Broad Institute.
Decoding Disease: Can Genetics Unlock New Interventions?
This session untangled debates around the cutting edge in genetics research. Panelists explored whether the world is at the dawn of a new era in medicine or if the endless possibilities of genetics-based research and treatments are actually slowing progress.
Panelists (left to right): Conor Hale (moderator), Fierce Medtech; Colleen Campbell, National Society of Genetic Counselors; Lon Cardon, the Jackson Laboratory; Bernard Krabi-Addo, Howard University College of Medicine; Benjamin Neale, Broad Institute.
Middle East and Africa Summit: A Milestone Moment for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech
Collaboration and a shared vision for the future are more crucial than ever, as the decisions leaders make today will shape tomorrow's environments, economies, and societies. Africa is undergoing a technological transformation, with a youthful, entrepreneurial population leading innovations in FinTech and mobile banking. The Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy team hosted an exclusive pitch session, sharing the innovations from 10 semifinalist teams of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech. Three teams whose innovations show enormous potential to facilitate access to finance for millions of small and medium enterprises were selected by a panel of judges to move to the final round.
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Chumz, Kenya
Chumz is a gamified savings product that leverages behavioral psychology to help individuals save at low cost.
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Oze, Ghana
Oze is a digital lending platform that bridges Africa’s credit gap by providing banks with a small and medium-sized enterprise- (SME) focused app that digitizes financial data, enabling risk assessment and lending to small businesses.
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Verto, United Kingdom
Verto is a business-to-business cross-border payments platform for businesses in emerging markets, powered by a unified network that eliminates intermediary fees, handles 49 currencies, and settles transactions faster.
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The Grand Prize winner will be announced at the Milken Institute Global Conference in May 2025.
Game On: Unlocking the Social Impact of Sports
Sports foster a sense of community and belonging that is needed more than ever. Melissa Stevens moderated this discussion, which reflected on how sports are driving progress, bringing together people from different backgrounds and changing lives, and how to leverage the strengths of the sector for even greater impact.
Global Investors’ Symposium | Mexico City
Speakers (left to right): Ivonne Madrid Canudas, Alsea Foundation, Alsea; John Schellhase (moderator) Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy; Erika Vargas, the UPS Foundation. Not pictured: Gisela Noble, Walmart.
Philanthropic Trends in Latin America Bridging Generations and Corporate Impact (private session) examined the evolving landscape of philanthropy in the region, highlighting the growing role of corporate giving. It explored how younger generations and corporate foundation leaders are reshaping traditional models by prioritizing impact, sustainability, and innovation.
BD² Integrated Network Annual Community Meeting
The BD² Integrated Network held its annual Community Meeting in Chicago. Among the highlights: the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) formally announced its partnership with BD², which will create support groups specifically for Integrated Network study participants to foster community and share tools and resources for wellness. The BD² Milestone Report has more.
Global Brain Coalition Meeting
In early December, the SPARC neuroscience team hosted and facilitated a 30-person strategy retreat for the Global Brain Care Coalition at the Milken Institute's DC office to brainstorm and further resolve the unique role that the Coalition will play within the brain health ecosystem.
Navigating Turbulent Times: Practical Approaches for Corporate Philanthropy
Corporate philanthropies face growing pressure to address crises while managing reputational and financial risks in a polarized environment. This report provides strategies—including scenario planning, selective disaster response, and strong partnerships—to help organizations respond effectively and maximize long-term impact.
Pathways to Prosperity: Opportunities to Bridge Postsecondary Education and the Workforce
Millions in the US, particularly in underserved communities, face barriers such as financial instability and limited resources, which hinder access to postsecondary education and skills. This report highlights five philanthropic strategies—supporting human-centered programs, wraparound services, partnerships, in-demand skills training, and bold investments—to build lasting pathways to prosperity.
Activating Philanthropic and Business Capital: Strategies to Advance Gun Violence Prevention in the US
Every year, more than 40,000 American lives are lost to gun violence, resulting in significant social and economic challenges for individuals and communities. This report explores the current landscape of gun violence prevention and highlights urgent needs for impactful investments from philanthropy and businesses to bridge funding gaps and create safe communities in the US. Download the report, and watch “Building Safer Communities,” the gun violence prevention panel from this year’s Future of Health.
BD² Milestone Report
This year, Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²) accelerated research efforts and expanded its collaborative network to improve outcomes for people with bipolar disorder. Key milestones included strengthening cross-disciplinary partnerships, launching the second Discovery Research cohort, and making remarkable progress within the BD² Integrated Network, which bridges research and clinical practice.
Health Equity in Science: A Giving Smarter Guide
Health equity aims to ensure that everyone has a fair opportunity to achieve optimal health, but this aim is hindered by factors including socioeconomic disparities, discrimination, and inequities in research and funding. This report offers actionable steps for funders to address these challenges and advance health equity through science. The Future of Health panel “Harnessing Community Power” covered findings from this report.
- Melissa Stevens, executive vice president of Strategic Philanthropy authored an article outlining best practices of strategic philanthropy.
- NPR published an article on preventative care for brain health featuring Milken Institute partners at the Global Brain Care Coalition.
- Jonathan Rosand, founder of the Global Brain Care Coalition and Future of Health Summit speaker, wrote "It’s Time to Prevent Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Stroke, and Depression" for the Milken Institute’s Power of Ideas series.
- Quinton Banks, associate director with Milken Institute SPARC, wrote an Insights article focused on "The Power of Community for Rare Disease Research."
- Nadia Penrod, senior associate, SPARC, wrote an Insights article bringing awareness to strategic philanthropy’s role in bridging the links between rare diseases and common neurodegenerative disorders.
- CoinMarketCap and Technext featured Trade Lenda, which made it to the semifinalist round of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech.
- Capital FM highlighted the three teams from Kenya selected as semifinalists for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech.
- FinTech News Africa published an article featuring the 10 semifinalists announced by the Milken Institute.
- Diana Orembe, grand prize winner of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech, spoke with Engineering News, highlighting how NovFeed transforms organic waste into sustainable fish feed and fertilizer, driving food security and environmental impact in Africa.
