In This Newsletter

Convenings
Program Highlights
Reports and Resources
In the News: Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy and Our Partners

In this quarter’s issue, we highlight the latest from Strategic Philanthropy as we count down less than five weeks to the Milken Institute Global Conference. We’re excited to share new initiatives and insights shaping the future of giving. Explore our reports, articles, and podcasts, and follow Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy on LinkedIn for updates.

Convenings

Davos World Economic Forum 2025
 

The Strategic Philanthropy team participated in several roundtable discussions and engagements at the 2025 World Economic Forum. Melissa Stevens, executive vice president, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy, filmed a segment at the Brain House (presented by Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative) on Next Gen Mindset on Wealth. With two next-generation philanthropists—Amy Dornbusch, founder of AtlasDaughters, and Wendy Wecksell, founder of WxL Partners—she discussed how they’re calibrating their own giving journeys and paths. Watch the segment.

Stevens also moderated a roundtable breakfast discussion, Philanthropy in a Changing World: Embracing Opportunities amid Global Shifts, that brought together philanthropists, heads of foundations and family offices, and social innovators to determine where—and how—philanthropy can best fill the gaps in shifting political landscapes.

Cara Altimus, PhD, managing director, Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC), participated in two panel discussions on the need for innovation and investment in brain health (watch the session) and how to build worldwide awareness of brain health (watch here).

Veterans Community Initiative

As part of the Veterans Community Initiative in partnership with the Tullman Family Office and The Duchossois Family Foundation, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy recently convened a two-day retreat in Washington, DC. Leaders from government, academia, nonprofits, and the private sector assessed the current landscape of veteran support, identified barriers facing organizations dedicated to veterans’ well-being, and developed actionable solutions for cross-sector collaboration and strategic philanthropic investment. Subsequent learnings will be included in a public report coming later this year.
 

Program Highlights

The Changing Role of Philanthropy and Investment: A Focus on Gun Violence Prevention
 

At the Northwell Health Gun Violence Prevention Forum, Emily Musil, PhD, managing director, Environment and Social Innovation, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy, moderated a panel with Julie Morita, president and CEO, The Joyce Foundation, Rev. Michael McBride, executive director, Live Free USA, and Thea Montañez, senior advisor to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. In their discussion on strategies for reducing gun violence, they emphasized the importance of applying a social innovation approach involving collaboration across philanthropy, government, business, and community organizations. Recognizing that gun violence affects multiple sectors, including housing, food security, economic mobility, and education, Forum participants highlighted Milken Institute's efforts in driving change through its Gun Violence Prevention Initiative.  

Three Finalists Advance to Final Round of Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech
 

The race for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech has come down to three innovative finalists: Chumz, Oze, and Verto. These finalists will compete for the grand prize at the Milken Institute Global Conference in May 2025. The winner will receive US$1 million in non-dilutive funding to scale their FinTech innovation. This Prize awards companies using innovative technology to expand capital access and financial services for small businesses in emerging markets. Learn more about the finalists and stay tuned to see which of their groundbreaking solutions takes home the grand prize.

Corporate Philanthropy Leadership Collective Roundtable Recap

Last February, the Milken Institute brought together 18 leaders in corporate philanthropy for a select roundtable at the Visa Foundation in San Francisco. The event provided a platform for lively discussion of the challenges and opportunities shaping corporate philanthropy, with a focus on critical issues such as trust in philanthropy, place-based giving, and technological innovations transforming the field. Part of our Corporate Philanthropy Leadership Collective, this event reflects our ongoing commitment to explore how synergy derived from philanthropy and business can lead to meaningful, lasting impact, empowering corporations to bring about positive change in a complex and fast-paced world.

Accelerating Scientific Progress: New Partnerships

SPARC has launched two projects: one aimed at improving diagnosis, care, and community support for people with schizophrenia, and the other focused on advancing research for rare neurodevelopmental disorders caused by mutations in the CAMK2 gene.
In addition, SPARC has expanded its successful collaboration with the LHON Collective to further research into Leber hereditary optic neuropathy, a rare mitochondrial disorder that causes progressive and frequently permanent blindness. Together, these efforts are accelerating progress in critical areas of research, driving meaningful change for patients and their communities.

Reports and Resources

Impact Review: Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy

The Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy continues to transform access to sustainable power across Africa. This two-year, $2 million innovation competition, run by the Milken Institute from November 2022 to May 2024, challenged innovators in Africa to expand off-grid electricity. A year after its launch, participating startups had secured $6.4 million in funding, increased staff by 87 percent, and served more than 9,000 community members. Read our impact review to learn more about the competition’s ongoing success.

Priorities for Strategic Climate and Environmental Philanthropy

Despite the widespread impact of climate and environmental change, only 2 percent of global philanthropy supports climate mitigation. Our new report outlines how philanthropy can drive meaningful change by funding innovative solutions, de-risking projects, and fostering collaboration. The report offers actionable recommendations—highlighting underfunded areas including forests, oceans, and food systems—to help philanthropists create lasting impact.




 

Insights: The Value of Collaboration in Rare Disease Research

Philanthropy and collaboration are driving breakthroughs in the treatment of rare childhood cancers. The Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a targeted therapy for pediatric low-grade glioma is just one example of how patient advocates, nonprofits, and the pharmaceutical industry work together to accelerate progress. Learn more about how strategic philanthropic investments offer hope for children confronting rare cancers—and how you can get involved. Dive into this short article to learn more about the impact of collaboration in rare cancer research.
 

Leading Corporate Philanthropies: Executive Profiles and Talent Management

Who are the leaders responsible for managing tens of billions of dollars in corporate philanthropic giving each year? In Leading Corporate Philanthropies, we examine the profiles of nearly 100 current corporate philanthropy leaders, shining a light on the challenges they confront—from increasing public demands to evolving corporate priorities—and on the teams that support them.

In the News: Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy and Our Partners

Philanthropy and Social Impact

• John Schellhase, director, Strategic Philanthropy, shares philanthropy’s role in addressing climate challenges on the newest episode of the Mission Matters podcast.

• Why should businesses, big or small, be interested in gun violence prevention? In a Mission Matters podcast episode, Musil shares opportunities for impactful investments to address active needs facing the Gun Violence Prevention ecosystem.

Financial Inclusion and Innovation

• Ola Oyetayo, Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech finalist and CEO of Verto, shares how Verto is transforming global trade by unlocking financial inclusion for small businesses.

• Mubarak Sumaila, Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech semifinalist and CEO of Nyla Bank, is revolutionizing financial inclusion for small businesses. Learn about innovative banking solutions designed to empower SMEs and drive economic growth.

• Meghan McCormick, cofounder and CEO of Oze and a finalist for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech, discusses in an interview with The Boardroom TV how Oze is tackling Africa's credit gap by offering banks a cutting-edge app designed for SMEs.  

• Samuel Njuguna, cofounder of Chumz and finalist for the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech, shares on The Boardroom TV how Chumz is revolutionizing savings in Africa by combining gamification and social media to make saving fun, engaging, and accessible.

Science and Health

• Pulse, the philanthropy-focused magazine from Harvard Medical School (HMS), recently featured two grants from the Biswas Family Foundation that support HMS researchers advancing computational biology in health care.

• Among NPR’s nine least-expected learnings about the brain in 2024 was the power of the Global Brain Care Coalition’s recommendations to reduce the risk of developing dementia, stroke, and depression. SPARC has partnered with the Coalition to make tools widely available to help prevent brain diseases worldwide.  

• Google cofounder Sergey Brin, who made a founding $50 million contribution to SPARC’s BD² initiative in 2022, recently expanded his philanthropic efforts to include supporting autism research.

• Daniel Pham, PhD SPARC director, with other members of BD², authored a commentary published in Biological Psychiatry on the importance of philanthropic funding to power research in bipolar disorder.