Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships
Research Project Definition

The Goldman Philanthropic Partnerships (GPP) seeks out, validates and co-funds innovative research that may lead to cures for a range of catastrophic diseases.  These projects must be innovative, as defined by other documents we have produced.  In addition, the following variables are evaluated to determine how the projects rank on the funding scale. 

1)      Type of innovative research-The Partnerships explores groundbreaking research in all disciplines of medicine, and outside conventional medicine, such as bioengineering, computer science and mathematic algorithmic solutions, and complementary and alternative medicine.  The greater the researcher pushes the boundaries of scientific exploration, the higher the reward must be for the risk, the higher the quality of the researcher/institution, the more targeted the patient population, the more likely the translational ability, and the more compelling the underlying story.  The type of innovative research will help identify the type of donor likely to fund the research.

2)      Powerful underlying story-The more powerful the story and the higher the potential reward, the more likely that donors will be interested in not only funding the research, but also traveling down the road of scientific discovery with an innovative researcher. 

3)      Timeline-At the Partnerships, we are most interested in intermediate length studies (12-36 months), as we believe they are the most likely to move research towards a cure in a manner likely to help patients that are alive at the time of the initiation of the research.  They also provide donors with opportunity for significant and repeated involvement without being so lengthy that the donor loses interest.  It also provides the Partnerships with the opportunity to monitor and manage the project.  Very short projects (<9 months duration) must have powerful stories and highly likely rewards, be very resource frugal, or be a proof of concept project.  Very long projects are possible, but must provide an interim opportunity for improvement in patient care.

4)      Funding-The Partnerships are willing to fund projects of any amount.  We fund small proof of concept projects and large multi-center clinical trials.  All projects will have a business plan and a coordinated and targeted budget, which will be dispersed based on attainment of project milestones and benchmarks.  Ideal projects have a budget that provides an appropriate return on investment, which will be determined by the donors’ commitment to fund.  Funding will ordinarily follow the Partnerships “Conditions of Award” guidelines (see attached), although we can modify those conditions to meet the needs of our co-funding partners.

5)      Partnerships-The the Partnerships usually co-funds a venture with at least one organizational, institutional, or corporate partner.  Ideally, projects would be co-funded by the Partnerships and at least two other partners (one organizational and one institutional).  Ultimately, the Partnerships believes that even greater numbers of partners will participate to assist in the translation of work from one patient population to another, and in the effort the share knowledge for the benefit of the patients.

6)      Researcher-We tend to fund talented, young researchers in all disciplines with innovative ideas, although we also fund seasoned researchers looking to expand into new areas.  We have a strong interest in multiple degreed individuals, especially MD/PhDs.  In addition to being innovative and credentialed, the ideal researcher will be a powerful and convincing public speaker, or have a collaborator who has these qualities.  Donors want to fund research; they are more likely to fund research and want to become involved with researchers who hypothesize innovative research and back it up with charisma.

7)      Disease-The Partnerships looks to fund research that will lead to a cure, regardless of the disease.  We have a strong interest in multiple myeloma and other hematological diseases.  We also look for research that can be translated from one disease to another.  We will help donors fund research into any disease.

8)      Demographics-The Partnerships maintains a strong interest in diseases of children and young adults, although we will fund research into any patient population where we believe there is a high likelihood of return on disease prevention, treatment or cure.