Mental Health

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is the leading private funder of mental health research in the U.S., backing scientists working in one of the toughest areas of biomedicine. What advances has this funding achieved? And where is BBRF heading next?

With many veterans not receiving the mental health care they need, and alarming numbers committing suicide, private funders have been stepping up. We look at an initiative to help veterans that involves tens of millions of dollars in new grant money for research.

Globally, anxiety and depression are a bigger health burden than you probably realize. Existing treatments are often ineffective, and doctors don’t know why. Wellcome Trust is investing big to transform mental health research and care.

Psychedelics have reentered the mainstream conversation thanks to Michael Pollan’s “How to Change Your Mind.” But there are still very few foundations that focus in this area. We get the inside story of how one philanthropist came to back psilocybin research and related causes.

Negative perceptions around mental illness and a lack of quality mental healthcare are major problems in black communities. Taraji P. Henson, an acclaimed actress with family experience in this realm, recently launched a foundation to take on these issues.

Foundations and nonprofits are becoming more interested in addressing trauma among children and adolescents, as research points to its many negative effects on life outcomes. America’s Promise Alliance is one organization taking on this issue, tapping a $6 million grant.

A $15 million gift to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland by Marc and Lynne Benioff will address the acute shortage of mental health services for children and adolescents in Oakland and the East Bay.

While mental illness is surprisingly common, funding for this critical issue is in short supply, even from health foundations. Which is why a big grant for mental health from the Open Society Foundations is worth a closer look.

Like so many funders these days, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health is bringing a stronger equity lens to its work. It’s also looking upstream for better ways to promote well-being. Here’s how those threads are coming together.

Here’s a look at how the Foundations Community Partnership has been giving money to local groups in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and what its priorities are.

The Hogg Foundation, one of the few stalwart backers of mental health, is looking to better address the underlying factors that determine well-being. We hear how the new strategy came about and why rural areas will get more attention.

New York finance veteran Stephen Lieber and his family have been supporting mental illness research for decades. We recently spoke with Lieber to unpack a deeply personal story of effective giving.

It's no secret that people in low-income communities of color have worse mental health and less access to care. A prominent mental health funder in Texas is looking to tackle the underlying causes at work.  

The IBC Foundation is working to tackle opioid addiction in Southeastern Pennsylvania. What's its strategy and who's getting grants? 

Whenever we do see large gifts going for mental health, we stop and take note. Lately, we've seen a few notable examples of this relatively rare kind of mega donation. 

Nearly half of kids in the U.S. have experienced some form of trauma, which makes them more susceptible to obesity, heart disease and cancer later on. We dive into RWJF's new work in this emerging area.  

BBRF's fellowship support for young scientists is on the low side, but it's been crucial to get their work off the ground and qualify for further funding. We take a look at the latest "catalyst" grants to go out the door. 

Amid growing research on trauma and other mental health issues affecting children, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health is giving this area lots of attention in one state. 

We look at the first round of grants from the Well Being Trust, a new health legacy funder giving millions to mental health groups in California. 

Here's the deal with Florida's Blue Cross-affiliated foundation and how you can get a piece of its millions—including for work on mental health. 

With an eye out for vulnerable people who can't afford healthcare, the St. David’s Foundation is an important grantmaker in Central Texas. And its makes some seriously large grants. 

Once considered just another Jewish funder, Ruderman Family Foundation has emerged as a leaderin the field of disability inclusion. Here's what RFF is doing locally in Boston—and nationally and globally..

In a tough funding space, it's always encouraging to follow the grantmaking of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF), which is one of the world’s leading funders of mental health research.

Many people who've watched family members struggle with problems like heroin addiction guard their privacy. Which is why a recent $25 million gift for addiction medicine is unusual—and important. 

Working with horses to aid human health treatments has grown in popularity, but is it proven effective? One funder is making grants to bolster the body of research on the subject. 

Poses is a low-profile New York City funder that makes grants in five focus areas with a particular interest in learning and attention issues that affect one in five children. 

The Episcopal Health Foundation in Texas is one of the largest state-focused health funders in the country. Its priorities offer a broader window into where healthcare philanthropy has been heading.