Dana Foundation

The Dana Foundation, formally known as the Charles A. Dana Foundation, is a private philanthropic organization based in New York that supports neuroscience, public understanding of brain research, and examination of the ways neuroscience affects society. Rather than operating as a commercial product company, it functions as a grantmaker, convener, and public-education organization. Its work sits at the intersection of scientific research and questions involving ethics, law, public policy, education, culture, and the humanities. The foundation was established in 1950 by Charles A. Dana, a New York businessman and legislator who also served as president of Dana Corporation. Dana led the organization until 1960 and remained involved until his death in 1975. Over time, the foundation developed a particular association with neuroscience and neuroethics, supporting research, public communication, and programs intended to make developments in brain science more accessible to non-specialist audiences. A major public-facing initiative is Brain Awareness Week, a global campaign designed to explain the progress and potential benefits of brain research. Through participating schools, universities, museums, hospitals, research institutions, and community organizations, the campaign offers activities for children and adults. The foundation also publishes online material, including coverage of neuroscience events, interviews with scientists, and introductory explanations of brain science under its Brain Basics and related public-education activities. The foundation historically supported research grants, with emphasis on areas including neuroimaging and clinical neuroscience. It also funded work addressing ethical standards in brain research and broader questions in neuroethics. In 2019, it paused new research-grant awards while its trustees reconsidered the organization’s strategic direction. In 2022, the foundation shifted from its earlier research-grant model toward grants intended to advance neuroscience through public engagement, education, and cross-disciplinary institutional development. Its current grant framework is organized around three broad categories. NexGen grants support efforts intended to build the next generation of neuroscience and include the development of Dana Centers for Neuroscience & Society. Frontier grants address emerging neuroscience and neurotechnology, including initiatives that inform legal professionals and the wider public. Examples include judicial seminars on emerging issues in neuroscience in the United States and support for the Royal Society’s Neuroscience and the Law program in the United Kingdom. Educational grants support neuroscience education and outreach, including Brain Awareness Week. The foundation also supported the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, a network of neuroscientists focused on increasing public awareness of brain research and its promise. The related European Dana Alliance for the Brain extended that public-awareness orientation internationally. The foundation’s support for these alliance activities continued from 1993 through 2022. Today, the Dana Foundation’s identity is centered on translating neuroscience into informed public discussion and responsible social application. Its positioning is distinctive among philanthropic organizations because it combines scientific communication with attention to law, ethics, policy, and civic understanding. It does not sell consumer goods or operate as a conventional technology platform; its principal outputs are grants, educational programs, publications, convening activities, and support for institutions working across neuroscience and society.

The Dana Foundation was founded in 1950 by Charles A. Dana, a New York businessman and legislator who was president of Dana Corporation. Dana served as the foundation’s president until 1960 and continued to participate in its affairs until his death in 1975. The organization was established as a private philanthropic institution rather than as a commercial enterprise, and its long-term work has focused on supporting scientific understanding and public benefit. The foundation’s principal field became neuroscience, particularly the communication of brain research and the examination of its broader implications. Its activities have included support for neuroimaging and clinical neuroscience research, grants for work related to ethical standards in brain research, and programs designed to connect neuroscience with law, policy, education, the humanities, and the arts. This cross-disciplinary emphasis distinguishes the foundation from organizations that fund scientific research without a comparable public-policy or ethical focus. From 1993 through 2022, the foundation supported the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, a nonprofit network of leading neuroscientists committed to increasing public awareness of progress in brain research. The related European Dana Alliance for the Brain extended that mission beyond the United States. The foundation also developed broad public-education work, including Brain Awareness Week, a campaign in which partner organizations around the world conduct activities explaining brain science to children and adults. Its web publications have included event reporting, scientist interviews, and introductory educational material such as Brain Basics. In 2019, the foundation paused new research-grant awards while its trustees reassessed the strategic plan for future neuroscience funding. This review led to a significant change in grantmaking orientation. In 2022, the organization pivoted from primarily research-oriented grants toward grants intended to advance neuroscience through institutional development, public understanding, professional education, and cross-disciplinary engagement. The current structure includes NexGen grants, Frontier grants, and Educational grants. NexGen grants support future generations of neuroscience and include work to establish Dana Centers for Neuroscience & Society. Frontier grants address emerging neuroscience and neurotechnology, including judicial seminars intended to help US state and federal judges understand how neuroscience may affect legal determinations. The foundation has also supported the Royal Society’s Neuroscience and the Law program in the United Kingdom. Educational grants continue to support neuroscience learning and outreach, including Brain Awareness Week. The Dana Foundation therefore operates primarily as a grantmaker, publisher, educator, and convener. Its present mission is expressed through the responsible interpretation and public application of neuroscience rather than through the development of commercial products. Its institutional role is to help researchers, educators, legal professionals, policymakers, and the public engage with the opportunities and ethical challenges created by advances in brain science.

1. 2022Grantmaking strategy pivoted

   The foundation shifted toward grants that advance neuroscience through future-generation programs, public engagement, law-related initiatives, and education.

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2. 2019Research-grant awards paused

   New research grants were paused while trustees revised the foundation’s strategic plan.

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3. 1993Support for the Dana Alliance began

   The foundation began supporting the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, a network dedicated to public awareness of brain research.

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4. 1960Founder ended presidency

   Charles A. Dana concluded his tenure as president while remaining involved with the foundation until his death in 1975.

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5. 1950Foundation established

   Charles A. Dana founded the private philanthropic organization in the United States.

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A philanthropic and public-education organization focused on making neuroscience useful, understandable, and socially responsible by connecting brain research with ethics, law, policy, education, and culture.

• Brain Awareness WeekPublic education campaign

  A global outreach campaign that raises awareness of brain research and its potential benefits. Participating organizations, including schools, universities, museums, hospitals, and community groups, organize educational activities for children and adults.

• NexGen grantsPhilanthropic grant program2022

  A grant category supporting researchers and institutions working to develop the next generation of neuroscience. Its major current project includes creating Dana Centers for Neuroscience & Society.

• Frontier grantsPhilanthropic grant program2022

  A grant category focused on emerging neuroscience and neurotechnology, with projects intended to inform the public and professional audiences. Examples include judicial seminars in the United States and support for the Royal Society’s Neuroscience and the Law program in the United Kingdom.

• Educational grantsPhilanthropic grant program2022

  Grants supporting neuroscience education, research-related learning, and public outreach, including activities associated with Brain Awareness Week.

• Brain BasicsDigital educational publication

  An online educational resource explaining fundamental neuroscience topics for general audiences as part of the foundation’s broader public-communication work.

• Dana Alliance for Brain InitiativesNeuroscience awareness network1993

  A nonprofit network of leading neuroscientists supported by the foundation to promote public understanding of progress and potential in brain research. The foundation’s support ran from 1993 through 2022.

• Brain Awareness Week

  Global

  A recurring international public-awareness campaign that enables partner organizations to present educational activities about neuroscience and brain research to children, adults, and community audiences.

  Outcome. Established the foundation as a major public-education participant in communicating brain science beyond specialist research communities.

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• 2022Pivot toward advancement-focused grantsStrategy

  Following its strategic review, the foundation revised its grantmaking model.

  What changed. It organized current grants into NexGen, Frontier, and Educational categories, emphasizing future generations of neuroscience, emerging neuroscience and neurotechnology, public understanding, and education.

  Aftermath. The foundation’s grantmaking became more explicitly cross-disciplinary and oriented toward the social application and public interpretation of neuroscience.

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• 2019Pause in new research grantsStrategy

  The board of trustees was reviewing the foundation’s strategic plan and future approach to neuroscience funding.

  What changed. The foundation paused awarding new research grants.

  Aftermath. The review preceded a later shift away from the earlier research-grant emphasis toward grants intended to advance neuroscience through public, educational, legal, and institutional programs.

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• 2022Dana Foundation shifted its grantmaking strategy toward advancing neuroscience

  The foundation moved from its earlier emphasis on direct research grants to a framework centered on advancing neuroscience through NexGen, Frontier, and Educational grant categories.

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• 2022Support for the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives concluded

  The foundation’s support for the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and the associated European Dana Alliance for the Brain extended through 2022.

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• 2019Dana Foundation paused new research-grant awards during strategic review

  The foundation stopped awarding new research grants while its board of trustees revised the organization’s strategic plan for future neuroscience funding.

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1. Dana Foundation
2. Dana Foundation official website