Public-private partnerships—in many different forms—are the hallmark of our foundation’s work. As a non-profit organization, we employ innovation and flexibility to configure partnerships tailored to best meet the biomedical research challenges at hand. Ours is a proven, highly regarded and successful strategy.

An independent non-profit evaluator ranks the Foundation for NIH among the top five charities in health/medical research with budgets of $13.5 million and above. Our efficiency and effectiveness are due to laser focus on two principles: rigorous evaluation and rapid implementation of projects and partnerships that address a spectrum of important research questions, and efficient use of resources.

Our model of creating partnerships between the public and private sectors concentrates dispersed human and capital resources into a cohesive research effort. In an era of reduced budgets and escalating R&D costs, the need for multidisciplinary expertise and access to advanced technology has never been greater.

By sharing the energy, ideas, risks and benefits associated with research, our partnerships confront challenges on a scale and complexity not otherwise possible.

Public-private partnerships are win-win-win situations where

• institutes and centers at NIH can pursue high-risk/high-reward research and advance their missions more quickly and cost-effectively
• regulatory agencies can draw upon a robust body of research to inform domestic and international regulatory decision-making
• the pharmaceutical industry can more efficiently develop new interventions, diagnostics, devices and therapies
• academia can increase its access to federal and industry experts, technology and resources, and opportunities for research and training
• advocacy organizations can access resources and research data that they could not obtain on their own
• patients gain earlier access to improvements in diagnostics, preventive strategies, drugs, interventions and therapies

While our role generally varies with the needs of each partnership,  the Foundation for NIH

• serves as a neutral convener of NIH and other partners, encouraging open dialog and collaboration to approach problems from every angle
• draws on private-sector expertise to access and organize the widest possible range of financial resources
• leverages funding and resources from all stakeholders for the maximum possible impact
• accelerates the implementation of high-priority projects by procuring services in innovative ways
• applies successful industry-centric practices to large and complex programs
• expedites the application of new technologies developed by private entities
• promotes private entrepreneurial development, ownership and operation of assets

As the partnership demands, we may

• manage large research initiatives
• issue grants
• incubate new research enterprises
• administer training and education programs
• organize and facilitate broad-based research summits