Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation (The Broad Foundation)

Philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad started the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation to advance entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science and the arts. The Broad Foundation invests in the people. programs and institutions that are improving the human mind, body and spirit. The foundation has created groundbreaking independent institutions in each of its three investment areas, including The Broad Center, which develops leaders to help transform America’s urban public schools, The Broad Institute, a global leader in genomics, and The Broad, a museum in downtown Los Angeles devoted to showcasing great contemporary art. APPROACH At the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, they don’t simply write checks. They make grants to promising people and organizations working to improve public schools, advance scientific and medical research and make the arts accessible to the broadest public. They expect results in the form of improved academic achievement for all students, greater public access to great art and architecture and groundbreaking advances in scientific and medical research. Unlike many foundations, they don’t have a formal application process. The grants team seeks out innovative leaders and nonprofit organizations that are pursuing transformative ideas. In addition to offering financial support, they provide non-monetary assistance, serving as thought-partners and helping the grantees go from early-stage implementation to achieving their goals. And they expect results. They establish benchmarks at the start of each grant to track progress, and they partner with the grantees to help them advance their work.