Case Study: Creating an Effective Biomedical Grants Program to Support Eating Disorders Research

The Client
The Klarman Family Foundation

The Challenge
To accelerate discovery of new treatments for eating disorders

The Background
Eating disorders usually develop in early adolescence and disproportionately affect women, often causing emotional and medical complications that affect patients for the rest of their lives. Most distressingly, anorexia nervosa patients have one of the highest mortality rates of any group of psychiatric patients. The last twenty years have seen increased awareness of these disorders and the number of patient-care centers has grown dramatically; however, treatment options remain few and there has been little progress in finding new therapies. In the complex world of biomedical research ranging from basic laboratory experiments to clinical studies, where would precious philanthropic dollars have the greatest impact to catalyze new treatment advances?

The Strategy
At The Medical Foundation, a division of Health Resources in Action, physician scientists and biomedical investigators reviewed relevant scientific publications and identified leaders in eating disorders research in the United States and abroad.

After completing in-depth interviews of researchers from academic, biotechnology and governmental organizations, we recommended that the client target their grants program on basic science and genetic epidemiologic research. Unlike clinical behavioral therapy studies, basic science discoveries have a high probability of leading to improved treatments by unlocking the underlying causes of eating disorders. We also highlighted that the field was poorly funded by the National Institutes of Health and virtually ignored by nonprofit donors. In short, eating disorders research was in desperate need of philanthropic dollars to support innovative breakthroughs.

The Result
Convinced by the findings that eating disorders research would greatly benefit from targeted funding of basic neuroscience research, the Klarman Family Foundation engaged HRiA to create and manage the Klarman Family Foundation Grants Program in eating disorders research. The program encourages scientists to research the biological cause of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder, with a long range goal of accelerating progress in developing effective treatments. Investigators may apply for a two-year award in the amount of $400,000 or a $150,000 one-year pilot study grant. Since 2008, the program has awarded $6.6 million.

Our Advantage

• Commitment to funding the best minds in science to meet our clients' missions
• Assessments conducted by dedicated staff of senior medical and basic science researchers with experience in clinical, translational and basic science research
• Expertise in communication and presentation of biomedical research to both scientific and lay audiences
• Extensive proprietary database of distinguished investigators in the United States and abroad
• In-depth knowledge of private and federal agencies and organizations that fund medical research
• Sophisticated grantmaking services and administrative infrastructure
• Founding member of and active participant in the Health Research Alliance, an international organization of nonprofit funders whose members collectively distribute $1.5 billion annually to support medical research and training.