Benefunder Partners With Syracuse University to Advance Important Discoveries

Unique Platform Will Expand & Diversify Funding Portfolio for Syracuse University Faculty

April 9, 2015 – As federal research dollars remain stagnant, top universities are seeking alternative funding platforms to help push innovation forward. One such institution is Syracuse University, which announced today it has partnered with Benefunder, an organization that works with wealth management firms to connect donors with top researchers across the United States.

Under the collaboration, 20 Syracuse faculty will join Benefunder’s unique funding platform, giving them access to discretionary funds to help advance the university’s research. Syracuse leverages its strengths in business, engineering, communications, public affairs and others to create new approaches and ideas that lead to transformational discovery. These researchers work in a variety of disciplines, including biology, neuroscience, chemistry, physics, biomedical engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, environmental engineering, computer science, psychology, earth science, geography, information technology, and the arts.

“Research and knowledge discovery are a fundamental part of our institutional mission and commitment to preparing students for the complex challenges facing our communities and world,” said Liz Liddy, Syracuse Interim Vice Chancellor and Provost. “As costs increase and funding becomes more competitive, we need to broaden our thinking and be creative in the ways we fund these scholarly activities. Benefunder provides such an avenue for us.” 

Syracuse joins other leading institutions, such as Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, UC San Diego, and the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, Calif., that have partnered with Benefunder.

Benefunder has nearly 600 researchers on its platform from top research institutions around the nation whose fields include life science, new technology, the environment, and the arts and humanities.

“Syracuse University’s strengths in the humanities, sciences and engineering will further boost Benefunder’s robust research platform, allowing philanthropists to create a more diverse giving portfolio,” said Benefunder cofounder and CEO Christian Braemer. “Over half of all wealth created in the United States since WWII can be directly attributed to university research. We want to make sure new ideas and discoveries continue to be funded and that our economy remains strong. That’s why we are bringing together researchers, financial advisors and donors for the first time ever to solve some of the world's biggest problems. Our goal is to help donors enhance their impact, reduce overhead, and increase engagement through their giving, while funding important research. This provides a win-win for everyone, with society being the ultimate benefactor.”

 

About Benefunder

Benefunder is a unique hybrid organization -- part foundation and part tech startup -- that has created a new funding channel for research and innovation while providing philanthropists with a smarter and more meaningful way to give. Through its Charitable Innovation Fund, Benefunder connects donors and the nation’s top researchers across all fields of study, including healthcare and life sciences, advanced technologies, the environment, and the arts and humanities. More information at www.benefunder.org. Watch the Benefunder video here.

 

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private research university dedicated to advancing knowledge and promoting student success through teaching excellence, rigorous scholarship, and interdisciplinary research. Syracuse has a long legacy of excellence in the liberal arts and professional disciplines that prepares students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a beautiful 270-acre main campus; extended campus venues in major metropolitan hubs such as New York City and Los Angeles; and study abroad centers on four continents. Syracuse’s student body is among the most diverse for an institution of its kind across multiple dimensions. Geographically, students represent all 50 states and more than 120 countries. Syracuse also has a long legacy of supporting the needs of veterans and today is home to the nationally recognized Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their families. More information at http://www.syr.edu/