Heising-Simons Foundation

The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Science program announces a new Open Call for Science Events and Gatherings.   The Foundation welcomes applications for grants to support meetings, workshops, conferences, summer schools, research collaboration gatherings, and other events related to the fields of astronomy, planetary science, cosmology, fundamental physics, climate change science, and/or increasing the representation and retention of underrepresented groups in these fields.   Grants are expected to be between $20,000 and $80,000 in size.   Applications for this open call are due by Friday, January 31, 2025, at 2pm PT. Please see our website for more information and to submit your application. https://lnkd.in/gkgrwNb6

This year has provided us with a stark reminder of the urgency of the work ahead. As we harness our energy to take on the next set of challenges, we wanted to take a moment to lift up all of the important work we achieved together throughout the year. Learn more about what we achieved together with our grantees in 2024. #philanthropy https://lnkd.in/g8qd2qjS

On December 9, 2024, the Heising-Simons Foundation hosted a celebration to mark #InternationalHumanRightsDay, bringing together leaders, advocates, and community members for a morning of powerful discussions on #humanrights and resilience. This year’s theme, ‘Hope and Human Rights,’ celebrated the relentless pursuit of justice and dignity worldwide, while recognizing, in the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, that universal human rights begin “in small places, close to home — so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world.”    Please find resources and information from our sessions on our website: https://lnkd.in/da2pM-bE

Across the country, chronic absenteeism –defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days during the academic year– has remained persistently high in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In California, the greatest increase has been in elementary schools, especially in kindergarten. Attending school in the early grades is more than just being present in a classroom: it’s about laying the foundation for a child’s educational and social success. Read more from Education Program Officer Malia Ramler about how Heising-Simons Foundation invested over $2.2 million to support organizations working to lower chronic absenteeism in the early grades. https://lnkd.in/g8J7J_tC

Did you know you can learn more about select Science grants on our website? Follow the link below and scroll down to "Grant Highlights" to learn about our partnerships to support research in pursuit of scientific discoveries that illuminate basic understanding of the universe, advancing the field of climate change science, enabling scientists to investigate and propose new theories about the fundamental forces, and creating a more inclusive, robust, and innovative physics and astronomy community in U.S. universities and research bodies. Click the link below for more information. https://lnkd.in/gTkwBNs5

“Resourcing Black, African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian populations will have benefits for all communities working to dismantle oppression and reimagine justice,” says Human Rights Program Officer Rose Cahn in Q&A with the RISE Together Fund.   Prior to joining the Foundation in 2023, Ms. Cahn served as the managing attorney at Immigrant Legal Resource Center, where she oversaw the organization’s national work at the intersection of criminal and immigrant justice. https://lnkd.in/gtyUGUxn

Have you heard about the Foundation's 51 Pegasi b fellowship? This three-year program provides postdoctoral scientists with resources, flexibility, and a peer community to conduct theoretical, observational, and experimental research in #planetaryastronomy. Established in 2017, the program awards up to eight fellowships per year and has grown to support a network of 58 fellows and alumni across 24 potential host institutions within the United States. #51pegasib #science #astronomy

Did you know you can learn more about select Education grants on our website? Follow the link below and scroll down to "Grant Highlights" to learn about our partnerships with California Education Partners, Attendance Works, Gente Organizada, the Center for Law and Social Policy, Parent Organization Network, the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, UC Berkeley, PBS SoCal, and the Georgetown Center on Poverty & Inequality.   Grants to these organizations support organizing parents to improve academic outcomes and the quality of education, lowering chronic absenteeism in schools, research and analysis of the early care and education workforce, and more inspiring work.   Click the link below for more information. https://lnkd.in/gP7RvD8q

Attending National Center for Families Learning's 2024 Annual Conference next week? Program Officer Kimberly Brenneman from Heising-Simons Foundation’s Education team will be on a panel discussing philanthropic viewpoints around family engagement and multigenerational education. Learn more about the Foundation's family engagement grantmaking here: https://lnkd.in/gAwWH56c.

Welcome Maria Arms, a new education program associate at Heising-Simons Foundation.   Learn more about Ms. Arms on our website. https://lnkd.in/gjjHhTwq