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Type: News

Responding to COVID-19

Like many others, we take very seriously the concerns around the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). To do our part to reduce the threat and spread of the virus, we have asked all of our employees to telecommute temporarily, and we will conduct all meetings via phone or video conference, rather than have our staff or visitors come to our offices or travel to other locations.

Liz Simons: “Early Childhood Education is About Racial and Social Justice, Children’s Rights, and Women’s Rights”

“If you’re an education funder, the earlier [you step in] the better,” writes Liz Simons, Heising-Simons Foundation’s Chair of the Board, in this opinion piece for the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS). “The ‘good’ news is that early childhood philanthropy is so underfunded that opportunities abound.”

Science News

Grantee partner Science News was founded as an independent nonprofit in 1921 by newspaper magnate E.W. Scripps and zoologist W.E. Ritter, who wanted to improve the quality and accuracy of science journalism. It covers news on science, medicine and technology, and you may find the latest stories here.

How to Tell Matter From Antimatter — Minute Physics Video

In our universe, fundamental processes involving electromagnetism, gravity, and nuclear force do not distinguish between left and right. It’s led to something called The Ozma Problem, a problem of how to convey left from right if we were ever to communicate with life on another planet.

“Reframing Early Math Learning” — Sharing New FrameWorks Institute Report

With support from the Heising-Simons Foundation, FrameWorks Institute has developed a new report, “Reframing Early Math Learning,” offers effective strategies for shifting public understanding about early math.

American Mosaic Journalism Prize Awarded to Rebecca Nagle and Darcy Courteau

Two years ago, we announced the creation of The American Mosaic Journalism Prize. This unrestricted cash prize of $100,000 per recipient is awarded to freelance journalists for excellence in long-form, narrative, or deep reporting about underrepresented and/or misrepresented groups in the American landscape. We created the prize as part of our work that supports journalism as an essential arm of U.S. democracy—recognizing journalism’s critical ability to expose audiences to new perspectives and foster greater understanding. Today, we are pleased to announce the newest recipients of this prize: Rebecca Nagle and Darcy Courteau.

Mark Heising to Become New Chair of Environmental Defense Fund

Heising-Simons Foundation co-founder and board member Mark Heising was recently named Chairman-elect of the Board of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Mr. Heising, an EDF Board member since 2011, will become the Board Chair in January 2021.

Polar Extremes: Uncovering the Dramatic Changes at the Ends of the Earth

This Wednesday, February 5, in a two-hour special from NOVA, “renowned paleontologist Kirk Johnson takes us on an epic adventure through time at the polar extremes of our planet.” With support from the Heising-Simons Foundation, this program will uncover the history and dramatic changes at the ends of the Earth, and what this means about the climate.

Developing Requests: Barbara Chow’s NonProfit Quarterly Article for Grantseekers

“Of all the challenges grantseekers face, one of the most consequential is figuring out the right amount to request of a foundation,” Barbara Chow, director of the Foundation’s Education program, writes in a new article published in NonProfit Quarterly in January 2020.