In 2024, the Winn Family Foundation engaged the Science Philanthropy Alliance to explore how strategic science philanthropy could accelerate grassland restoration, an underfunded yet vital area of environmental science. The Foundation was particularly interested in understanding where basic research could unlock scalable solutions for climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land use.
To support this exploration, the Alliance developed a custom briefing that mapped the landscape of grassland restoration science. The report synthesized ecological research priorities, emerging scientific questions, and practitioner-informed insights across a range of disciplines, including fire ecology, soil microbiomes, grazing dynamics, and traditional ecological knowledge.
The Alliance also identified opportunities for scientific leadership: outlining key institutions and experts active in the field and showcasing how private philanthropy—including Allen Family Philanthropies and the Doris Duke Foundation—is catalyzing applied research and ecosystem-scale implementation efforts. The report highlighted the unique role philanthropy can play in addressing major restoration challenges, such as conflicting land use priorities, gaps in ecological data, and underinvestment in long-term monitoring.
By grounding the Foundation’s interest in a rigorous scientific framework, the Alliance helped the Winn Family Foundation clarify its potential role in this complex and fast-evolving field. This work laid the foundation for future investments in science that not only inform on-the-ground action but also shape the broader field of ecosystem restoration for years to come.