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ScienceQuiet 9d · day 10

Brazilian philanthropies step up science funding as election looms

Serrapilheira Institute and other private funders are filling gaps left by government cuts, offering a hedge if the October election brings a less science-friendly president.

newest coverage 8d agosummary written 9d ago4 pieces1 likes & upvotes NewswiresMastodonGoogle News

What to know

  • Serrapilheira Institute, founded in 2017, has distributed more than $25 million to early-career Brazilian researchers, spawning other philanthropic science funders.
  • The trend is emerging as a hedge against political risk: Brazil's 4 October election could bring Flávio Bolsonaro to power, whose father cut science funding heavily during his own 2019-23 presidency.
  • Brazilian academic culture has historically viewed private research funding with suspicion, expecting government to be the sole funder of science.
  • Philanthropic money is valued for its flexibility, covering gaps — like utility hookups — that rigid public grants don't fund.

“In a country with so much inequality and with a wide range of social problems, people don’t see science as a priority”

José Luiz Egydio Setúbal, Philanthropist · Nature News ↗ · Sep 13

Serrapilheira Institute Brazilian science philanthropyJoão Moreira Salles Co-founder of Serrapilheira InstituteBranca Vianna Co-founder of Serrapilheira InstitutePaulo Teixeira Plant immunity biologist, ESALQ/University of São PauloKate Lowry Strategy director, Science Philanthropy AllianceJosé Luiz Egydio Setúbal Philanthropist, head of a child/adolescent health foundationFlávio BolsonaroFlávio Bolsonaro Presidential candidate, son of Jair BolsonaroLuiz Inácio Lula da SilvaLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva Incumbent President of Brazil

Brazilian philanthropies step up science funding as election looms
nature.com

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in 3h at Sep 13, 7 PM; 4 pieces over 10 days (2 articles · 2 posts) Sep 13, 7 PM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 1, Newswires 1Sep 13, 10 PM — quietSep 14, 1 AM — quietSep 14, 4 AM — quietSep 14, 7 AM — quietSep 14, 10 AM — quietSep 14, 1 PM — 1 piece · 1 article — Google News 1Sep 14, 4 PM — quietSep 14, 7 PM — quietSep 14, 10 PM — quietSep 15, 1 AM — quietSep 15, 4 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 15, 7 AM — quietSep 15, 10 AM — quietSep 15, 1 PM — quietSep 15, 4 PM — quietSep 15, 7 PM — quietSep 15, 10 PM — quietSep 16, 1 AM — quietSep 16, 4 AM — quietSep 16, 7 AM — quietSep 16, 10 AM — quietSep 16, 1 PM — quietSep 16, 4 PM — quietSep 16, 7 PM — quietSep 16, 10 PM — quietSep 17, 1 AM — quietSep 17, 4 AM — quietSep 17, 7 AM — quietSep 17, 10 AM — quietSep 17, 1 PM — quietSep 17, 4 PM — quietSep 17, 7 PM — quietSep 17, 10 PM — quietSep 18, 1 AM — quietSep 18, 4 AM — quietSep 18, 7 AM — quietSep 18, 10 AM — quietSep 18, 1 PM — quietSep 18, 4 PM — quietSep 18, 7 PM — quietSep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 1 AM — quietSep 19, 4 AM — quietSep 19, 7 AM — quietSep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 1 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 7 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 1 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 7 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 7 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quiet 1
Sep 14Sep 15Sep 16Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22now · 6:44 AM ET
  1. upcoming

    Brazil holds presidential election with science funding at stake — Polls show Flávio Bolsonaro running neck and neck with Lula, raising concern that a Bolsonaro win could again reduce government science funding, increasing reliance on philanthropic bridge support.

  2. 1

    Nature reports Serrapilheira has distributed over $25 million

    Nature details how the Serrapilheira Institute has funded early-career researchers and how other philanthropic science funders have emerged in its wake, providing flexible money that fills gaps left by rigid public grants.

    “I don’t know what I would’ve done without that money…”
    — Paulo Teixeira
  3. background

    University of São Paulo launches a science-philanthropy research centre — Brazil's leading university creates a centre dedicated to studying and fostering science philanthropy, formalizing academic interest in the growing trend.

  4. background

    Bolsonaro cuts science funding during his 2019-23 presidency — Former president Jair Bolsonaro slashes government science funding, a period that spurred renewed interest in alternative, philanthropic funding sources.

  5. background

    Salles and Vianna found the Serrapilheira Institute — Documentarian João Moreira Salles and podcaster Branca Vianna establish Brazil's first non-profit organization dedicated solely to funding scientific research.

Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet

  1. 2 outlets Donor-funded science is rising in Brazil ― upending a long tradition

    first by Nature, 9d ago · also Nature News