Stanley Family Foundation Focuses on Psychiatric Research

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The Stanley Family Foundation, established in 1986 by Ted and Vada Stanley, has dedicated the majority of its philanthropic efforts to funding psychiatric research, particularly at the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute. The foundation was inspired by the mental health crisis experienced by the Stanleys' son Jonathan, who later went on to co-found the Treatment Advocacy Center. In addition to its major grants to the Broad Institute, the foundation also provides smaller sums to support mental health, community development, and education initiatives in Connecticut.

Why it matters

The Stanley Family Foundation's focus on psychiatric research represents one of the largest philanthropic commitments ever made to this field. Its support has been instrumental in advancing scientific understanding of the genetic and molecular underpinnings of mental health conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, with the goal of translating these insights into better treatments for patients.

The details

The Stanley Family Foundation provides the majority of its funding, around $60 million annually in recent years, to the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute. The foundation was established in 1986 by Ted and Vada Stanley, whose son Jonathan experienced a mental health crisis as a college student. In addition to the Broad Institute grants, the foundation also provides smaller sums to support mental health providers, community development, and education initiatives in Connecticut.

• The Stanley Family Foundation was established in 1986.
• In 1988, the Stanleys' son Jonathan experienced a life-threatening episode of mania.
• In 1989, the Stanleys established the Stanley Medical Research Institute to support research on schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
• In 2014, the Stanley Family Foundation granted $650 million to the Broad Institute.
• The foundation has provided over $860 million to the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research to date.

What’s next

The Stanley Family Foundation is expected to continue providing substantial annual grants to the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute to support ongoing research into the genetic and molecular causes of mental health conditions.