Open Philanthropy recommended a grant of $2,250,000 to the University of California, Los Angeles, to support the Social Science Genetic Association Consortium (SSGAC). Open Philanthropy’s understanding is that SSGAC has received substantially less funding to date than comparable consortia (such as in psychiatric genetics), but still produces high-quality, replicable research and serves as a model of careful public communication, most notably through their discussions of frequently asked questions. Approximately 20% of this grant is intended to support work on bioethics and the public discussion of these topics.
This follows Open Philanthropy’s July 2019 support and falls within its interest in scientific research, specifically within its interest in advancing tools and techniques.