BRIDGING GAPS AND CATALYZING NEW OPPORTUNITIES IN LIFE SCIENCES TO BUILD REGIONAL ADVANTAGE
The Science Innovation program area of Walder Foundation honors and builds upon Dr. Joseph Walder’s enduring legacy by supporting scientific discovery, the development of innovative life science applications, and translation of scientific learnings to impactful solutions for human health and wellbeing.
Our strategy is guided by Dr. Walder’s exemplary values and inspired by the ingenuity with which he approached all challenges.
Our grantmaking leverages Chicagoland strengths and cross-sector partnerships to bridge gaps and catalyze new opportunities to build regional advantage.
We aim to see Greater Chicago become a thriving beacon for life science innovations, achieved through strategic investment in initiatives to strengthen the scientific community, build research capacity, and foster bioeconomic growth across the region.
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Funding opportunities are by invitation only. As a learning organization, the Foundation is continuously iterating, adapting, and evolving its approaches and grantmaking criteria.
Please note: RFP Opportunity Open February 10, 2026 - April 15, 2026:
Walder Foundation invites letters of intent for early-stage research projects that leverage synthetic biology to engineer solutions to challenges that affect people and the systems on which they rely. This includes advances that improve human health and well-being, strengthen environmental and agricultural systems, enable new approaches to materials and manufacturing, or otherwise expand the capacity of engineered biology to deliver public benefit. Learn more about this opportunity.
For updates about other future funding opportunities in science innovation, sign up for alerts and select “Science Innovation” in your interests.