March of Dimes Pulls Millions in Funding From Unsuspecting Scientists, Blames Budget Problems

[Judi Lynn]

Ed Cara
Today 6:15pm

One of the most famous charity organizations in the world—the March of Dimes—has suddenly become much less charitable to the scientific causes it funded. The organization has canceled research grants totaling $3 million that it had already awarded to dozen of scientists, Nature reported Friday.

As per Nature:

On 24 July, 37 grant recipients received an e-mail from the March of Dimes Foundation in New York City informing them that their 3-year grants had been cut off, retroactively, starting on 30 June. Many of the researchers were only a year into their projects, and had had just enough time to hire and train staff, purchase supplies and generate preliminary results. Now, several say that they might need to lay off employees, euthanize lab animals and shelve their research projects if they cannot find other funding—fast.

The decision to cut off funding was due to mounting budgetary concerns, Kelle Moley, the group’s chief scientific officer, told Nature. The organization, originally founded in 1938 by Franklin D. Roosevelt to combat polio, has in more recent decades focused on improving health outcomes for mothers and their children. But it has been losing money for at least several years, according to the organization’s own available financial statements. Last year, it also announced plans to sell its national headquarters in White Plains, New York.

“I know this is harsh news,” Moley said. “As a former grantee, this would be devastating to me as well.”

More:
https://gizmodo.com/march-of-dimes-pulls-millions-in-funding-from-unsuspect-1828096112

[MaryMagdaline]

1. No charitable deduction cannot help