Just learned about the Templeton World Charity Foundation (TWCF), which is unusual in that one of their 7 core funding areas is, explicitly, ‘genius’:
Genius
TWCF supports work to identify and cultivate rare cognitive geniuses whose work can bring benefits to human civilization.
In this context, geniuses are not simply those who are classified as such by psychometric tests. Rather, they are those who: (1) generate significant mathematical, scientific, technological, and spiritual discoveries and inventions that benefit humanity or have the potential to transform human civilization, and (2) show exceptional cognitive ability, especially at an early age.
Eligible projects may include research on the benefits of various attributes of geniuses to humanity, biographical studies of individual geniuses, comparisons of groups of geniuses with various levels of cognitive abilities, and projects that facilitate the spread of creative insights, discoveries, and original ideas of geniuses. Projects may also investigate genetic factors contributing to genius, and the cultural and nurturing factors that engender geniuses who contribute to such cognitive virtues as diligence, constructive thinking, and noble purposes. Ineligible projects include physical, musical, or artistic geniuses; spelling bees; geniuses with spectacular memory; and scholarships for geniuses.
Among the 613 projects they’ve funded so far, 7 grants come up if you search for ‘genius’, all between 2013-18 so I’m not sure why they stopped since. Some of the largest grants:
Investigating Mathematical Talent and Autism using Genetics and Epigenetics, 3-year $2.7M grant to Simon Baron-Cohen at Cambridge in 2015 to do whole genome sequencing and epigenetic sequencing of “20 highly enriched, maximally informative families (i.e., those who have 3 or more individuals with autism in the nuclear family)” and “50 extremely talented mathematicians (international math prizewinners)”
Developing Mathematical Creativity, 3.5-year $1.7M grant to John D. Barrow at Cambridge (not all of them are to Cambridge, just the biggest ones apparently) to “create a distinct, new program of innovative educational resources, including a substantial collection of resources aimed at students of all ages from 7 to 16. The principal resources we are creating are rich and engaging open tasks, published online on a dedicated project portal, the new Wild Maths website. These rich tasks are presented in thematically-linked pathways supporting progression towards increasingly sophisticated thinking, independence, and creativity. The online resources are designed to encourage students to explore and make connections. They include inspirational, explanatory articles and videos, as well as opportunities for students to share and discuss ideas. Hands-on workshops provide further opportunities to develop and explore mathematical creativity, and a public lecture program provides stimulus and inspiration”
The Potential in All of Us: Identifying and Cultivating Genius at a Worldwide Scale, 5-year $1M grant to Po-Shen Loh (ex-US IMO team national coach for a decade, now obsessed with post-AGI humanity apparently?) at Expii, Inc. to overcome the lack of “effective, personalized strategies for finding exceptionally talented individuals around the world… by restricting access to talent searches on the basis of geography, institutional affiliation, or the inability to pay for educational materials” by “rigorous free resources in science and math to students around the world on its user-friendly website” and more
Extension of a Nationwide Hungarian Talent Support Network to Identify and Support Potential One‐in‐a‐Million Cognitive Geniuses, 2-year $780k grant to Peter Csermely at Magyar Tehetségsegítő Szervezetek Szövetsége to identify “300 young Hungarians… with exceptional (1 out of 10,000) cognitive talents – becoming Hungarian Junior Templeton Fellows – to take part in the program” and “put together a one-year personalized talent development program for each of the 300 Hungarian Junior Templeton Fellows… to set up a creative community network of exceptionally talented people, who will become the leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs of Hungary and Europe over the next 10 to 30 years”. This of course reminded me of the Martians
Just learned about the Templeton World Charity Foundation (TWCF), which is unusual in that one of their 7 core funding areas is, explicitly, ‘genius’:
Among the 613 projects they’ve funded so far, 7 grants come up if you search for ‘genius’, all between 2013-18 so I’m not sure why they stopped since. Some of the largest grants:
Investigating Mathematical Talent and Autism using Genetics and Epigenetics, 3-year $2.7M grant to Simon Baron-Cohen at Cambridge in 2015 to do whole genome sequencing and epigenetic sequencing of “20 highly enriched, maximally informative families (i.e., those who have 3 or more individuals with autism in the nuclear family)” and “50 extremely talented mathematicians (international math prizewinners)”
Developing Mathematical Creativity, 3.5-year $1.7M grant to John D. Barrow at Cambridge (not all of them are to Cambridge, just the biggest ones apparently) to “create a distinct, new program of innovative educational resources, including a substantial collection of resources aimed at students of all ages from 7 to 16. The principal resources we are creating are rich and engaging open tasks, published online on a dedicated project portal, the new Wild Maths website. These rich tasks are presented in thematically-linked pathways supporting progression towards increasingly sophisticated thinking, independence, and creativity. The online resources are designed to encourage students to explore and make connections. They include inspirational, explanatory articles and videos, as well as opportunities for students to share and discuss ideas. Hands-on workshops provide further opportunities to develop and explore mathematical creativity, and a public lecture program provides stimulus and inspiration”
The Potential in All of Us: Identifying and Cultivating Genius at a Worldwide Scale, 5-year $1M grant to Po-Shen Loh (ex-US IMO team national coach for a decade, now obsessed with post-AGI humanity apparently?) at Expii, Inc. to overcome the lack of “effective, personalized strategies for finding exceptionally talented individuals around the world… by restricting access to talent searches on the basis of geography, institutional affiliation, or the inability to pay for educational materials” by “rigorous free resources in science and math to students around the world on its user-friendly website” and more
Extension of a Nationwide Hungarian Talent Support Network to Identify and Support Potential One‐in‐a‐Million Cognitive Geniuses, 2-year $780k grant to Peter Csermely at Magyar Tehetségsegítő Szervezetek Szövetsége to identify “300 young Hungarians… with exceptional (1 out of 10,000) cognitive talents – becoming Hungarian Junior Templeton Fellows – to take part in the program” and “put together a one-year personalized talent development program for each of the 300 Hungarian Junior Templeton Fellows… to set up a creative community network of exceptionally talented people, who will become the leaders, researchers and entrepreneurs of Hungary and Europe over the next 10 to 30 years”. This of course reminded me of the Martians