Simons Foundation is a privately funded philanthropic organisation established in 1994 by Jim and Marilyn Simons. It supports and advances research in mathematics and the basic sciences through grantmaking, in-house research, and public engagement. With over 500 staff members - approximately half of them scientists - the foundation operates across four primary areas: mathematics and physical sciences, life sciences, autism and neuroscience research, and science, society and culture.
The foundation maintains the Flatiron Institute, an in-house research division launched in 2016 that develops cutting-edge computational methods to advance scientific discovery. Beyond its grantmaking programmes, Simons Foundation produces dozens of open-source software products to support research and the open science community. A core commitment to research transparency requires grantees to share their data openly, reflecting the organisation's emphasis on collaborative scientific progress.
The foundation is recognised as one of the most significant supporters of basic science research in the United States. Its work spans mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences, computational methods for scientific discovery, neuroscience, and autism research. By combining external funding with internal research capabilities and open-source software development, Simons Foundation seeks to support transformational work in fundamental science for generations to come.
