About us
Our Mission
To power rare disease research, medical innovation and humanitarian collaborations to improve the health of underserved communities.
Our Vision
To work towards a world free of ultrarare diseases
The RTW Charitable Foundation
Founded in 2018 as the philanthropic arm of RTW Investments, LP, RTW Charitable Foundation powers rare disease research, medical innovation, and humanitarian collaborations to improve the health of underserved communities.
We provide capital, expertise, and research support to help scientists push projects forward. We partner with local organizations to improve health equity across communities in New York City.
Investing in human lives
The RTW Charitable Foundation was founded at the intersection of scientific progress and humanitarian efforts. It represents an extension of our investment firm mission. Our process helps us identify important causes of human suffering, and introduces us to individuals and organizations trying to make a difference.
To our research grant recipients, we offer not only financial support, but also guidance gleaned from our experience in drug development and company building. Beyond research, we partner with local community organizations to improve health access among underserved communities.
Fueling innovation and beyond
While the Foundation will support research in more common disease areas and humanitarian causes, the Foundation has an initial focus of supporting rare disease research and education. Drug development research for rare diseases often lacks the funding needed to learn if a treatment is effective and safe.
In addition, some conditions are so rare that no profit model exists to bring such treatments to market. The Foundation believes that the lack of profit should not be a deterrent to promising treatments that can impact the lives of many living with rare diseases. Priority areas will be proposed annually and may include specific rare disease areas of focus.
Sarah Garwood
We are really focused on improving the lives of underserved communities in a lot of different ways. I like that we can all rally around the same goal but do it in our own ways and skill set.
Nate Pelsma
The RTW Charitable Foundation is built around hope and optimism because we believe we can make an impact. Whether that’s through a day of action working with people in communities across the city of New York really changing individuals lives. Or we are in the lab trying to develop a therapy to cure a rare disease on a global scale.
Latest
Contact us for information on open grants and how to apply
