We pursue our mission through grantmaking and programs in four areas:
Bioscience
Building Arizona as a global center for research and commercialization in the biosciences.
Flinn Scholars
Providing world-class undergraduate education in partnership with Arizona’s public universities.
A privately-endowed philanthropic foundation benefiting Arizona.
The Flinn Foundation was established in 1965 by Dr. Robert S. and Irene P. Flinn. Its mission is to improve the quality of life in Arizona to benefit future generations.
To achieve this mission, the Foundation aims to: advance Arizona’s bioscience sector; enhance undergraduate education for high-achieving students at the state’s public universities; elevate the fiscal and creative capacity of the state’s arts and culture organizations; and strengthen civic life and state-level civic leadership in Arizona.
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Providing no-cost meeting space to Arizona nonprofits.
The Flinn Foundation Educational Conference Center features two meeting rooms available to nonprofit member organizations closely aligned with the Foundation’s specific areas of interest in the biosciences, health care, education, civic leadership, and the arts. More about the Conference Center
NEWS AND UPDATES
Bioscience
UA medical school researcher Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz developing new diagnostic for endometrial cancer
Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, Ph.D., of the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Flinn Foundation Translational Seed Grants Program in 2026 for her work in endometrial cancer. Herbst-Kralovetz said she is developing a non-invasive vaginal swab that can detect the cancer at an early stage through molecular biomarkers. This new […]
Bioscience
Flinn Foundation increases funding, opportunities for bioscience research, entrepreneurship programs
Application period begins Monday, Aug. 3, for Translational Seed Grants, Bioscience Entrepreneurship programs Apply for Translational Seed Grants Program by Friday, Sept. 11. Apply for Bioscience Entrepreneurship Program by Friday, Oct. 30. Two flagship Flinn Foundation bioscience programs that have supported Arizona-based translational research and entrepreneurship for more than a decade are increasing their funding and providing […]
Bioscience
Story behind medical device startup is personal for Flagstaff entrepreneur
Inspired by personal family hardship, bioscience entrepreneur Whitney Slightham tells the story of the founding of Ateleva from the Moonshot Flagstaff Campus. Ateleva is developing a targeted lung therapy to help critical care patients wean off ventilators faster. The minimally invasive airway platform allows clinicians to reopen collapsed tissue while preserving the surrounding healthy lung […]
Bioscience
Flinn Foundation seed grantee Sandeep Gupta of ASU helping epilepsy patients avoid seizures
Sandeep Gupta, Ph.D., is leading a research team at Arizona State University to help epilepsy patients who do not respond to medication avoid seizures. Gupta, a professor of computer science and engineering and head of the ASU IMPACT Lab, was one of the seven researchers selected by the Flinn Foundation this year for its Translational […]