This major initiative is targeted to reach $50 million. Many generous Leadership Gifts and pledges from the Institute’s Trustees have already been received. However, the balance of approximately $17 million must be secured by the campaign’s end in November, 2009.

Since its beginning in 1984, the Santa Fe Institute's growth and accomplishments would not have been possible without the support of individuals, leaders in business and science, and many other innovative thinkers—all of whom believed in the mission to address the most important and challenging problems facing science and society.

Omidyar Challenge

The most critical need is to match the Challenge Gift made by Pierre Omidyar to fund the postdoctoral fellowship program and establish the Omidyar Fellows at the Santa Fe Institute. Mr. Omidyar will provide $7.5 million if the Institute matches that amount. The Omidyar Fellows program will aim to attract the brightest and most creative thinkers, from a wide range of disciplines, to spend three years at SFI. This will enable SFI to both build the stature of the existing postdoctoral fellows program and, by injecting new funds, develop support infrastructure to build a world-class program. The Program will be built on the dual principles that 1) the sustained environment of academic freedom SFI offers is critical to develop a sense of independence and creativity early in an individual’s academic career, and 2) providing some structure and programmatic resources to Fellows will increase their possibility for their academic success.

Please consider making a contribution to the 25th Anniversary Fund either to the Omidyar Challenge or the Campaign Fund, and help make possible the next 25 years of achievement in science.

For more information on giving levels and naming opportunities, please contact Shannon Larsen, 505-946-3678 or .