G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation

**About** History of the Mathers Family G. Harold (1901 – 1976) and Leila Young Mathers (1905 – 1980) lived the final years of their lives in Santa Barbara, CA. The couple was known for their generosity and philanthropy, contributing to local causes such as St. Francis Hospital, to selected medical students to help complete their studies, and to numerous local community service programs. Having no immediate family, the Mathers wished that, after their deaths, their wealth be devoted to sustainable charitable causes. They decided to create the Foundation to further this philanthropic vision. History of the Mathers Foundation The G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation was organized as a Texas non-profit corporation and obtained a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service granting it tax-exempt status as a section 501(c)(3) organization. The Foundation commenced its grant-making activities in Fall, 1982. Since its inception, The Mathers Foundation has granted in excess of $350M. For many years the Foundation has enjoyed special recognition in the research community in supporting “basic” scientific research, realizing that true transformative breakthroughs usually occur after a thorough understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying natural phenomena. More recently, and with the advent of newer investigative methodologies, technology, and tools, the Foundation now embraces innovative translational research proposals.