One of the most practical and unexpected sessions from the 2026 AdaMarie Career Navigation Summit is now available inside the AdaMarie Professional Network. Here's what Alessandra Garber taught us about fundraising for research and how to watch the full replay.
When you chose a career in STEM, fundraising probably wasn't on your radar. But as Alessandra Garber explained at this year's summit, if you ever hope to lead a lab, chair a department, or run a research institution, a comfort level with philanthropy will serve you well, and that skill starts with learning to see the philanthropy already all around you.
Her session was a crash course in how research philanthropy actually works. A few key takeaways:
Individual donors drive the giving. Of the $600+ billion Americans gave to nonprofits last year, the majority came from individual donors — not foundations or corporations — and most of those dollars came through major gifts, not events or mass appeals.
Philanthropic support has unique strategic advantages. Donors tend to have a higher tolerance for risk than government funders.
Major donors think differently than grant reviewers. They're motivated by empathy, social responsibility, a long-term view of progress, and a desire for genuine partnership.
And perhaps her most important reminder: people invest in great ideas, but they also invest in people who are passionate about delivering them.
Watch the full session inside the APN
The complete replay of Alessandra's session is available now in the AdaMarie Professional Network, alongside every other workshop and panel from this year's summit.
Inside, you'll find:
The full summit replay library, including the sessions you couldn't catch live
Live workshops and expert conversations year-round
Our spring Career Accelerator
A growing library of career resources
A Slack community full of people navigating their next steps right alongside you
