Making an Impact. Strategic philanthropic investments in medical research require a careful consideration of the philanthropist’s priorities and an understanding of the current state of research to amplify the impact of their giving. This Giving Smarter Guide is structured to provide points of entry into the pathway of funding scientific research primarily conducted in an academic or medical setting. Written for individual philanthropists and foundations who may be new to scientific research, this report will walk you through the process with a series of questions and key takeaways. The Center for Strategic Philanthropy’s goal with this report is to identify common approaches and best practices to address the potential pitfalls and challenges that come with supporting scientific research in academic institutions.