$100 mil science donation pledged. Arizona must give $150 mil too, philanthropist says

A local philanthropist is pledging $100 million to Arizona’s bioscience industry if the state Legislature agrees to contribute $150 million over the next four years.

Jerry Bisgrove, chairman of Stardust Charitable Group, has pledged to give $25 million in each of the four years to boost research, development and other areas in bioscience without spelling out how it should be spent. His main stipulation: that the Legislature earmark $50 million of taxpayer money for the same purpose this year and pass a current bill that would add $100 million over the next four years. The bill requires renewal each year.

Bisgrove’s pledge would be the largest single private donation to the bioscience industry in Arizona. It would follow a separate $50 million gift toward bioscience from the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust in January. The trust announced it would donate the money over five years to develop "personalized medicine" research and businesses in Maricopa County.

Kerry Fehr-Snyder
The Arizona Republic

Full Story: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0226biodonation0226.html