Mental Health
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe mental illness characterized by unpredictable, recurring shifts between manic and depressive episodes that impact mood, energy, and activity levels. Individuals with BD often experience co-occurring conditions like cardiovascular disease and obesity. Affecting about 3 percent of people, BD can lead to severe life disruptions, including job loss, relationship strain, and an increased suicide risk, which are worsened by comorbidities like substance use and anxiety. BD often faces a seven-year delay of diagnosis and receives little research funding, highlighting the urgency for more research to improve lives.
Since 2019, SPARC has partnered with several foundations to address these gaps. SPARC incubated the philanthropic initiative Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD2), which has funded over $80 million in novel research and innovative care models that addresses several key gaps in the field.
Our Work
Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder
BD2 represents the culmination of years of efforts, working across the BD research, clinical, and lived experience community. BD2 has funded over $80 million in research and clinical initiatives that aim to shorten the time required between initiating basic science discoveries and providing clinical care, giving more chances for people with BD to thrive.
Lived Experience Survey
Our work in BD began with a 2019 survey of lived experience, conducted in partnership with the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. The results made one thing clear: Research and treatment should focus on helping people with BD lead meaningful lives—not just manage symptoms. This insight continues to shape SPARC’s efforts in the field.
Bipolar Disorder: A Giving Smarter Guide
SPARC partnered with the Sergey Brin Family Foundation in 2019 to landscape the BD field. We mapped out the gaps and challenges in the field, along with a number of philanthropic opportunities to address the most pertinent barriers. Based on this work, we built a road map outlining the foundation of BD2.
Baszucki Brain Research Fund’s Bipolar Disorder Grant Program
SPARC has partnered with the Baszucki Group to create a rapid funding program that supported more than 40 innovative projects focused on expanding treatment options in BD.
