About Us | Hopper Belmont Fou 1

HBF VISION AND MISSION

Vision:
To find much-needed curative therapies for the most challenging diseases by actively supporting generations of young research investigators who have a passion for discovering breakthrough approaches.

Mission:
Recognize, support, and promote early career cancer researchers (MD/PhDs) whose innovative ideas may need proof of concept, which will enable them to eventually gain much larger investment support

History

Founded in 2020, the Hopper-Belmont Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization created to honor the dedication of family members who have worked in the health and wellness field or who have been profoundly impacted by serious illnesses—especially cancer. At the core of the Foundation is its signature initiative, the Inspiration Award, which supports breakthrough research concepts and early-stage projects led by emerging scientists. These peer- reviewed awards serve as vital proof-of-concept funding, helping promising research attract the larger support it needs to thrive.

The Hopper-Belmont Foundation aims to empower individuals and families to improve health outcomes by championing passionate, young talent with the drive to make a difference. The Foundation was born from the union of two families—the Hoppers and the Belmonts—each with deep roots in service, science, and wellness.

Dr. Paul F. Hopper, a globally recognized innovator in health and nutrition, was once invited by President Carter to lead the Food and Drug Administration—a role he declined in favor of leading other transformative efforts such as the World Food Prize and several health and nutrition industry organizations. Gloria Belmont Hopper, the 10th of 12 children born to Anthony and Philomena Belmont, came from humble beginnings. Her family story exemplifies the American Dream, built on a foundation of hard work, education, faith, and integrity.
Together, these family legacies reflect a shared belief: that anyone, regardless of background, can make a lasting impact in health and wellness.
The Foundation is guided by a distinguished board of directors and advisors, including MDs and PhDs from leading institutions such as Harvard (MGH/Dana-Farber), UPMC, Columbia, and Mount Sinai. We also work closely with patient advocates from organizations including the NIH/National Cancer Institute, Department of Defense, National Pancreas Foundation, GI Cancers Alliance, TargetCancer, Red Ribbon Foundation, Larry King Cardiac Foundation, National Organization for Rare Disorders, Rare Cancer Alliance, DREAM, and Making Headway Foundation.
We invite you and your family to join us in advancing health innovation by supporting our annual seed funding opportunities. Together, we can help inspire the next generation of researchers—improving lives, one discovery at a time.

HBF Board

Since its launch, the Foundation has built a strong board of medical/scientific and patient advisors who help choose the annual Inspiration Award focus. Some of the credentials of our board include PhD’s/MD’s from Harvard/Massachusetts General, UPMC, Columbia Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, Fred Hutch, Dana-Farber, and UMass Medical, amongst many others, and advocates who have been involved as advisors to the Department of Defense oncology grant review program (CDMRP), NCI MyPART program, FDA Oncology Center of Excellence, as well as board directors for the GI Cancers Alliance, National Organization of Rare Disorders Rare Cancer Coalition, National Pancreas Foundation, Target Cancer, Jimmy Fund, and Making Headway, to name just a few.