The Simons Foundation’s mission is to advance the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences.Cofounded in New York City by Jim and Marilyn Simons, the foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014.The Simons Foundation at its core exists to support basic — or discovery-driven — scientific research, undertaken in pursuit of understanding the phenomena of our world without specific application in mind. The foundation’s support of scientists generally takes the form of direct grants to individual investigators and projects, through their academic institutions. The foundation makes grants in four areas: Mathematics and Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, autism research (SFARI) and Education & Outreach. In 2013 the foundation also launched an internal research division, the Simons Center for Data Analysis.