LA JOLLA, CA – As La Jolla Institute for Immunology has been on the frontlines of research efforts to understand, treat and prevent SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, private philanthropy has become an important driver in accelerating this work. Such research is often funded by government grants which, while critically important to advancing scientific discovery, can be time intensive and can delay the start of research for months.
Therefore, more agile funding strategies are key to accelerating research at critical moments, such as the current pandemic. As cryptocurrency has become a mega-trend, LJI has joined the ranks of a few visionary non-profit organizations able to accept donations in the form of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency, the most well-known form of which is Bitcoin, currently has a total market value of over $267 billion with over 36 million Americans owning some form of the digital currency.
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“La Jolla Institute is pleased to be able to offer our supporters another avenue to accelerate our important work,” says Christopher Lee, LJI’s Chief Advancement officer of LJI. “The Institute has been very successful over its history by incorporating unique approaches in advancing the study of the immune system, and we believe being an early adopter for accepting this type of gift matches the innovative culture of our organization. We are honored to offer the opportunity to those in the cryptocurrency community to make a lasting impact toward bringing about a life without disease.”
The Institute is partnering with <a href=”http://thegivingblock.com/” rel=”noopener noreferrer” target=”_blank”>The Giving Block</a> to expand and tailor their messaging to the innovative and generous cryptocurrency community. Over the last three years, the cryptocurrency community has given hundreds of millions of dollars to the few nonprofits that accept cryptocurrency donations.
Cryptocurrency donations are also attractive as they provide tax benefits to donors. The IRS classifies cryptocurrency as property, meaning donors do not have to pay capital gains tax and can deduct the fair market value on their tax returns.
The Institute is now accepting donations in the following cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Zcash (ZEC), Gemini Dollar (GUSD), Chainlink(LINK), and Basic Attention Token (BAT).
Information can be found on their website at <a href=”http://www.lji.org/donate-crypto”>www.lji.org/donate-crypto</a>
<strong>About La Jolla Institute for Immunology</strong>
The La Jolla Institute for Immunology is dedicated to understanding the intricacies and power of the immune system so that we may apply that knowledge to promote human health and prevent a wide range of diseases. Since its founding in 1988 as an independent, nonprofit research organization, the Institute has made numerous advances leading toward its goal: life without disease.
