The Foundations' Fund for Research in Psychiatry and the growth of research in psychiatry

For over a quarter century, until it disbursed its remaining funds in 1981, the Foundations' Fund for Research in Psychiatry (FFRP) aided hundreds of researchers in fields related to mental health. The fund was established by a private donor, the late Charles B. G. Murphy. Much of the research it sponsored during its early years was psychoanalytically oriented. In the 1960s it shifted to a more biological and social orientation. Its influence was greatest during its first decade, when its research grants, fellowships, and support to departments of psychiatry helped to launch the modern era of psychiatric research. This review analyzes FFRP's activities and examines its achievements.