Brain Awareness Week was founded by the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives (DABI) and European Dana Alliance for the Brain (EDAB) and is coordinated by the Dana Foundation.
Brain Awareness Week began in 1996 as a modest effort involving just 160 organizations in the United States. DABI organized the first Brain Awareness Week to bring together diverse groups with different interests from academia, government, and professional and advocacy organizations. The goal was to unite them with the common theme that brain research is the hope for treatments, preventions, and possible cures for brain diseases and disorders and to ensure a better quality of life at all ages.
In the 27 years since its founding, Brain Awareness Week has evolved into a global education initiative with annual events spanning six continents. During the 2022 campaign, events were held in 45 countries, 33 states, and the District of Columbia.
Brain Awareness Week participants host imaginative activities in their communities that share the wonders of the brain and the impact brain science has on our everyday lives.
Visit Plan Your Outreach for all the resources and tools you’ll need to organize an event, and be sure to post your activities on the Calendar of Events.
Participation in the campaign is free.
Yes, the Dana Foundation provides funding for Brain Awareness Week outreach activities through two grants programs serving different regions of the world. Visit our Grants page for more information.
Absolutely! We encourage organizers to plan brain-related events throughout the year.
Outreach Organization includes issue- and disease-focused groups (such as chapters of the Alzheimer’s Association or Pilot International). Other organizations in this category include advocacy organizations, senior and community centers, libraries that are not government organizations, and any nonprofit organization focused on public education.
Hospital/University includes colleges and college departments.
Medical/Research Institution includes medical- and research-based groups that are not part of a university or hospital system.
Affiliate includes most other organization types, including brain training facilities and corporations.
If you are still unsure or have further questions please feel free to contact us at bawinfo@dana.org.
While event organizers must be affiliated with an organization or institution, we encourage individuals to participate in the campaign. Search the Calendar of Events for organizers and events in your area and volunteer to help out. Consider creating your own “organization”—for example, develop a Brain Awareness Week “Book Club” to read and discuss neuroscience related books during March.
Search the official Brain Awareness Week Calendar of Events by location, event type, and/or audience.
We’re glad you asked. We developed the Plan Your Outreach section to help you plan and promote events.
…update my profile?
Log in to the site and visit Update Your Profile to update your information.
…post an event?
When logged in, visit the Post Your Event(s) page.
If you have forgotten your password, please use the “Forgot Password” feature to automatically generate a new one. You will receive a new password by email (if you don’t see it immediately please check your “junk” mail filter) and will be able to log in and reset the password to your preferred password, if you’d like.
If you are unsure of the email address you registered under or have any other log-in issues, please contact us at bawinfo@dana.org and we will help.
Brain Awareness Week staff is available year-round via email at bawinfo@dana.org to answer any questions you may have.
Thank you! We welcome all input from our participants, especially new ideas for the Plan Your Outreach and Handouts & Resources sections of the site. Please feel free to email us at bawinfo@dana.org.
No. Event organizers with photos posted in the gallery have only given the Dana Foundation and Dana Alliances permission to use their photos, and only for Brain Awareness Week-related communications. If you would like permission to use an organization’s image(s), please contact them directly.
