The Triple Helix of university-industry-government relations is an internationally recognized model for understanding entrepreneurship, the changing dynamics of universities, innovation, and socio-economic development. But other organizations play pivotal roles in the research enterprise as well, including private foundations, advocacy groups, NGOs, and other research funders. This GUIRR meeting explored how and why universities, industry, and government engage with non-traditional partners including philanthropic institutions, venture capital, seed funders, and foundations linked to government agencies. The meeting considered the relationships between non-traditional partners and lead investigators and explored how external partnerships affect research agendas, workforce development, and the leveraging other supporting funds.