Allen Institute
The Allen Institute is a public charity based in Seattle, Washington, formed in 2003. It conducts large-scale bioscience research and makes grants for research, with a commitment to sharing scientific knowledge, data, models, tools, and reagents openly.
Allen Institute at a glance
In short: Allen Institute gave $19.2M across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $618K), top state Massachusetts. 19% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $19,155,275
- +45.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- +14.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $617,912
- +26.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $137,464
- Total assets
- $367,120,032
- +4.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (6 of 31, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (25% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Allen Institute
- Contact
Mailing address: 615 Westlake Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 548-7000
Website: https://alleninstitute.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Allen Institute
Who Allen Institute funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Washington ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $16.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
107 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 22 grants of 107 (21%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (25%), New York (21%), Washington (19%), New Jersey (18%), and Illinois (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Allen Institute open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 31 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $114K; repeat grants $739K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $428K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $5.1M (2020) to $19.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $19.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Washington Seattle, WA | Research | $3,459,548 |
| The Trustees of Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Research | $3,388,837 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Research | $2,518,196 |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY | Research | $1,939,391 |
| Zetta Ai LLC Sherrell, NY | Research | $1,106,162 |
| Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | Research | $942,942 |
| Rockefeller University Birmingham, AL | Research | $814,693 |
| The John Hopkins University Baltimore, MA | Research | $658,856 |
| Boston University Boston, MA | Research | $589,446 |
| Washington University in St Louis Saint Louis, MO | Research | $581,098 |
Ready to take the next step with Allen Institute?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $367,120,032 | $272,058,206 | $270,683,072 | $19,155,275 | 31 | $6,033,321 |
| 2023 | $351,360,685 | $240,418,148 | $220,607,045 | $13,159,646 | 27 | $4,319,610 |
| 2022 | $317,650,465 | $184,245,221 | $176,998,648 | $7,051,708 | 22 | $1,906,826 |
| 2021 | $190,069,466 | $188,379,162 | $153,300,344 | $6,663,906 | 16 | $1,806,704 |
| 2020 | $154,207,368 | $66,144,034 | $133,772,178 | $5,091,724 | 11 | $-1,022,626 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Institute’s mission is to unlock the complexities of bioscience and advance knowledge to improve human health. It describes its approach as open, multi-scale, and team-oriented, with an emphasis on foundational research, developing standards and models, and cultivating ideas with broad impact on science.
Its research programs include mapping brain cells and circuits, studying how cells form tissues, investigating neural activity and behavior, building reference resources for the healthy human immune system, and engineering cells to record their histories. The Institute says it shares the data, tools, and knowledge generated by its large-scale projects with the global scientific community.
The 2024 grants listed include universities, medical schools, hospitals, and a research-support organization. Grantees describe their own missions in varied ways: Princeton University says it pursues research, education, and the discovery and transmission of knowledge; MIT says it advances knowledge and educates students; and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai says it advances science, medicine, and health care. Addgene describes its work as archiving and distributing plasmids connected to published research.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Institute reported 31 grants totaling $19,155,275. Grant amounts ranged from $3,015 to $3,459,548, with a median of $137,464. The largest listed grants were for research:
The Institute’s “Ask Anything, Change Everything” campaign invited ideas about what researchers should be able to measure to advance bioscience. It said it would identify research teams to receive up to $10 million in total funding to address selected questions; submissions are now closed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists these directors: Jo Lynn Allen, Margaret Anderson, Joanne Berger-Sweeney, Phyllis Campbell, Alta Charo, Thomas Daniel, Carla Dewberry, Stephen Hall, Allan Jones, and Michael Stryker.
Allen Institute is led by Rui Costa, President since 2024 (on filings since 2023); 10 of 21 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Rui Costa
President
President & CEO → President, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$1.2M (2023) → $1.2M (2024)
Hongkui Zeng
Executive Vice President & Director Brain Science
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$575K (2023) → $599K (2024)
Karel Svoboda
Executive Vice President & Director Neural Dynamics
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$529K (2023) → $556K (2024)
Kathryn Richmond
Executive Vice President & Director Frontiers
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$489K (2023) → $509K (2024)
Michael Stryker
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$4K (2023) → $0 (2024)
Ananda Goldrath
Executive Vice President & Director Allen I
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$599K (2024)
Ruwanthi Niranjala Gunawardane
Executive Vice President & Director Cell Science
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$489K (2024)
Allan Jones
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alta Charo
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carla Dewberry
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jo Lynn Allen
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joanne Berger-Sweeney
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Anderson
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Campbell
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Hall
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Daniel
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aviv Regev
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Beaudoin
Vice President & COO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$426K (2023) → $555K (2024)
Margaret McClellan
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$540K (2023) → $540K (2024)
Marjorie Thomas
Vice President, Treasurer & CFO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$566K (2023) → $598K (2024)
Andrew Hickl
Chief Technology Officer
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$558K (2024)
Former officers (33)
- Former: Christof Koch (2023) — Meritorious Investigator
- Former: Petra Smith (2023) — Executive Director, People & Culture
- Former: Robert Reid (2023) — Senior Investigator
- Former: Allen Jo Lynn (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Anderson Margaret (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Brown Nathaniel (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Bumol Thomas (2020–2022) — Executive Vice President & Director Immunology
- Former: Campbell Phyllis (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Daniel Thomas (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Hall Stephen (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Israel Allen D. (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Koch Christof (2020–2022) — Chief Scientist
- Former: Locke Gary (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Reid Robert C. (2020–2022) — Senior Investigator
- Former: Stryker Michael (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Thomas Marjorie (2020–2022) — Vice President, Treasurer & CFO
- Former: Zeng Hongkui (2020–2022) — Executive Vice President & Director Brain Science
- Former: Charo Alto (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Dewberry Carla (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: McClellan Margaret (2021–2022) — Vice President & Secretary
- Former: Richmond Kathryn (2021–2022) — Executive Vice President & Director Frontiers
- Former: Beaudoin Christopher (2022) — Vice President & COO
- Former: Costa Rui (2022) — President & CEO
- Former: Jones Allan (2022) — Director & President
- Former: Svoboda Karel (2022) — Executive Vice President & Director Neural Dynamics
- Former: Alivisatos Paul (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Hackett Lauren (2020–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Jones Allan R. (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Larson Maja D. (2020–2021) — Vice President & Secretary
- Former: Peterson Todd (2020–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Phillips John W. (2020–2021) — Executive Director, Strategy & Evaluation
- Former: Horwitz Alan Fredrick (2020) — Executive Director & Cell Science
- Former: Wohnoutka Paul (2020) — Former Senior Director of Operations
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $1.2M, to RUI Costa (President). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Allen Institute
How much does Allen Institute give each year?
Allen Institute gave $19.2M across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $13.2M across 27 grants.
What is Allen Institute's typical grant size?
Allen Institute's median grant in 2024 was $137,464, and its average grant was $617,912, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Allen Institute that year got $114K on average.
Where does Allen Institute give grants?
Allen Institute's top state is Massachusetts, with 25% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (21%) and Washington (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Seattle, WA (2 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants) and Chicago, IL (2 grants).
Does Allen Institute give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on Allen Institute's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research" (31 grants).
Who are Allen Institute's largest grantees?
Allen Institute's largest 2024 grantees include University of Washington ($3,459,548), The Trustees of Princeton University ($3,388,837) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($2,518,196), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Allen Institute?
Allen Institute reported $367.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $272.1M.
What does Allen Institute fund?
The Institute’s mission is to unlock the complexities of bioscience and advance knowledge to improve human health. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Allen Institute?
Allen Institute has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check alleninstitute.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Allen Institute's EIN?
Allen Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-2155317. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Allen Institute funds
Medical Research Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- 2026 USS Translational Research Grant Up to $100,000 per year · Due October 24, 2026
- Dr. Richard A. Falls Virginia Lions Eye Institute Research Grant Up to $40,000 (yearly total budget) · Due October 25, 2026
- NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) $32,000 annually plus $12,000 cost of education allowance · Due October 27, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Allen Institute's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Chevy Chase, MD
HHMI funds basic biomedical research, science education, fellowships, and public engagement, primarily through programs for researchers and support to universities and other organizations. Its 2025 itemized grants ranged from $10,000 to $3,062,953, with a median of $20,000; its research programs serve U.S. institutions, and listed grants were concentrated in California, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Virginia, and North Carolina. HHMI does not accept unsolicited requests; most competitions use formal invitation and review processes.
Assets
$29.5B
Grants
31
Total Given
$8.8M
National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
New York, NY
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation funds scientific research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of serious mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Its 2024 grants had a median of about $70,000 and supported research institutions across multiple U.S. states; the Young Investigator program is explicitly U.S.-based. Applicants use award-specific application processes, but the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$62.4M
Grants
80
Total Given
$8.4M
Alzheimer's Disease & Related Disorders Association Inc
Chicago, IL
The Alzheimer’s Association funds Alzheimer’s and dementia research, including basic, clinical, social and behavioral studies, and supports care, prevention, early detection, awareness, and advocacy. In 2025, its 79 grants ranged from $10,000 to $13.3 million, with a median of $270,750; research opportunities are open to U.S. and international researchers.
Assets
$523.7M
Grants
79
Total Given
$73.3M
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seatle, WA
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center funds cancer and infectious disease research, along with Washington community-led projects in cancer prevention, screening, education, and care access. Research grants vary widely (the 2025 median was about $118,000); its community awards were up to $15,000, and Tribal Community Grants up to $50,000 plus indirect costs. Community programs are focused on Washington State; whether unsolicited requests are accepted is not stated.
Assets
$3.6B
Grants
139
Total Given
$88.2M
The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
New York, NY
The Michael J. Fox Foundation funds basic, translational, and clinical research to advance a cure for Parkinson’s disease and improve treatments, supporting researchers in the United States and internationally. Its 2025 grants had a median award of about $426,000, though amounts varied widely. It generally does not accept unsolicited proposals; applications are submitted through its grant portal for designated funding opportunities.
Assets
$639.2M
Grants
149
Total Given
$201.5M
The George Washington University
Ashburn, VA
The George Washington University’s reported grants are primarily subaw awards supporting education, scholarly research, research support, and community-engaged scholarship, with recipients including universities, research organizations, and community organizations. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,000 to $3.42 million, with a median of about $131,000; Nashman Faculty Development awards are generally $2,000–$5,000. Funding went mainly to recipients in Washington, D.C., and several other states, and the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$5.5B
Grants
191
Total Given
$54.1M
More similar funders
More Funders in Washington
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Allen Institute funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/allen-institute-morg_aa9447fdb87d410792c48659b17c50e1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_912155317_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Allen Institute funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/allen-institute-morg_aa9447fdb87d410792c48659b17c50e1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Allen Institute's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Allen Institute down — hundreds of funders to go?