Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation, based in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, is a public charity that operates as Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. It funds research intended to prevent, slow, or reverse Alzheimer’s disease.
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation at a glance
In short: Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation gave $33.8M across 161 grants in 2025 (avg $210K), top state Massachusetts. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $33,812,354
- +38.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 161
- +51.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $210,015
- -8.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $201,250
- Total assets
- $43,169,584
- +51.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (15 of 54, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (31% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The funder does not accept unsolicited proposals but welcomes letters of inquiry from tenure-track professors at accredited universities or institutions. It also considers investment-funding applications from for-profit companies that meet certain criteria. The initial submission is a 1–2-page PDF. Letters of inquiry are reviewed on a rolling basis; if one is considered appropriate, the funder may request a full proposal. Only one consecutive letter of inquiry may be under scientific review at a time. Typical 2026 grants are $201,250 per year, comprising $175,000 in direct costs and up to $26,250 in indirect costs, for a duration of one to two years. Funded projects must submit a final report, and two-year projects require an annual progress review for second-year funding.
- Review Cycle
- There are no fixed submission dates. If a full proposal is requested, the funder provides a deadline for its receipt.
- Deadline
- There are no fixed submission dates.
- Contact
Mailing address: 34 Washington St 230, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
Phone: (781) 237-3800
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Massachusetts General Hospital ($6.1M across 23 grants). Together the top 10 received $19.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
526 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 364 grants of 526 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (31%), California (17%), New York (14%), Missouri (12%), and Texas (4%). The listed grants also include recipients in Michigan. These figures describe the distribution of 2025 grant dollars and do not establish a broader geographic eligibility policy.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 161 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 54 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $277K; repeat grants $760K. How we count
Medians: $201K first-time, $460K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $11.7M (2020) to $33.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 161 grants totaling $33.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | The Curealz Alzheimer's Genome Project | $1,955,000 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA | Apoe4 accelerates cd8 exhaustion via glucocorticoid signaling in alzheimer's female carriers | $575,000 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA | A new model of microglia genetic perturbation in vivo to screen all risk factors associated with alzheimer's disease | $431,250 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Non-invasive modulation of microglia gene expression using peripherally administered antibody conjugates | $402,500 |
| Weill Medical College of Cornell University New York, NY | Sex-biased tlr7 signaling in demyelination and its inhibition by small molecules | $402,500 |
| University of California Irvine Irvine, CA | Proteomic signatures of cerebrovascular neuropathology in down syndrome with alzheimer disease | $402,492 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Utilizing heterogeneous mouse models to discover mechanisms underlying caloric restriction (CR) on cognitive outcomes | $398,521 |
| Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO | Apoe consortium: investigating potential cell autonomous neuroprotection of apoe protective variants | $345,000 |
| Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO | Bac: identifying age-related proteomic changes that predict future onset of amyloid-beta aggregation in alzheimer's disease | $345,000 |
| Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO | Bee: meningeal mast cell control of csf dynamics in homeostasis and alzheimer's disease | $345,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,169,584 | $56,659,835 | $46,232,676 | $33,812,354 | 161 | $1,312,647 |
| 2024 | $28,586,231 | $31,755,677 | $36,999,068 | $24,417,387 | 106 | $964,653 |
| 2023 | $33,488,279 | $37,725,207 | $34,633,548 | $23,118,277 | 98 | $1,042,285 |
| 2022 | $30,192,784 | $40,708,245 | $30,613,014 | $19,108,307 | 85 | $8,359,727 |
| 2021 | $23,967,152 | $26,572,727 | $23,165,275 | $15,183,443 | 76 | $32,050 |
| 2020 | $16,427,042 | $22,899,223 | $21,006,379 | $11,742,907 | 47 | $24,835 |
| 2019 | $13,454,870 | $30,582,733 | $24,308,027 | $15,431,965 | 67 | $85,391 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission is to fund research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer’s disease. Its website identifies foundational areas including genetic risk factors, biomarkers and diagnostics, risk and resilience studies, biological research materials such as new models and human samples, and epigenetic factors. Translational areas include research on Alzheimer’s genes, APP and amyloid beta, tau, APOE, and the immune response in Alzheimer’s disease.
The funder’s 2025 filing describes projects investigating genes and variants associated with Alzheimer’s risk and timing, as well as potential prevention and treatment approaches involving neuroinflammation, the gut microbiome, and the immune system. It also reports support for brain banks and scientific trainees.
Recipients include medical centers, hospitals, universities, and university-affiliated foundations. For example, New York Weill Cornell Medical Center Fund describes its mission as supporting the educational, scientific, and charitable purposes of the Society of the New York Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Medical College of Cornell University. The University of Rochester describes its mission as providing higher education, research, and charitable patient care services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 161 grants totaling $33,812,354. Grant amounts ranged from $4,025 to $1,955,000, with a median of $201,250. The organization’s filing separately describes $38.3 million in total research output for that year.
The largest reported grant was $1,955,000 to Massachusetts General Hospital for the CureAlz Alzheimer’s Genome Project. Other examples include $575,000 to Brigham and Women’s Hospital for research on APOE4 and CD8 exhaustion, and $431,250 to the same hospital for a microglia genetic-perturbation model. Weill Medical College of Cornell University received $402,500 for research on sex-biased TLR7 signaling.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Margaret E. Smith as CEO and director; Henry McCance as chair and director; and Phyllis Rappaport as treasurer and director. Other listed directors are Timothy Armour, Richard Birnbaum, Brittany Bowlen, Mark Faggiano, Mary Greenhill Cagliero, Kumar Mahadeva, and Jacqueline Morby.
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation is led by Margaret E. Smith, CEO & Director since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 10 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Margaret E. Smith
CEO & Director
Executive Vice President & Research Administrator → CEO, 2023
CEO → CEO & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$134K (2019) → $502K (2025)
Henry McCance
Chair & Director
Co-Chairman → Chair, 2023
Chair → Chair & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Armour
Director
President & CEO → Former President & CEO, 2023
Former President & CEO → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$258K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Thidaphorn Sengsavanh
Director of Development Operations
Director of Development Ops → Director of Development Operations, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$154K (2024) → $171K (2025)
Jacqueline Morby
Director
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Rappaport
Treasurer & Director
Treasurer → Treasurer & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Birnbaum
Director
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kumar Mahadeva
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Faggiano
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Greenhill Cagliero
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brittany Bowlen
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christine Villas-Boas
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Chambers
Executive Vice President Marketing & Committee
Senior Vice President → Executive Vice President Marketing & Committee, 2021
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$181K (2019) → $303K (2025)
John Slattery
Senior Vice President & Philanthropic Partnerships
Senior Vice President → Senior Vice President Major Gifts, 2021
Senior Vice President Major Gifts → Senior Vice President & Philanthropic Partnerships, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$178K (2019) → $214K (2025)
Katharine Herman
Executive Vice President Development
Executive Vice President → Executive Vice President Development, 2021
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$149K (2019) → $459K (2025)
Laurel Lyle
Secretary, Vice President, Board Relations & Development
Secretary & Vice President Board Relat → Secretary, Vice President Board Relations & Development Ops, 2024
Secretary, Vice President Board Relations & Development Ops → Secretary, Vice President, Board Relations & Development, 2025
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$74K (2020) → $134K (2025)
Lisa Rand
Vice President Marketing & Committee
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$133K (2021) → $217K (2025)
Mahua Dasgupta
Senior Philantropic Advisor
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$166K (2021) → $194K (2025)
Daniel Harper
Vice President Development
Senior Philanthropic Advisor → Vice President Development, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$181K (2023) → $221K (2025)
Josephine Antonellis
CFO
Chief Financial Officer → CFO, 2024
On filings since 2023
30 hrs/week
$151K (2023) → $225K (2025)
Former officers (10)
- Former: Robert Greenhill (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Julie Harris (2024) — Executive Vice President Research Management
- Former: Jeffrey Morby (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Kelly Westerhouse (2021–2023) — Vice President Leadership Giving
- Former: Douglas Harper (2022) — Senior Philanthropic Advisor
- Former: Sherry Sharp To (2022) — Director
- Former: Sherry Sharp (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Bill Benter (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Jay Jester (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Sally G. Rosenfield (2019) — Senior Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $502K, to Margaret E Smith (CEO & Director). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation
How much does Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation give each year?
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation gave $33.8M across 161 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $24.4M across 106 grants.
What is Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's typical grant size?
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $201,250, and its average grant was $210,015, across 161 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation that year got $277K on average.
Where does Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation give grants?
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (17%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (33 grants), New York, NY (22 grants), St. Louis, MO (20 grants) and La Jolla, CA (8 grants).
Does Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 161 grants with a stated purpose on Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's largest grantees?
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Massachusetts General Hospital ($6,069,400 across 23 grants), Washington University in St Louis ($4,183,638 across 20 grants) and Brigham and Women's Hospital ($1,637,634 across 5 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation?
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation reported $43.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $56.7M.
What does Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation fund?
The organization’s mission is to fund research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer’s disease. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation?
The funder does not accept unsolicited proposals but welcomes letters of inquiry from tenure-track professors at accredited universities or institutions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's EIN?
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2396428. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 3, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation funds
Medical Research Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/alzheimer-s-disease-research-foundation-morg_6d603b4bf5f44e25865a525a382b9a82
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_522396428_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/alzheimer-s-disease-research-foundation-morg_6d603b4bf5f44e25865a525a382b9a82},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation'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.
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