Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation is a private foundation, based in Washington, DC. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 8 grants totaling $9.0M. Net investment income was $217K.
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation at a glance
In short: Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation gave $9.0M across 8 grants in 2025 (avg $1.1M), mostly in District of Columbia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $8,988,012
- -0.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 8
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,123,502
- -0.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $600,000
- Total assets
- $1,458,740
- -30.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation
Breakthrough Prizes in Fundamental Physics, Life Sciences and Mathematics Grant
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation
Amount
US $3,000,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
New Horizons Prizes in Mathematics
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
31 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 26 grants of 31 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 8 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7.5M (2023) to $12.0M (2021). In 2025 it made 8 grants totaling $9.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 8 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $8,988,012 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,458,740 | $12,849,255 | $14,033,691 | $8,988,012 | 8 | $13,663,550 | $217,255 | $303,919 |
| 2024 | $2,087,974 | $12,748,204 | $14,196,204 | $9,000,000 | 8 | $14,179,128 | $244,204 | $345,171 |
| 2023 | $3,421,698 | $14,846,831 | $13,751,137 | $7,500,000 | 5 | $12,188,783 | $2,605 | $210,088 |
| 2022 | $615,230 | $10,652,847 | $10,338,973 | $9,000,000 | 6 | $10,588,492 | $197 | $99,333 |
| 2021 | $658,226 | $11,413,953 | $13,460,879 | $12,000,000 | 4 | — | $641 | $167,086 |
| 2020 | $2,757,165 | $18,206,611 | $19,818,555 | $12,000,000 | 5 | — | $10,285 | $254,353 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation reported a distributable amount of $304K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation is led by Yuri B. Milner, Director & President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 8 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Yuri B. Milner
Director & President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Simon Peter Worden
Foundation Chairman
On filings since 2020
7 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $57K (2025)
Huda Zoghbi
Director & Board Chairman
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karl Johansson
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$15K (2020) → $11K (2025)
Anne Wojcicki
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Breck Hancock
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Zuckerberg
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James A. Hutchinson
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Cornelia Bargmann (2020–2022) — Director & Board Chairman
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $57K, to Simon Peter Worden (Foundation Chairman). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation
How much does Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation give each year?
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation gave $9.0M across 8 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $9.0M across 8 grants.
What is Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation's typical grant size?
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $600,000, and its average grant was $1,123,502, across 8 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation give grants?
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 8 grants with a stated purpose on Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "2025 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences" (8 grants).
How large is Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation?
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $13.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $304K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation's EIN?
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-2026488. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences Foundation funds
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