The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a nonprofit research institute headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1998, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity focused on advancing plant science through research, education, and outreach. The Center employs approximately 478 staff members and operates research facilities across multiple countries, positioning Saint Louis as a global center for plant science innovation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$625.7M
+3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.4M
-10.6% YoY
Grant Count
28
-9.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$229K
-1.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Center's mission is to improve the human condition through plant science by:
- Feeding the hungry and improving human health
- Preserving and renewing the environment
- Enhancing the Saint Louis region as a world center for plant science
Primary research and program areas include:
- Plant science research, educational outreach, and training
- Food security and environmental sustainability initiatives
- The Institute for International Crop Improvement
- Field research operations, including a 62-acre field research site with 23 active projects
- The Subterranean Influences on Nitrogen and Carbon (SINC) Center, focused on plant-bacteria nutrient exchange and elemental uptake
- Phenotyping systems development and core facility operations
- Biological and life science research
Grantmaking
The Center awards grants to support agricultural innovation and scientific advancement:
Ready to take the next step with Donald Danforth Plant Science Center?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding focus areas include Missouri, Minnesota, and Kansas. The Center operates research projects internationally across seven countries.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of fiscal year 2023:
- Total assets: $602,402,435
- Total revenues: $65,680,473
- Total expenses: $64,163,875
- Total liabilities: $15,900,000
The organization maintains strong financial health with a four-star rating based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $625,668,262 | $602,402,435 | $583,977,985 |
| Revenue | $63,779,784 | $65,680,473 | $48,059,784 |
| Expenses | $67,771,092 | $64,163,875 | $59,342,714 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $20,405,529 | $17,607,431 | $402,866 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
131 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of Kansas ($881,742), Leland Stanford Junior University ($796,710), University of Illinois ($477,329).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS TUCSON, AZ | RESEARCH | $312,137 |
| BIOSTL ST LOUIS, MO | RESEARCH | $79,518 |
| CHICAGO HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY GLENCOE, IL | RESEARCH | $254,985 |
| CURATORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COLUMBIA, MO | RESEARCH | $265,431 |
| DEEP GRAIN LLC ST LOUIS, MO | RESEARCH | $27,500 |
| HARRIS-STOWE STATE UNIVERSITY ST PAUL, MN | RESEARCH | $14,826 |
| IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY AMES, IA | RESEARCH | $51,208 |
| JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE FOUNDATION EAST ST LOUIS, IL | RESEARCH | $29,016 |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY MANHATTAN, KS | RESEARCH | $90,351 |
| LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY PALO ALTO, CA | RESEARCH | $796,710 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President: Giles Oldroyd
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS PENNY PENNINGTON | CHAIR | 4 | — |
| MS RUTH E KIM | DIRECTOR AND CORPORATE SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| DR LISA AINSWORTH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR BENJAMIN OLA AKANDE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR TEDDY BEKELE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SENATOR ROY BLUNT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MS SARA YANG BOSCO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR BLACKFORD F BRAUER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR LEE BROUGHTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR PATRICK O BROWN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR JOHANNES BURLIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MS MARILYN K BUSH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR MUN Y CHOI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MS DESIREE COLEMAN-FRY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR CHRISTOPHER B DANFORTH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR STEVEN M FOX | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR JAMES L JOHNSON III | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR ROBERT J JONES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR WESLEY JONES | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MS JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR SANJEEV KRISHNAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MS ANN C MARR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR ANDREW D MARTIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR JOHN F MCDONNELL | EMERITUS DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MS ANNA E MCKELVEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR THOMAS MELZER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR WILLIAM L POLK JR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR ROBERT REITER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR MICHAEL RINEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MR TODD R SCHNUCK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR PETER WYSE JACKSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DR JAMES CARRINGTON | PRESIDENT AND CEO | 40 | $760,086 |
| MR HAROLD DAVIES | COO AND V.P. FOR FINANCE | 40 | $356,299 |
| MS DIANE MOLESKI | ASSISTANT SECRETARY | 40 | $134,013 |
| MS ELLEN ATWELL | CONTROLLER | 40 | $140,789 |
| MR DJUAN COLEMAN | V.P. OF FINANCE | 40 | $142,584 |
| DR REBECCA BART | V.P. FOR RESEARCH | 40 | $261,983 |
| MR MICHAEL BANDER | V.P. FOR DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $254,125 |
| MS ANNA DIBBLE | V.P. FOR PEOPLE AND CULTURE | 40 | $229,667 |
| DR DONALD MACKENZIE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF IICI | 40 | $276,974 |
| MR TOM LAURITA | CEO OF DTC | 40 | $270,248 |
| DR KEITH SLOTKIN | PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR | 40 | $260,429 |
| DR JAMES UMEN | PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR | 40 | $237,540 |
| MR TODD HORNBURG | V.P. OF FACILITIES | 40 | $228,008 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent research highlights include:
Installation of 404 minirhizotrons at the field research site with plans for additional phenotyping systems development
Identification of a new protein complex in plants that regulates temperature response by the circadian clock, led by Dr. Dmitri A. Nusinow
Discovery of a new gene in green algae controlling sex determination by Dr. James Umen's research team
Department of Energy grant funding for research into sorghum photosynthesis
Danforth Center Scientist Leads New Department of Energy Grant to UnlockCollaborative crop research initiatives with external funding partners focused on soil and water health
Contact Information
Address: 975 N Warson Road, Saint Louis, MO 63132-2918
Phone: 314-587-1000
Website: danforthcenter.org
Email: info@danforthcenter.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Donald Danforth Plant Science Center fund?
The Center's mission is to improve the human condition through plant science by: • Feeding the hungry and improving human health • Preserving and renewing the environment • Enhancing the Saint Louis region as a world center for plant science Primary research and program areas include: • Plant science research, educational outreach, and training • Food security and environmental sustainability initiatives • The Institute for International Crop Improvement • Field research operations, including a…
How do I apply for a grant from Donald Danforth Plant Science Center?
The Center awards grants to support agricultural innovation and scientific advancement: • **Total giving (2023):** $8,684,217 • **Typical award range:** $6,951 to $1,594,596 • **Focus areas:** Education, health care, and arts, culture & humanities Recent grantmaking activity includes proof-of-concept funding to scientific teams advancing agricultural innovation and support for crop research initiatives focused on soil and water health preservation. The Center's work is funded through competitiv…
Where does Donald Danforth Plant Science Center make grants?
Primary funding focus areas include Missouri, Minnesota, and Kansas. The Center operates research projects internationally across seven countries.
What size grants does Donald Danforth Plant Science Center award?
In 2024, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center awarded 28 grants totaling $6.4M — an average of about $229K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's EIN?
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1584621. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
SAINT LOUIS, MO
Assets
—
Grants
9,499
Total Given
$73.1M
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
TROY, NY
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
67
Total Given
$8.5M
Research Corporation dba Research
TUCSON, AZ
Assets
$241.5M
Grants
165
Total Given
$8.0M
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Drexel University
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Assets
$2.9B
Grants
141
Total Given
$19.4M
Johns Hopkins University
BALTIMORE, MD
Assets
$23.0B
Grants
757
Total Given
$467.3M
American Chemical Society
WASHINGTON, DC
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
341
Total Given
$22.4M
Alzheimer's Disease & Related Disorders
CHICAGO, IL
Assets
$523.7M
Grants
79
Total Given
$73.3M
American Academy of Sleep Medicine
DARIEN, IL
Assets
$18.2M
Grants
23
Total Given
$3.7M
Tulsa Community Foundation
TULSA, OK
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,066
Total Given
$158.6M
Charities Aid Foundation America
ALEXANDRIA, VA
Assets
$444.9M
Grants
10,157
Total Given
$466.3M
Alfred P Sloan Foundation
NEW YORK, NY
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
522
Total Given
$89.0M
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Donald Danforth Plant Science Center on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Donald Danforth Plant Science Center to a real strategy.