Focused Ultrasound Foundation
The Focused Ultrasound Foundation is a public charity based in Charlottesville, Virginia. It organizes, conducts, and funds research to advance focused ultrasound, with a stated aim of accelerating its development and widespread adoption as a standard of care.
Focused Ultrasound Foundation at a glance
In short: Focused Ultrasound Foundation gave $2.6M across 31 grants in 2024 (avg $84K), top state Washington. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,589,143
- +49.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- +29.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $83,521
- +15.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $39,119,092
- +0.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Washington (23% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Focused Ultrasound Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The process begins with a letter of intent assessed for fit with the Foundation’s mission and research priorities. Investigators invited to submit a full proposal have 90 days to do so. Full proposals are evaluated for feasibility, scientific merit, team, and eligibility, and are externally peer reviewed by scientific and clinical experts. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis. Awardees’ funding agreements establish milestones and reporting requirements; non-clinical awards require milestone deliverables, while clinical trial awards require scheduled progress reports and invoicing. Final funding installments require a final report and/or publication-ready manuscript. The Foundation states that funds are disbursed based on completion of agreement milestones.
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Contact
Mailing address: 1230 Cedars Court 206, Charlottesville, VA 22903
Phone: (434) 220-4993
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Focused Ultrasound Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Acoustiic Inc ($500K). Together the top 10 received $1.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
96 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 48 grants of 96 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation reports funding projects in more than 30 countries. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to Washington (23%), California (16%), New York (10%), Michigan (10%), and Pennsylvania (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Focused Ultrasound Foundation gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2018 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $495K (2020) to $2.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 31 grants totaling $2.6M.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Acoustiic Inc Bellevue, WA | Research | $500,000 |
| University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA | Research | $321,917 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Research | $253,832 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Research | $224,231 |
| Brigham & Women's Hospital Boston, MA | Research | $129,000 |
| University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore, MD | Research | $117,908 |
| University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA | Research | $102,500 |
| American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Waukesha, WI | Research | $100,000 |
| Stanford University Palo Alto, CA | Research | $98,000 |
| University of Washington Seattle, WA | Research | $94,214 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $39,119,092 | $16,634,446 | $15,763,484 | $2,589,143 | 31 | $1,825,828 |
| 2023 | $38,894,407 | $8,462,972 | $13,212,794 | $1,735,646 | 24 | $1,233,163 |
| 2022 | $43,272,222 | $11,598,945 | $12,620,729 | $1,723,478 | 19 | $274,060 |
| 2021 | $44,071,388 | $8,886,317 | $9,692,922 | $937,363 | 15 | $559,064 |
| 2020 | $46,366,004 | $30,828,788 | $8,677,147 | $495,069 | 7 | $164,170 |
| 2018 | $23,355,298 | $17,056,993 | $7,848,550 | $622,505 | Total only | $100,996 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission includes funding research, fostering collaboration through meetings and workshops, cultivating the next generation through fellowships and internships, and collecting and sharing knowledge. Its research priorities include immunomodulation, neuromodulation, gene therapy, drug delivery—including blood-brain barrier opening—and sonodynamic therapy. Priority clinical areas include oncology and neurodegenerative disease, with named interests such as glioblastoma, pancreatic and breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and ALS.
The Foundation funds research by investigators at academic and medical research institutions. Among its 2024 grantees, the University of Pittsburgh describes itself as a public research university and leader in education and research. The University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation says it administers funds for the benefit of the University of Maryland in Baltimore. These are the grantees’ descriptions, not statements of the Foundation’s own mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 31 grants totaling $2,589,143. Grant amounts ranged from $4,000 to $500,000, with a median of $40,000.
Among the largest awards were $500,000 to Acoustiic Inc. for research; $321,917 to the University of California San Francisco for research; $253,832 to the University of Michigan for research; $224,231 to Columbia University for research; and $129,000 to Brigham & Women’s Hospital for research.
The Foundation offers a General Awards Program for investigator-initiated clinical, preclinical, and early-stage research outside its Brain, Cancer Immunotherapy, and Veterinary Programs. General Awards are described as one-year awards totaling approximately $100,000, paid in three or more installments tied to progress reports.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Neal F. Kassell as president and chairman; John Grisham as vice president; and Kurt Woerpel III as CFO and secretary. Directors listed include Shirley Lin Syaru, William A. Hawkins III, Charles Wickliffe Moorman, Scott Beardsley, Michael Lincoln, Gary Shapiro, and Michael Milken.
Focused Ultrasound Foundation is led by Neal F. Kassell, President & Chairman since 2024 (on filings since 2018); 6 of 18 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Neal F. Kassell
President & Chairman
Director & President → Director, Chairman & President, 2020
Director, Chairman & President → President & Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$406K (2018) → $552K (2024)
Chretien Moonen
Managing Director Research & Education
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$276K (2024)
Emily White
Director of Operations
Director of Communications → Director of Operations, 2020
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$211K (2018) → $310K (2024)
Charles Wickliffe Moorman
Director
On filings since 2018
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frederic H. Moll
Director
On filings since 2018
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Rusckowski
Director
On filings since 2018
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William A. Hawkins III
Director
On filings since 2018
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Shapiro
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Lincoln
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Milken
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Beardsley
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shirley Lin Syaru
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Freda Lewis-Hall
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kurt Woerpel III
CFO & Secretary
CFO → Chief Financial Officer, 2023
Chief Financial Officer → CFO & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2018
20 hrs/week
$34K (2018) → $0 (2024)
Timothy Meakem
Chief Medical Officer
Chief Medica → Chief Medical Officer, 2020
On filings since 2018
40 hrs/week
$246K (2018) → $304K (2024)
Rick Hamilton
Chief Technology Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$250K (2023) → $262K (2024)
Lauren Hadley
Associate Director Research & Education
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$242K (2024)
John Grisham
Vice President
Director → Vice Chairman, 2023
Vice Chairman → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2018
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (16)
- Former: Dan Jordan (2018–2023) — Director
- Former: Jessica Foley (2018–2023) — Chief Scientific Officer
- Former: Jessica Lukens (2021–2023) — Managing Director
- Former: Thomas Ryder (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Eugene V. Fife (2018–2022) — Director & Vice Chairman
- Former: Lauren Powlovich (2021–2022) — Associate Chief Medical Officer
- Former: Carl Zeithaml (2018–2021) — Director
- Former: Edward D. Miller (2018–2021) — Director
- Former: Ann Taylor (2021) — Chief Relationship Officer
- Former: Nora Seilheimer (2021) — Chief Advancement Officer
- Former: John W. Snell (2018–2020) — Technical Director
- Former: Emily Whipple (2020) — Director of Strategic Initiatives
- Former: Andrew Von Eschenbach (2018) — Director
- Former: Dorothy Batten (2018) — Director
- Former: Edward Kelly III (2018) — Director
- Former: Syaru Shirley Lin (2018) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2024. "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 $552K, to Neal F Kassell (President, Chairman). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Focused Ultrasound Foundation
How much does Focused Ultrasound Foundation give each year?
Focused Ultrasound Foundation gave $2.6M across 31 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 24 grants.
What is Focused Ultrasound Foundation's typical grant size?
Focused Ultrasound Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $40,000, and its average grant was $83,521, across 31 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Focused Ultrasound Foundation give grants?
Focused Ultrasound Foundation's top state is Washington, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (16%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants), Pittsburgh, PA (2 grants) and Baltimore, MD (2 grants).
Does Focused Ultrasound Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on Focused Ultrasound Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research" (31 grants).
Who are Focused Ultrasound Foundation's largest grantees?
Focused Ultrasound Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Acoustiic Inc ($500,000), University of California San Francisco ($321,917) and University of Michigan ($253,832), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Focused Ultrasound Foundation?
Focused Ultrasound Foundation reported $39.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $16.6M.
What does Focused Ultrasound Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission includes funding research, fostering collaboration through meetings and workshops, cultivating the next generation through fellowships and internships, and collecting and sharing knowledge. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Focused Ultrasound Foundation?
The process begins with a letter of intent assessed for fit with the Foundation’s mission and research priorities. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Focused Ultrasound Foundation's EIN?
Focused Ultrasound Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5744808. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS February 20, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 28, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Focused Ultrasound Foundation funds
Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Focused Ultrasound Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Focused Ultrasound Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/focused-ultrasound-foundation-morg_e5f71915e74147c4a6c855fabff870d8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_205744808_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Focused Ultrasound Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/focused-ultrasound-foundation-morg_e5f71915e74147c4a6c855fabff870d8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Focused Ultrasound 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.
Focused Ultrasound Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?