Medical Research Foundations & Grantmakers
684 grantmakers focused on medical research reported grants on their latest 990s. The 192 that made at least 5 grants gave $786.0M. The largest by giving are Wellcome Leap Inc, The Broad Institute Inc and The V Foundation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Giving at a glance
Active grantmakers
684
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$786.0M
from the 192 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$55K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$118K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellcome Leap Inc | San Diego, CA | $145.9M | 171 |
| 2 | The Broad Institute Inc | Cambridge, MA | $86.0M | 77 |
| 3 | The V Foundation | Cary, NC | $56.7M | 53 |
| 4 | Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc | San Francisco, CA | $40.4M | 10 |
| 5 | Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation | Wellesley Hills, MA | $33.8M | 161 |
| 6 | Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia | Seattle, WA | $27.5M | 66 |
| 7 | Leducq Foundation for Cardiovascular Research | Houston, TX | $25.6M | 116 |
| 8 | Cancer Research Institute Inc | New York, NY | $24.2M | 39 |
| 9 | The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc | Columbia, MD | $19.7M | 38 |
| 10 | Allen Institute | Seattle, WA | $19.2M | 31 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 5 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Where these funders are based
- California 88 · $222.5M
- New York 68 · $69.5M
- Massachusetts 50 · $143.4M
- Illinois 50 · $29.7M
- Florida 43 · $12.7M
- Texas 33 · $30.0M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Showing 192 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Wellcome Leap Inc
San Diego, CA
Assets
$731.9M
Grants
171
Total Given
$145.9M
The Broad Institute Inc
Cambridge, MA
Assets
$3.5B
Grants
77
Total Given
$86.0M
The V Foundation
Cary, NC
Assets
$145.9M
Grants
53
Total Given
$56.7M
Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc
San Francisco, CA
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
10
Total Given
$40.4M
Alzheimer's Disease Research Foundation
Wellesley Hills, MA
Assets
$43.2M
Grants
161
Total Given
$33.8M
Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia
Seattle, WA
Assets
$95.5M
Grants
66
Total Given
$27.5M
Leducq Foundation for Cardiovascular Research
Houston, TX
Assets
$88.4M
Grants
116
Total Given
$25.6M
Cancer Research Institute Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$129.6M
Grants
39
Total Given
$24.2M
The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc
Columbia, MD
Assets
$110.9M
Grants
38
Total Given
$19.7M
Allen Institute
Seattle, WA
Assets
$367.1M
Grants
31
Total Given
$19.2M
Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Alexandria, VA
Assets
$120.7M
Grants
39
Total Given
$17.4M
Parkinson's Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$62.7M
Grants
247
Total Given
$14.5M
Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology Foundation
Chicago, IL
Assets
$112.8M
Grants
109
Total Given
$12.8M
Rheumatology Research Foundation
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$76.4M
Grants
170
Total Given
$11.6M
New Jersey Health Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
Assets
$250.4M
Grants
12
Total Given
$11.3M
Arc Research Institute
Palo Alto, CA
Assets
$184.4M
Grants
7
Total Given
$11.3M
Dolphins Cycling Challenge Inc
Miami Gardens, FL
Assets
$5.8M
Grants
5
Total Given
$10.0M
Glenn Foundation for Medical
Edmond, OK
Assets
$189.2M
Grants
13
Total Given
$9.0M
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$286.0M
Grants
54
Total Given
$8.7M
The Children's Oncology Group Foundation Inc
Philadelphia, PA
Assets
$22.3M
Grants
167
Total Given
$7.1M
Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
Springfield, VA
Assets
$6.9M
Grants
32
Total Given
$7.1M
The Larry L Hillblom Foundation Inc
Sonoma, CA
Assets
$152.5M
Grants
47
Total Given
$6.9M
Gateway for Cancer Research
Chicago, IL
Assets
$20.3M
Grants
18
Total Given
$5.8M
New York STEM Cell Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$61.9M
Grants
18
Total Given
$5.8M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Frequently asked questions
What are the largest medical research foundations?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Wellcome Leap Inc ($145.9M across 171 grants), The Broad Institute Inc ($86.0M) and The V Foundation ($56.7M). Together the top 10 account for 61% of the $786.0M given by the 192 grantmakers focused on medical research that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical grant from these funders?
The typical grant is about $55K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $118K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Where are these funders based?
Most are in California (88), New York (68) and Massachusetts (50). Many foundations only fund near where they are based, so check each funder's giving geography before you apply.
How do I find which of these funders accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations like these from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.