Friends Research Institute Inc
Friends Research Institute Inc. is a Baltimore, Maryland–based public charity, formed in 1955. Its mission is to advance innovative research that promotes health and well-being. Its work includes research on medical, mental-health, and drug-related topics, as well as grants administration for research projects.
Friends Research Institute Inc at a glance
In short: Friends Research Institute Inc gave $2.4M across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $197K), top state New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,367,687
- +305.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $197,307
- +272.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $191,852
- Total assets
- $8,483,431
- +5.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (45% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Friends Research Institute Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 1040 Park Avenue Suite 103, Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone: (410) 837-3977
Website: https://friendsresearch.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Friends Research Institute Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Weill Cornell Medical College ($525K). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
23 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 9 grants of 23 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The institute is based in Baltimore, Maryland. For 2025 grants, reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were New York 45%, Maryland 25%, North Carolina 10%, Pennsylvania 9%, and Texas 6%. The listed recipients also included organizations in California and Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
How Friends Research Institute Inc gives
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $583K (2024) to $2.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $2.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Weill Cornell Medical College Ithaca, NY | Research Study | $524,875 |
| Maryland Treatment Centers Inc Baltimore, MD | Research Study | $412,948 |
| RTI International Durham, NC | Research Study | $239,830 |
| Thomas Jefferson University Philadelphia, PA | Research Study | $221,657 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Research Study | $219,294 |
| New York University New York, NY | Research Study | $200,504 |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore Baltimore, MD | Research Study | $183,199 |
| Baymark Health Services Lewisville, TX | Research Study | $147,093 |
| Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene Inc Menands, NY | Research Study | $124,913 |
| The Regents of University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Research Study | $52,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,483,431 | $11,786,193 | $10,462,035 | $2,367,687 | 12 | $177,251 |
| 2024 | $8,050,902 | $10,185,535 | $10,313,209 | $583,389 | 11 | $125,098 |
| 2023 | $6,513,614 | $10,784,781 | $10,418,142 | — | — | $136,361 |
| 2022 | $5,960,690 | $8,502,634 | $9,170,093 | — | — | $175,533 |
| 2021 | $7,459,546 | $8,548,377 | $8,479,032 | — | — | $304,071 |
| 2020 | $7,765,126 | $9,090,616 | $8,898,335 | — | — | $168,765 |
| 2019 | $6,459,502 | $7,433,929 | $8,075,308 | — | — | $136,036 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Friends Research Institute states that it is dedicated to “advancing innovative research to promote health and well-being.” Its history includes research on serious and persistent mental illness, and its 2024 filing describes medical, mental-health, and drug-abuse research studies, as well as studies of the effects of different drugs.
The 2025 filing lists 12 grants, each designated for a research study. Recipients included universities, medical colleges, research organizations, and health-service organizations. Among the recipients described in their own words, Thomas Jefferson University says it is a comprehensive university focused on education, research and discovery across fields including health, medicine and science. New York University describes its primary missions as education, research and scholarship, and patient care. Emory University says its mission is to create, preserve, teach and apply knowledge in the service of humanity.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the institute reported 12 grants totaling $2,367,687. Grant amounts ranged from $20,430 to $524,875, with a median of $191,852. The largest awards included $524,875 to Weill Cornell Medical College for a research study, $412,948 to Maryland Treatment Centers Inc. for a research study, and $239,830 to RTI International for a research study. Other notable awards were $221,657 to Thomas Jefferson University and $200,504 to New York University, both for research studies.
The institute’s website describes grant-administration services such as budget preparation, assembling grant applications, expense reporting, personnel support, progress monitoring, and financial reporting.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert G. Rassp, Esq., as chairman; Curtis L. Decker, JD, as vice chairman; Timothy A. Redmond, CPA, as treasurer; and Faith S. Feingold, MS, LCSW-C, as secretary. Directors listed were Carmine G. D’Alessandro, JD; Sheldon Glass, MD; Wallace B. Pickworth, PhD; Jennifer C. Jordan, JD, MSCC; Steven Williams, PhD, SPHR; and Janet Klein Brown, MSW, JD.
Friends Research Institute Inc is led by Steven Bcarswell, President since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 9 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Steven Bcarswell
President
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2019
18 hrs/week
$142K (2019) → $63K (2025)
Robert G. Rassp Esq.
Chairman
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mishka Terplan
Medical Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$134K (2022) → $214K (2025)
Sheldon Glass Med MD
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Williams Phd Sphr
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wallace B. Pickworth PhD
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janet Klein Brown Msw JD
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carmine G. D'alessandro JD
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer C. Jordan Jd Mscc
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Clem Mueller CPA
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cathy Reback
Snr Research Scientist
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$188K (2019) → $175K (2025)
Frank Vocci
Snr Research Scientist
President → Snr Research Scientist, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$242K (2019) → $250K (2025)
Jan Gryczynski
Vice President
Snr Research Scientist → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$180K (2019) → $228K (2025)
Michael Gordon
Snr Research Scientist
Research Scientist → Snr Research Scientist, 2020
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$162K (2019) → $232K (2025)
Michele L. Hipsley
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$143K (2019) → $197K (2025)
Shannon Mitchell
Snr Research Scientist
Research Scientist → Snr Research Scientist, 2020
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$185K (2019) → $199K (2025)
Babak Tofighi
Snr Research Scientist
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$175K (2025)
Curtis L. Decker JD
Vice Chairman
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Faith S. Feingold Ms Lcsw-C
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy A. Redmond CPA
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Karli Hochstatter (2024) — Research Scientist
- Former: Charles O'Keeffe (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Robert Pschwartz (2019–2023) — Snr Research Scientist
- Former: Jennifer Jordan Roth Esq. (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Jesse Fletcher (2021) — Research Scientist
- Former: Paul W. Pfotenhauer (2019) — Treasurer
- Former: Susan Tangires (2019) — Director - Epoch
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 $250K, to Frank Vocci (SNR Research Scientist). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Friends Research Institute Inc
How much does Friends Research Institute Inc give each year?
Friends Research Institute Inc gave $2.4M across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $583K across 11 grants.
What is Friends Research Institute Inc's typical grant size?
Friends Research Institute Inc's median grant in 2025 was $191,852, and its average grant was $197,307, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Friends Research Institute Inc give grants?
Friends Research Institute Inc's top state is New York, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Maryland (25%) and North Carolina (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Friends Research Institute Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Friends Research Institute Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research Study" (12 grants).
Who are Friends Research Institute Inc's largest grantees?
Friends Research Institute Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Weill Cornell Medical College ($524,875), Maryland Treatment Centers Inc ($412,948) and RTI International ($239,830), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Friends Research Institute Inc?
Friends Research Institute Inc reported $8.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $11.8M.
What does Friends Research Institute Inc fund?
Friends Research Institute states that it is dedicated to “advancing innovative research to promote health and well-being.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Friends Research Institute Inc?
Friends Research Institute Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check friendsresearch.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Friends Research Institute Inc's EIN?
Friends Research Institute Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-0701445. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 10, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 5, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Friends Research Institute Inc funds
Mental Health & Crisis Intervention Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Friends Research Institute Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Friends Research Institute Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/friends-research-institute-inc-morg_82aba3c3d9d440959fe9df41bb8dc455
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_520701445_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Friends Research Institute Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/friends-research-institute-inc-morg_82aba3c3d9d440959fe9df41bb8dc455},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Friends Research Institute Inc'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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