Milky Way Research Foundation
2022---news/blau-lab-awarded-an-inaugural-milky-way-research-foundation-gran.html type: exa:news title: Blau Lab Awarded an Inaugural Milky Way Research Foundation Grant | Blau Lab | Stanford Medicine
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.2M
+35.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$16.4M
-41.0% YoY
Grant Count
17
-52.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$965K
+24.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Milky Way Research Foundation reported a distributable amount of $93K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on advancing the science of rejuvenation and supporting medical research related to physiological change over time. The foundation hosted a symposium during its early years to establish a vision for rejuvenation science, with topics including:
- Cellular reprogramming
- Epigenetic reprogramming
- Clocks and hallmarks of aging
- Organismal maturation and senescence
- Translational opportunities in aging research
Primary funding priorities include:
- Fundamental research on reversing cellular aging
- Technologies to extend healthy human lifespan
- Investigator award research grants in medical research
- Biomedical research in aging and cellular biology
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $500,000 to $1,000,000 per award
Average Grant
** $772,413
How to Apply
** Grants applications are submitted through the foundation's online portal at https://milkywayrf.org/
Ready to take the next step with Milky Way Research Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports research nationally and internationally, with funding activity documented in:
United States: California, Massachusetts, Texas, and other states
International: Spain, United Kingdom, Japan
Cities with documented funding: Baltimore, Barcelona, Berkeley, Boston, and other major research hubs
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2024):
- Total Assets: $5,206,894
- Total Revenues: $18,181,812 to $30,038,500 (figures vary by source)
- Total Expenses: $13,157,350 to $26,997,009
- Total Giving: $16,399,481 to $27.8 million
Historical Growth:
- 2021: $1.67 million in revenue
- 2023: Over $30 million in revenue
- The foundation has experienced rapid financial growth since establishment
Employees: 0 (volunteer-led organization)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,206,894 | $3,832,047 | $1,968,509 |
| Revenue | $18,181,812 | $30,038,500 | $19,192,947 |
| Expenses | $13,157,350 | $26,997,009 | $22,096,300 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $16,806,764 | $27,174,862 | $16,363,107 |
| Net Investment Income | $11 | $8,939 | $110 |
| Distributable Amount | $93,368 | $220,822 | $51,360 |
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
86 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Boston Children's Hospital ($1,160,790), Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University ($1,150,000), Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University ($1,150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY REDWOOD CITY, CA | INVESTIGATOR AWARD RESEARCH GRANT | $1,149,449 |
| BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY REDWOOD CITY, CA | INVESTIGATOR AWARD RESEARCH GRANT | $1,150,000 |
| HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL BOSTON, MA | INVESTIGATOR AWARD RESEARCH GRANT | $512,499 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY BERKELEY, CA | RESEARCH GRANT | $536,121 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | INVESTIGATOR AWARD RESEARCH GRANT | $301,508 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY BERKELEY, CA | RESEARCH GRANT | $460,787 |
| BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY REDWOOD CITY, CA | INVESTIGATOR AWARD RESEARCH GRANT | $1,150,000 |
| WELLCOME SANGER INSTITUTE | INVESTIGATOR AWARD RESEARCH GRANT | $1,005,990 |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE HOUSTON, TX | INVESTIGATOR AWARD RESEARCH GRANT | $1,150,000 |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL BOSTON, MA | INVESTIGATOR AWARD RESEARCH GRANT | $1,133,740 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President: Richard D. Klausner, M.D., former Director of the National Cancer Institute (1995-2001)
- Director & Secretary: James A. Hutchinson, Esq.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD KLAUSNER | DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT & TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JAMES A HUTCHINSON | DIRECTOR, SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has established itself as a significant funder in aging and rejuvenation research. Recent grant recipients have published research in peer-reviewed journals including Nature, with studies examining brain aging at single-cell resolution, multi-tissue transcriptomic aging, and joint cartilage regeneration. The foundation's inaugural grants were awarded to research teams at major institutions including Stanford Medicine's Blau Lab.
Brain aging and rejuvenation at single-cell resolution - PMC - NIHThe foundation also receives substantial support from the Breakthrough Prize Foundation, which made multiple grants to the Milky Way Research Foundation totaling over $21 million in 2024 for life science research.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Milky Way Research Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on advancing the science of rejuvenation and supporting medical research related to physiological change over time. The foundation hosted a symposium during its early years to establish a vision for rejuvenation science, with topics including: • Cellular reprogramming • Epigenetic reprogramming • Clocks and hallmarks of aging • Organismal maturation and senescence • Translational opportunities in aging research Primary funding priorities include: • Fundamental r…
How do I apply for a grant from Milky Way Research Foundation?
**Grant Structure:** The foundation typically awards three-year grants of approximately $1 million per year ($3 million total). **Grant Range:** $500,000 to $1,000,000 per award **Average Grant Size:** $772,413 **Recent Activity:** • 2024: 36 grants totaling $27.8 million • 2023: 34 grants totaling $26.8 million • 2024: 30 grants made (per tax filing data) **Application Process:** Grants applications are submitted through the foundation's online portal at https://milkywayrf.org/ **Notable Grant…
Where does Milky Way Research Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports research nationally and internationally, with funding activity documented in: **United States:** California, Massachusetts, Texas, and other states **International:** Spain, United Kingdom, Japan **Cities with documented funding:** Baltimore, Barcelona, Berkeley, Boston, and other major research hubs
What size grants does Milky Way Research Foundation award?
In 2024, Milky Way Research Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $16.4M — an average of about $965K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Milky Way Research Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Milky Way Research Foundation reported a distributable amount of $93K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Milky Way Research Foundation's EIN?
Milky Way Research Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2277927. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Milky Way Research Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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