Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
The Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) is a public charity based in Rosemont, Illinois. Founded in 1955, it supports orthopaedic research and education, including research into the causes and treatment of musculoskeletal diseases and injuries.
Key facts about Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
In short: Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation gave $912K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $51K), top state Minnesota. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 36-6009467
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $912,069
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- Average grant
- $50,671
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (5 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $20,002,839
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (39% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- OREF’s website directs applicants to review the requirements for the specific opportunity. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The listed 2027 Michael P.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$20.0M
-6.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$912K
-15.8% YoY
Grant Count
18
+5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$51K
-20.5% YoY
Is Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 12 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $112K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $50K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
OREF’s mission is “improving lives by supporting excellence in orthopaedic research.” Its stated vision is to lead in supporting orthopaedic research to improve function, eliminate pain, and restore mobility. The foundation says its programs span orthopaedic research subspecialties and that proposed research should have clinical relevance and practical application.
Its 2025 grants included projects on periprosthetic joint infection, orthopaedic surgical training, osteoarthritis, joint stiffness, shoulder stabilization, and cartilage healing. These awards went to organizations including Mayo Clinic, Scottish Rite for Children, and the Hospital for Special Surgery. The grantees describe their own missions as including patient care, research, and education: for example, Mayo Clinic says it seeks to contribute to health and well-being through integrated clinical practice, education, and research; Scottish Rite for Children describes its work as improving the lives of children with orthopaedic and related conditions; and the Hospital for Special Surgery says it advances orthopaedic surgery and related disciplines through research and education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, OREF reported 18 grants totaling $912,069. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $300,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed awards were $300,000 to Mayo Clinic for evaluating phage dosing for periprosthetic joint infection treatment and $149,654 to Scottish Rite for Children for research on factors influencing attrition in orthopaedic surgical training. Other listed awards included $50,000 to Mayo Clinic for a study of dexamethasone dosing in total knee arthroplasty and $50,000 to the Hospital for Special Surgery for research on cellular senescence in joint stiffness.
OREF’s website lists a Prevention of Musculoskeletal Youth Sports Injuries Grant for $25,000, described as startup or seed funding for a new investigator conducting clinical or social research on prevention. The program listing says clinical relevance and practical application are expected, and that OREF will fund only one such grant per institution per year. The website also lists a 2027 Michael P. Kelly Sr Leadership Fellowship, with an application deadline of November 10, 2026. Its posted 2026 application dates have passed as of October 2, 2026.
Review Cycle
The listed 2027 Michael P. Kelly Sr Leadership Fellowship application deadline is November 10, 2026. The youth sports injuries grant listing does not provide a deadline.
How to Apply
OREF’s website directs applicants to review the requirements for the specific opportunity. Requirements vary by program. For example, the OREF/AAOS Clinical Gaps Research Grant’s published eligibility criteria require an orthopaedic surgeon as PI or Co-PI, with the PI required to be an AAOS member; that opportunity’s 2025 deadline has passed.
Open Grants
17 open opportunities from Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Disparities in Orthopaedic Health Care Research Grant
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
Amount
Up to US $150,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Multimodal Musculoskeletal Perioperative Pain Management Grant
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
Amount
US $92,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
OREF Career Development Grant
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
Amount
US $300,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
OREF is based in Rosemont, Illinois. Its 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states; the largest reported shares went to Minnesota (39%), Texas (22%), New York (10%), California (8%), and Utah (5%). The listed recipients also included organizations in Georgia, Connecticut, and Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $912K (2025) to $2.6M (2020). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $912K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mayo Clinic Rochester MN ($360K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $842K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($49,908), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
80 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 80 (59%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mayo Clinic Rochester MN Rochester, MN | Evaluation of Phage Dosing for Periprosthetic Joint Infection Treatment | $300,000 |
| Scottish Rite for Children Dallas, TX | Understanding Factors Influencing Attrition in Orthopedic Surgical Training | $149,654 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester MN Rochester, MN | How Many Dexamethasone Doses Should Be Given in TKA? - A Prospective RT | $50,000 |
| The Hospital for Special Surgery New York, NY | The Role of Cellular Senescence in Joint Stiffness | $50,000 |
| Scottish Rite for Children Dallas, TX | Establishing a RTP test battery for patients post shoulder stabilization | $49,999 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $49,908 |
| The University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT | Synovial lining macrophages in OA: Defining their fate in obesity | $49,698 |
| Emory University Atlanta, GA | Elucidating cancer resistance of naked mole rats | $25,000 |
| University of Connecticut Health Center Farmington, CT | Evaluation of Cartilage Integrative Healing in Osteochondral Allografts | $20,000 |
| The Hospital for Special Surgery New York, NY | Characterizing the cellular composition of bone marrow aspirate concentrate | $20,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts below are reported by filing year.
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $20,002,839 | $4,671,069 | $6,171,537 | $912,069 |
| 2024 | $21,495,900 | $4,255,766 | $5,238,185 | $1,083,161 |
| 2023 | $22,252,031 | $3,641,953 | $5,574,158 | $1,963,295 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,002,839 | $21,495,900 | $22,252,031 |
| Revenue | $4,671,069 | $4,255,766 | $3,641,953 |
| Expenses | $6,171,537 | $5,238,185 | $5,574,158 |
| Net Investment Income | $552,426 | $1,004,153 | $422,121 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 23, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing include Joshua J. Jacobs, MD, President; Thomas P. Sculco, MD, and Richard F. Kyle, MD, Past Presidents; Andrew N. Pollak, MD, President Elect; James R. Ficke, MD, 2nd President Elect; and Karen L. Hackett, Secretary/Treasurer. Other listed leaders include Francis Y. Lee, MD, PhD, Chair of the Research Grants Committee; Jeffrey S. Abrams, MD, Chair of Innovations & Partnerships; Richard F. Santore, MD, Chair of Individual Development; and Jeremie M. Axe, MD, Trustee.
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation is led by Lee Grossman, CEO on every filing since 2020; 7 of 24 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lee Grossman
CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$133K (2020) → $309K (2025)
Rhonda Dirr
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$104K (2024) → $116K (2025)
Joshua J Jacobs MD
President
Treasurer → President Elect, 2023
President Elect → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Francis Y Lee MD PhD
Chair Rgc
Chair Grants → Chair Rgc, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey S Abrams MD
Chair, Innovations & Partn
Chair & Corporate Advisory → Chair, Innovations & Partnership, 2023
Chair, Innovations & Partnership → Chair, Innovations & Partn, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard F Santore MD
Chair-Individual Development
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Pubentz
Senior Director of Communications
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$125K (2020) → $149K (2025)
John Johnson
Campaigns Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$102K (2021) → $134K (2025)
Daniel J Berry MD
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeremie M Axe MD
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael P Bolognesi MD
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicholas M Bernthal MD
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stuart Weinstein MD
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David C Templeman MD
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John D Kelly IV MD
Trustee
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ivan Tormos
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deborah Cummins
Vice President of Research & Grants
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$120K (2021) → $151K (2025)
Dan Krupp
Corporate Relations & Innova
Corporate Relations, Innovation & Partnership Development → Corporate Relations & Innova, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$144K (2022) → $153K (2025)
Carmen Metoyer
Vice President of Development
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$105K (2025)
Andrew N Pollak MD
President Elect
Trustee → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023
Secretary & Treasurer → President Elect, 2025
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen L Hackett
Secretary & Treasurer
Trustee → Secretary & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard F Kyle MD
Past President
President → Past President, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas P Sculco MD
Past President
President-Elect → President, 2023
President → Past President, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James R Ficke MD
2nd President Elect
Trustee → 2nd President Elect, 2025
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Annunziato Amendola MD (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Edward Hoover (2020–2024) — Senior Vice President of Development
- Former: Eric V Dremel (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Mary Lloyd Ireland MD (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Michael M Chau MD PhD (2021–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Evalina Burger-Van der Walt MD (2022–2024) — Trustee
- Former: B Sonny Bal MD JD MBA PhD (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Christopher R Adams MD (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Carol Wargo (2020) — Vice President of Corporate
- Former: David C Dvorak JD (2020) — Trustee
- Former: David G Lewallen MD (2020) — Past President
- Former: Joanne P Ray (2020) — Former CEO
- Former: Lawrence L Lenke MD (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Letha Y Griffin MD PhD (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Matthew B Dobbs MD (2020) — Vice Chair-Grants
- Former: Michael L Parks MD (2020) — Past President
- Former: Timothy J Luchetti MD (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $309K, to Lee Grossman (CEO). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 9400 W Higgins Road 320, Rosemont, IL 60018
Phone: (847) 698-9980
Website: https://oref.org
Frequently asked questions about Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation
How much does Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation give each year?
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation gave $912K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 17 grants.
What is Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's typical grant size?
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $50,671, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation that year got $26K on average.
Where does Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation give grants?
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's top state is Minnesota, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Texas (22%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Rochester, MN (3 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Dallas, TX (2 grants) and St. Louis, MO (2 grants).
Does Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's largest grantees?
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mayo Clinic Rochester MN ($360,000 across 3 grants), Scottish Rite for Children ($199,653 across 2 grants) and The Hospital for Special Surgery ($87,810 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($49,908), which are not listed by name. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation?
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation reported $20.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.7M.
What does Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation fund?
OREF’s mission is “improving lives by supporting excellence in orthopaedic research.” Its stated vision is to lead in supporting orthopaedic research to improve function, eliminate pain, and restore mobility. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation?
OREF’s website directs applicants to review the requirements for the specific opportunity. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's EIN?
Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6009467. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
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