The Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation (PERF®) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2004 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas. PERF® supports research in pediatric epilepsy and other pediatric neurologic conditions through multi-center collaboration and mentorship programs. The foundation encourages and helps fund collaborative research to accelerate progress in clinical and health services research across Canada and the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$35.2M
+6.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$929K
+22.2% YoY
Grant Count
29
+70.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
-28.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
PERF® supports advances in the care of children with neurologic diseases through funding multi-center collaboration and mentorship to accelerate progress in clinical and health services research.
Primary focus areas include:
- Pediatric epilepsy research
- Other pediatric neurologic conditions
- Clinical and health services research
- Research infrastructure and registries
The foundation emphasizes mentorship as a key value and prioritizes projects that provide opportunities for training and mentoring of young investigators.
Grantmaking
PERF® currently offers four grant categories:
How to Apply
PERF® welcomes submission of letters of intent for grant consideration through their website. Specific application details and requirements are provided for each grant category.
Ready to take the next step with Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
PERF® funds research in Canada and the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 (Most Recent)
- Total Revenue: $2,721,526
- Total Expenses: $1,374,345
- Total Assets: $35,151,181
2023
- Total Revenue: $3,090,000
- Total Expenses: $1,220,000
- Total Assets: $32,900,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $35,151,181 | $32,948,389 | $28,110,168 |
| Revenue | $2,721,526 | $3,086,671 | $4,718,750 |
| Expenses | $1,374,345 | $1,217,622 | $2,376,817 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $929,487 | $760,693 | $2,046,969 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,713,933 | $3,086,627 | $4,712,598 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,802,982 | $1,632,587 | $1,528,654 |
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
122 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat
PERF: Career Development Grants - CNS Elterman Research Grant
PEDIATRIC EPILEPSY RESEARCH FOUNDAT
Amount
US $150,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
PERF: Career Development Grants - CNS Shields Research Grant
PEDIATRIC EPILEPSY RESEARCH FOUNDAT
Amount
US $150,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
PERF: CNS Bridge Grant Program
PEDIATRIC EPILEPSY RESEARCH FOUNDAT
Amount
Up to US $100,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of Miami ($200,000), Ucla ($90,000), Brigham and Women's Hospital ($90,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN EPILEPSY SOCIETY CHICAGO, IL | RESEARCH | $25,000 |
| CAMP BRIGADOON VILLAGE | EPILEPSY CAMP | $10,000 |
| CHILD NEUROLOGY SOCIETY ST PAUL, MN | RESEARCH | $10,000 |
| REGENTS OF U OF NEBRASKA OMAHA, NE | RESEARCH | $10,000 |
| THE ARC OF THE US WASHINGTON, DC | RESEARCH | $10,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA BIRMINGHAM, AL | RESEARCH | $10,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR, MI | RESEARCH | $9,337 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PITTSBURGH, PA | RESEARCH | $10,000 |
| UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER DALLAS, TX | RESEARCH | $10,000 |
| WEILL CORNELL MEDICINE NEW YORK, NY | RESEARCH | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Roy D. Elterman, MD - Co-founder and Principal Officer
- Renee A. Shellhaas - President
- Karen A. McEwen - Executive Director
- Jo Anne Nakagawa - Director, Grants Review Liaison
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROY D ELTERMAN MD | TREASURER | 3 | — |
| W DONALD SHIELDS MD | VICE PRESIDE | — | — |
| STEPHEN ASHWAL MD | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| E MARTINA BEBIN MD | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| HERBERT WINOKUR | EMERITUS | — | — |
| PETER CAMFIELD MD | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DEBORAH HIRTZ MD | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SOOKYONG KOH MD | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| JOHN MURRAY | EMERITUS | — | — |
| RENEE SHELLHAAS | PRESIDENT | 40 | $86,500 |
| NIKO KACIROTI | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| LORI JORDAN | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| TERI BEHNKE | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| DENNIS DLUGOS | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
2026 PERF®-CNS Grant Cycle is now open
2026 PERF\xAE-CNS Grant Cycle Now OPEN - PERF\xAE (Pediatric Epilepsy Research\PERF® announced a new Bridge Grant Program with an updated winter deadline
Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation: Bridge Grant ProgramNew SPARK Grant Award Recipients have been honored
The first SPARK Grant Award Recipient was announced
Fellow Travel Scholarship available for the 2026 EF Pipeline Conference
Contact Information
Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundation® 8390 Lyndon B. Johnson Fwy, Suite 350 Dallas, TX 75243-1188
Telephone: (469) 498-1658
Email:
- General Correspondence: PERF2004@gmail.com
- PERF®-CNS Bridge Grant: PERF.CNSBridgeGrant@gmail.com
- PERF® Career Development Grant: PERFCDG@gmail.com
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat fund?
PERF® supports advances in the care of children with neurologic diseases through funding multi-center collaboration and mentorship to accelerate progress in clinical and health services research. Primary focus areas include: • Pediatric epilepsy research • Other pediatric neurologic conditions • Clinical and health services research • Research infrastructure and registries The foundation emphasizes mentorship as a key value and prioritizes projects that provide opportunities for training and me…
How do I apply for a grant from Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat?
PERF® currently offers four grant categories: **1. Infrastructure/Registry Research Grant in Any Area of Pediatric Neurology** • Directed at developing new multicenter infrastructure (registries and networks) or enhancing existing multicenter infrastructure programs • Minimum of three separate academic institutions required for new registries/networks • Preference for research projects providing training and mentorship opportunities • All mentorship plans required for invited applications • Ear…
Where does Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat make grants?
PERF® funds research in Canada and the United States.
What size grants does Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat award?
In 2024, Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat awarded 29 grants totaling $929K — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat reported a distributable amount of $1.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat's EIN?
Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1779737. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pediatric Epilepsy Research Foundat'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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