Rheumatology Research Foundation
The Rheumatology Research Foundation is a public charity based in Atlanta, Georgia. Established in 1985, it supports research and training intended to improve the health of people with rheumatic diseases, including through awards for investigators and programs that train rheumatology professionals.
Rheumatology Research Foundation at a glance
In short: Rheumatology Research Foundation gave $11.6M across 170 grants in 2025 (avg $68K), top state Massachusetts. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $11,550,262
- -4.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 170
- +4.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $67,943
- -9.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $76,434,619
- +8.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (21 of 84, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (17% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Rheumatology Research Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit an online application through the individual award’s application process. Applicants must create a professional profile in the online application system. Review the relevant award policies and application requirements, including page limits; special requests to submit supplemental information after a deadline must be made in advance.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2200 Lake Boulevard Ne, Atlanta, GA 30319
Phone: (404) 633-3777
Website: https://rheumresearch.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
21 open opportunities from Rheumatology Research Foundation
Career Development Bridge Funding Award: K Bridge Grant
Rheumatology Research Foundation
Amount
Up to US $100,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Clinician Scholar Educator Award Grant
Rheumatology Research Foundation
Amount
US $210,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community Practice Innovation Award Grant
Rheumatology Research Foundation
Amount
Up to US $80,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Rheumatology Research Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Children's Hospital Corporation ($675K across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.7M.
Organizations only. It also paid 4 grants to individuals ($150,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
762 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 319 grants of 762 (42%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients across multiple states. The largest reported state shares were Massachusetts (17%), California (8%), Texas (6%), North Carolina (6%), and Michigan (5%). Its 2025 awards included recipients in states such as Minnesota, Maryland, Nebraska, and Alabama as well.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 170 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Rheumatology Research Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 21 of 84 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $172K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $130K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $8.4M (2019) to $12.2M (2023). In 2025 it made 170 grants totaling $11.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Children's Hospital Corporation Boston, MA | Innovative Research Award - Basic | $400,000 |
| Regents of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Innovative Research Award - Translational | $400,000 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | Investigator Award - Clinical | $250,000 |
| Regents of the University of California SF San Francisco, CA | Scientist Development Award - Basic | $250,000 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | Innovative Research Award - Translational | $200,000 |
| The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Innovative Research Award - Clinical | $200,000 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA | Innovative Research Award - Basic | $200,000 |
| Regents of the Univ of Calif UC San Diego La Jolla, CA | Innovative Research Award - Translational | $200,000 |
| University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Innovative Research Award - Translational | $200,000 |
| The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska Omaha, NE | Innovative Research Award - Health Services | $200,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Rheumatology Research Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $76,434,619 | $19,785,814 | $17,070,676 | $11,550,262 | 170 | $5,707,327 |
| 2024 | $70,729,610 | $13,965,881 | $17,398,192 | $12,143,858 | 162 | $5,432,787 |
| 2023 | $70,496,543 | $13,039,465 | $17,402,769 | $12,228,849 | 144 | $446,682 |
| 2022 | $70,647,398 | $7,906,919 | $16,411,503 | $11,449,412 | 143 | $1,803,322 |
| 2021 | $86,854,419 | $23,684,495 | $15,965,678 | $10,666,434 | 143 | $3,192,535 |
| 2020 | $70,977,667 | $10,312,979 | $13,475,852 | $8,931,642 | 147 | $1,058,593 |
| 2019 | $73,274,185 | $13,527,750 | $12,713,963 | $8,419,628 | 181 | $1,822,160 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to advance research and training to improve the health of people with rheumatic diseases. Its programs support research across a broad spectrum of conditions, including juvenile idiopathic arthritis, osteoarthritis, pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, spondyloarthropathies, systemic lupus erythematosus, and vasculitis.
Its awards include research and career-development support, fellowship and other training awards, scholarships, preceptorships, and education grants. In 2025, recipients included universities, hospitals, and research institutions. For example, Mayo Clinic describes its own mission as providing patient care through integrated clinical practice, education, and research; Children’s Research Institute describes its work as conducting and promoting translational and clinical medical research and education focused on childhood diseases. These are grantees’ missions, not the Foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation made 170 grants totaling $11,550,262. Grants ranged from $500 to $400,000, with a median of $50,000.
Among the largest 2025 awards were $400,000 to Children’s Hospital Corporation for an Innovative Research Award in Basic research and $400,000 to the Regents of the University of Michigan for an Innovative Research Award in Translational research. Other examples include $250,000 to Mayo Clinic for an Investigator Award in Clinical research and $250,000 to the Regents of the University of California, San Francisco, for a Scientist Development Award in Basic research. The Foundation also awarded $200,000 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for an Innovative Research Award in Translational research and $200,000 to Johns Hopkins University for an Innovative Research Award in Clinical research.
The Foundation’s listed programs include the Scientist Development Award, Fellowship Training Award for Workforce Expansion, and Marshall J. Schiff, MD, Memorial Fellow Research Award. Program descriptions list maximum awards of $225,000, $150,000, and $2,500, respectively. Applicants submit applications online and should identify an award suited to their education or career level and review its policies and award-specific requirements. Applications undergo peer review, with recommendations reviewed by the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Council before final approval by its board. Page limits are enforced; unless an award’s terms state otherwise, funds cannot be used for indirect costs or institutional overhead.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Liana Fraenkel, MD, MPH, as Foundation President; Bryce Binstadt, MD, PhD, as Foundation Vice President; Anne Bass, MD, as Treasurer; and Angus Worthing, MD, as Secretary. Other listed directors include Alexis Ogdie, MD; Alfred Kim, MD, PhD; Anisha Dua, MD; Carol Young, MD; Charles Saia; and Corinne Karp, MAEd.
Rheumatology Research Foundation is led by Liana Fraenkel MD MPH, Foundation President since 2024 (on filings since 2022); none of the 30 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Liana Fraenkel MD MPH
Foundation President
Foundation Vice President → Foundation President, 2024
On filings since 2022
14 hrs/week
$47K (2023) → $0 (2025)
Rachel Myslinski
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jody Hargrove MD
Chair & Development Advisory Council
Member at Large - - → Chair & Development Advisor, 2023
Chair & Development Advisor → Chair & Development Advisory Council, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alfred Kim MD PhD
Chair & Impact Advisory Council
Chair & Impact Adv Council → Chair & Impact Advisory Council, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edward Behrens MD
Chair & Scientific Advisory Council
Chair & Scientific Advisory → Chair & Scientific Advisory Council, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anisha Dua MD
Chair & Acr Committee on Training
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin Walkuski
Director, Individual Engagement & Philanthropy
Director & Individual Engagement → Director, Ind Eng & Phil, 2023
Director, Ind Eng & Phil → Director, Individual Engagement & Philanthropy, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Colette Novak
Director & Data Strategy
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kay Butts-Pruett
Senior Director & Philanthropy
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Greer
Director & Philanthropy Officer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mona Bhavsar
Senior Director & Controller
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bryce Binstadt MD PhD
Foundation Vice President
Member at Large - - → Member at Large, 2023
Member at Large → Foundation Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2019
14 hrs/week
$4K (2022) → $0 (2025)
Colleen Merkel
Vice President, Operations & Finance
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eryn Marchiolo
Vice President & Mission
Senior Director - Research & Training → Interim Executive Director, 2021
Interim Executive Director → Vice President & Mission, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carol Young MD
Member at Large
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Firas Kassab MD
Member at Large
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Corinne Karp MAEd
Member at Large
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Hiraki MD MS ScD
Acr Research Representative
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paula Reed
Vice President & Philanthropy
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ryan DeMassi MD
Corporate Roundtable Representative -
Corporate Rountable Representative → Corporate Roundtable Representative -, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alexis Ogdie MD
Member at Large
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angus Worthing MD
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne Bass MD
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles Saia
Member at Large
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay Norman
Member at Large
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Adalfio
Senior Manager & Finance
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
M Elaine Husni MD
Member at Large
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rina Joshi DO
Fellow-In-Training Representative
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Bartlett PhD
Arp Representative
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ted Mikuls MD MSHP
Member at Large
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (48)
- Former: Steve Russell MBA (2019–2024) — Chair & Impact Adv Council
- Former: V Michael Holers MD (2020–2024) — Foundation President
- Former: Vikas Majithia MD MPH FACR FACP (2020–2024) — Member at Large
- Former: Katherine Butts-Pruett (2021–2024) — Senior Director & Philanthropy
- Former: Kristine A Kuhn MD PhD (2021–2024) — Acr Research Representative
- Former: Leo Wegemer JD LLM (2021–2024) — Member at Large
- Former: Shelley Malcolm (2021–2024) — Senior Director & Impact
- Former: Ted Mikuls MD (2021–2024) — Member at Large
- Former: Carol Langford MD MHS (2022–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Bernie Rubin DO MPH (2023–2024) — Corporate Rountable Representative
- Former: Bethany Marston MD (2023–2024) — Acr Training Representative
- Former: Carrie Hansen (2023–2024) — Member at Large
- Former: Elain Husni MD (2023–2024) — Member at Large
- Former: Marian Hannan DSc MPH (2023–2024) — Arp Representative
- Former: Ann Bass MD (2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Marta Bean MD (2024) — Fellow-In-Training
- Former: William Harvey MD (2024) — Secretary
- Former: Rhonda Armstrong (2019–2023) — Senior Director & Finance
- Former: Paula Isley (2021–2023) — Reg Phil Officer & West
- Former: Corinne Karp (2023) — Member at Large
- Former: Elizabeth McKelvey (2019–2022) — Member at Large - -
- Former: Mary Wheatly (2019–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Kevin Deane MD (2020–2022) — Member at Large - -
- Former: Mara Becker Md Msce (2020–2022) — Member at Large - -
- Former: Alvin Wells MD PhD (2021–2022) — Member at Large - -
- Former: Deborah Dyett Desir MD (2021–2022) — Acr & Foundation Secretary
- Former: Katherine Adams (2022) — National Director of Corporate Relations
- Former: Beth Jonas MD (2019–2021) — Acr Training Representative
- Former: Beverly Guin (2019–2021) — Member at Large - -
- Former: S. Louis Bridges Jr. MD PhD (2019–2021) — Foundation President
- Former: Douglas White MD PhD (2020–2021) — Treasurer -
- Former: Lisa Stueckemann (2021) — Vice President Development
- Former: Anne-Marie Malfait MD PhD (2019–2020) — Acr Research Representative - -
- Former: Erin Arnold MD (2019–2020) — Member at Large - -
- Former: Faith McGown (2019–2020) — Senior Development Officer & Central Region
- Former: Jon Giles MD MPH (2019–2020) — Member at Large - -
- Former: Kenneth Saag Md Msc (2019–2020) — Acr & Foundation Secretary
- Former: Charles Goldsmith (2020) — Senior Director - Development
- Former: Abby Abelson MD (2019) — Foundation President
- Former: Charles King II MD (2019) — Treasurer -
- Former: Charlie Goldsmith (2019) — Senior Director - Development
- Former: Daniel White Pt Scd Msc (2019) — Arp Representative - -
- Former: David R. Karp (2019) — Treasurer -
- Former: Norman Gaylis MD (2019) — Member at Large - -
- Former: Stuart Kassan MD (2019) — Chair & Development Advisory Council - -
- Former: Teresa Tarrant MD (2019) — Member at Large - -
- Former: William Reiss Pharmd (2019) — Corporate Roundatable Representative - -
- Former: William Rigby MD (2019) — Member at Large - -
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 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $47K, to Liana Fraenkel MD (Foundation Vice President).
Frequently asked questions about Rheumatology Research Foundation
How much does Rheumatology Research Foundation give each year?
Rheumatology Research Foundation gave $11.6M across 170 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $12.1M across 162 grants.
What is Rheumatology Research Foundation's typical grant size?
Rheumatology Research Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $67,943, across 170 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Rheumatology Research Foundation that year got $33K on average.
Where does Rheumatology Research Foundation give grants?
Rheumatology Research Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 17% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (8%) and Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (22 grants), Atlanta, GA (8 grants), New York, NY (7 grants) and Pittsburgh, PA (7 grants).
Does Rheumatology Research Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 170 grants with a stated purpose on Rheumatology Research Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Fellowship Training Award for Workforce Expansion" (35 grants), "Medical and Graduate Student Preceptorship" (22 grants) and "Scientist Development Award - Clinical" (10 grants).
Who are Rheumatology Research Foundation's largest grantees?
Rheumatology Research Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Children's Hospital Corporation ($675,000 across 5 grants), Regents of the University of Michigan ($581,000 across 5 grants) and The Johns Hopkins University ($544,761 across 5 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 4 grants to individuals ($150,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Rheumatology Research Foundation?
Rheumatology Research Foundation reported $76.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $19.8M.
What does Rheumatology Research Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to advance research and training to improve the health of people with rheumatic diseases. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Rheumatology Research Foundation?
Submit an online application through the individual award’s application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Rheumatology Research Foundation's EIN?
Rheumatology Research Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-1654301. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 6, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rheumatology Research Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Rheumatology Research Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/rheumatology-research-foundation-morg_a2e1fbd30b9a41e8b6b0d3557393abef
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_581654301_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Rheumatology Research Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/rheumatology-research-foundation-morg_a2e1fbd30b9a41e8b6b0d3557393abef},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Rheumatology Research Foundation'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.
Rheumatology Research Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?