The Agouron Institute
The Agouron Institute is a private foundation based in Pasadena, California, that makes grants in selected areas of biology and chemistry to research institutions and universities. The Institute’s history page says it was formed in 1978 to investigate new research frontiers and technologies in those fields.
Key facts about The Agouron Institute
In short: The Agouron Institute gave $1.8M across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $73K), mostly in California. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 95-3248387
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,815,590
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- Average grant
- $72,624
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (6 of 25, 2025)
- Total assets
- $10,787,084
- Primary geography
- California (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The Institute does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 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-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.8M
-6.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.8M
-73.2% YoY
Grant Count
25
+13.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$73K
-76.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Agouron Institute reported a distributable amount of $717K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Agouron Institute open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 25 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $93K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $18K repeat.
- 40% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 340% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Institute’s stated goal is to advance scientific understanding in the areas it funds. Its website describes research meetings as a way to investigate specific areas of biology and chemistry that it may consider funding. It also reviews technology and resource needs in fields of interest and publishes reports with funding recommendations.
The Institute’s 2025 grants were all described as supporting “scientific research & education.” Recipients included universities and research organizations. For example, Gordon Research Conferences says it provides an international forum for discussing frontier research; North Carolina State University says it supports university colleges, libraries, and other university-connected functions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Institute reported 25 grants totaling $1,815,590. Grant amounts ranged from $2,000 to $441,222, with a median of $10,000. Its largest awards were $441,222 to Pennsylvania State University, $430,000 to the California Institute of Technology, and $370,590 to Stanford University. Other notable awards included $106,725 to Johns Hopkins University, $100,000 to Universidad de Concepcion, and $96,857 to the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, reported grant dollars went primarily to recipients in California (53%), Pennsylvania (24%), and Maryland (10%); 8% was listed as “?” and 2% went to Rhode Island. Named 2025 recipients also included Universidad de Concepcion, McGill University, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $599K (2021) to $6.8M (2024). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $1.8M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Pennsylvania State University ($441K). Together the top 10 received $1.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
104 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 104 (61%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA | Scientific Research & Education | $441,222 |
| California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | Scientific Research & Education | $430,000 |
| Stanford University Menio Park, CA | Scientific Research & Education | $370,590 |
| John Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Scientific Research & Education | $106,725 |
| Universidad De Concepcion | Scientific Research & Education | $100,000 |
| University of CA Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | Scientific Research & Education | $96,857 |
| Life Sciences Research Foundation Baltimore, MD | Scientific Research & Education | $70,000 |
| Gordon Research Conferences West Kensington, RI | Scientific Research & Education | $35,000 |
| Regents of the University of CA San Diego La Jolla, CA | Scientific Research & Education | $30,000 |
| McGill University | Scientific Research & Education | $17,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,787,084 | $1,853,788 | $2,575,826 | $1,815,590 |
| 2024 | $11,509,122 | $3,384,641 | $7,895,285 | $6,785,471 |
| 2023 | $16,019,766 | $965,251 | $2,781,959 | $1,546,141 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,787,084 | $11,509,122 | $16,019,766 |
| Revenue | $1,853,788 | $3,384,641 | $965,251 |
| Expenses | $2,575,826 | $7,895,285 | $2,781,959 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,439,719 | $7,696,054 | $2,616,994 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,718,412 | $3,186,142 | $800,591 |
| Distributable Amount | $717,078 | $955,573 | $1,025,912 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing were Dr. Melvin Simon, chairman; Edward Stolper, Dr. Theodore Friedmann, Dr. Gordon Gill, Dr. David Hirsch, Dr. Deborah Spector, Peter Johnson, and Dr. John Grotzinger, directors; Dr. John Abelson, president; and Gary Friedman, executive vice president and secretary.
The Agouron Institute is led by John Abelson, President on every filing since 2019; 3 of 10 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Abelson
President
On filings since 2019
30 hrs/week
$115K (2019) → $58K (2025)
Melvin Simon
Chairman
On filings since 2019
30 hrs/week
$115K (2019) → $58K (2025)
David Hirsch
Director
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$15K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Deborah Spector
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$8K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Edward Stolper
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$8K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Gordon Gill
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$8K (2019) → $0 (2025)
John Grotzinger
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$8K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Peter Johnson
Director
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$15K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Theodore Friedmann
Director
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$8K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Gary Friedman
Executive Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$46K (2019) → $33K (2025)
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 $58K, to Dr Melvin Simon (Chairman). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 630 N Rosemead Blvd Suite 110, Pasadena, CA 91107
Phone: (626) 577-0500
Website: https://www.agi.org
Frequently asked questions about The Agouron Institute
How much does The Agouron Institute give each year?
The Agouron Institute gave $1.8M across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $6.8M across 22 grants.
What is The Agouron Institute's typical grant size?
The Agouron Institute's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $72,624, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Agouron Institute that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Agouron Institute give grants?
The Agouron Institute gives mostly in California: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (24%) and Maryland (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Baltimore, MD (2 grants).
Does The Agouron Institute give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on The Agouron Institute's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scientific Research & Education" (24 grants).
Who are The Agouron Institute's largest grantees?
The Agouron Institute's largest 2025 grantees include Pennsylvania State University ($441,222), California Institute of Technology ($430,000) and Stanford University ($370,590), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 68% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Agouron Institute?
The Agouron Institute reported $10.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $717K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Agouron Institute fund?
The Institute’s stated goal is to advance scientific understanding in the areas it funds. Its website describes research meetings as a way to investigate specific areas of biology and chemistry that it may consider funding. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Agouron Institute?
The Institute does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Agouron Institute's EIN?
The Agouron Institute's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3248387. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Agouron Institute accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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