The Ambrose Monell Foundation
The Ambrose Monell Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2024 grants supported organizations including a chemical-senses research center, universities, hospitals, a natural history museum, and other scientific and medical institutions.
The Ambrose Monell Foundation at a glance
In short: The Ambrose Monell Foundation gave $19.9M across 102 grants in 2024 (avg $195K), top state Pennsylvania. 4% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $19,938,333
- +4.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 102
- -10.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $195,474
- +17.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $94,396,151
- +1.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (4 of 102, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ambrose Monell Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation lists Maurizio J. Morello as the contact for applications and specifies a simple letter. It states that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations and that there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Maurizio J Morello
Mailing address: One Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020
Phone: (212) 586-0700
Website: https://monell.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ambrose Monell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Monell Chemical Senses Center ($9.3M). Together the top 10 received $13.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
608 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 234 grants of 608 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Pennsylvania received 48% of grant dollars and New York received 25%. Massachusetts and Connecticut each received 5%, and Florida received 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 102 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Ambrose Monell Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 102 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $75K; repeat grants $200K. How we count
Medians: $75K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 96% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 37% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 83% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $14.5M (2021) to $19.9M (2024). In 2024 it made 102 grants totaling $19.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Monell Chemical Senses Center Philadelphia, PA | $1,000,000 for general purposes; $2,000,000 remainder of $5,500,000 grant installment referred to in letter dated november 13, 2024; $5,500,000 2025 grant installment, $750,000 2026 grant installment, and $50,0000 grant to the morley kare fund referred to in letter dated december 10, 2024 | $9,300,000 |
| Rockefeller University New York, NY | $500,000 for general purposes and $100,000 for application to dr. Jarvis' earth biogenome initiative | $600,000 |
| American Museum of Natural History New York, NY | $300,000 for general purposes and $200,000 for the institute for comparative genomics | $500,000 |
| Dana Farber Cancer Center Boston, MA | Second and final installment for application to the presidential initiatives fund | $500,000 |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY | First installment of $1,000,000 grant for application to the advanced light microscopy innovation laboratory referred to in letter dated december 10, 2024 | $500,000 |
| Yale University School of Public Health New Haven, CT | $75,000 to be applied to research on "new strategies for african trypanosomiasis control; $350,000 for application to the department of epidemiology and microbial diseases | $425,000 |
| Hospital for Special Surgery New York, NY | First installment of $700,000 grant referred to in letter dated december 10, 2024 | $350,000 |
| Institute for Advanced Study Princeton, NJ | General Purposes | $350,000 |
| Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center Winston-Salem, NC | Second installment of $1,000,000 grant for application to its geroscience healthspan initiative | $333,333 |
| Carnegie Institution for Science Washington, DC | General Purposes | $300,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ambrose Monell Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
EIN: 13-1982683.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $94,396,151 | $23,634,221 | $22,566,193 | $19,938,333 | 102 | $20,201,514 | $21,650,054 | $24,282,457 |
| 2023 | $93,328,074 | $21,245,708 | $21,058,814 | $19,048,333 | 114 | $19,372,049 | $19,778,943 | $20,217,856 |
| 2022 | $93,141,180 | $20,288,940 | $21,171,350 | $18,905,000 | 109 | $19,236,171 | $18,736,601 | $19,690,377 |
| 2021 | $94,023,590 | $24,215,987 | $16,660,659 | $14,545,000 | 140 | $14,859,870 | $22,659,759 | $19,126,235 |
| 2020 | $86,468,262 | $19,042,927 | $16,979,564 | $15,165,000 | 143 | — | $17,780,263 | $15,081,381 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ambrose Monell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $24.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided in the available information. Its grants show support for scientific research, health and medicine, and educational and cultural institutions. For example, the Monell Chemical Senses Center describes its mission as advancing knowledge of taste, smell, and chemosensory irritation. The American Museum of Natural History says its mission is to discover, interpret, and disseminate knowledge about human cultures, the natural world, and the universe through research and education.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 102 grants totaling $19,938,333. Grant amounts ranged from $25,000 to $9,300,000, with a median of $50,000. Its largest reported grant was $9,300,000 to the Monell Chemical Senses Center, including support for general purposes and specified grant installments. Other notable grants included $600,000 to Rockefeller University; $500,000 each to the American Museum of Natural History, Dana Farber Cancer Center, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and $425,000 to Yale University School of Public Health.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ambrose K. Monell as president and treasurer; Maurizio J. Morello as executive vice president and assistant treasurer; and Dr. Gary K. Beauchamp and Maia Monell as directors.
The Ambrose Monell Foundation is led by Ambrose K. Monell, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ambrose K. Monell
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary K. Beauchamp
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maia Monell
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maurizio J. Morello
Executive Vice President & Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$330K (2020) → $309K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $309K, to Maurizio J Morello (Executive VP & Assist. Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about The Ambrose Monell Foundation
How much does The Ambrose Monell Foundation give each year?
The Ambrose Monell Foundation gave $19.9M across 102 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $19.0M across 114 grants.
What is The Ambrose Monell Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ambrose Monell Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $195,474, across 102 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ambrose Monell Foundation that year got $75K on average.
Where does The Ambrose Monell Foundation give grants?
The Ambrose Monell Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (25%) and Massachusetts (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (42 grants), Washington, DC (6 grants), Brooklyn, NY (5 grants) and San Francisco, CA (4 grants).
Does The Ambrose Monell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 69% of The Ambrose Monell Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (70 of 102) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ambrose Monell Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ambrose Monell Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Monell Chemical Senses Center ($9,300,000), Rockefeller University ($600,000) and American Museum of Natural History ($500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ambrose Monell Foundation?
The Ambrose Monell Foundation reported $94.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $20.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $24.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Ambrose Monell Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided in the available information. Its grants show support for scientific research, health and medicine, and educational and cultural institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ambrose Monell Foundation?
The foundation lists Maurizio J. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ambrose Monell Foundation's EIN?
The Ambrose Monell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1982683. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ambrose Monell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ambrose-monell-foundation-morg_ab30f784a8f84dc9a192df60141e3e7c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_131982683_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ambrose Monell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ambrose-monell-foundation-morg_ab30f784a8f84dc9a192df60141e3e7c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 The Ambrose Monell 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.
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