The Charles a Dana Foundation
The Charles A Dana Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. It advances neuroscience that benefits society through grantmaking and field building, with work focused on connections between neuroscience and societal challenges and opportunities.
Key facts about The Charles a Dana Foundation
In short: The Charles a Dana Foundation gave $8.8M across 103 grants in 2024 (avg $86K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 06-6036761
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,817,064
- Grants made (2024)
- 103
- Average grant
- $85,603
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $279,373,672
- Primary geography
- California (34% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Foundation’s filing describes a process of submitting a letter fully describing the proposed request, including proposed funding. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None stated on the filing.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$279.4M
+8.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.8M
+241.8% YoY
Grant Count
103
+4.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$86K
+228.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Charles a Dana Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Charles a Dana Foundation gives
- 35% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 98% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 111% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 Foundation’s mission is to advance neuroscience that benefits society and reflects the aspirations of all people. Its programs include Dana Frontiers, which supports engagement with diverse publics; Dana NextGen, which prepares scholars to apply neuroscience knowledge responsibly; and Dana Education, which fosters interest in neuroscience and its connections to everyday life.
The Foundation supports qualified organizations. For example, Loyola University of Chicago describes itself as a Jesuit, Catholic university working to expand knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice, and faith. The American Brain Foundation describes its mission as accelerating breakthrough research on brain disease and optimizing brain health for all.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 103 grants totaling $8,817,064. Grants ranged from $100 to $2 million, with a median of $10,000. The Foundation states that most grants are up to $150,000 for projects lasting 12–18 months; grant applications are made to a particular program, whose program page provides its goals, recent grants, and application information.
Review Cycle
None stated on the filing.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation is based in New York, New York. Its 2024 grants went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were California (34%), Massachusetts (14%), Illinois (10%), Washington, D.C. (7%), and Minnesota (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 103 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.6M (2023) to $8.8M (2024). In 2024 it made 103 grants totaling $8.8M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of California Los Angeles ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $5.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
537 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 451 grants of 537 (84%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Neuroscience & Society | $2,000,000 |
| Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Boston, MA | Neuroscience & Society | $1,000,000 |
| Loyola University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Neuroscience & Society | $750,000 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | Neuroscience & Society | $354,406 |
| University of California Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Neuroscience & Society | $353,500 |
| American Brain Foundation Minneapolis, MN | Neuroscience & Society | $283,000 |
| University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN | Neuroscience & Society | $262,998 |
| Social Good Fund Richmond, CA | Neuroscience & Society | $235,000 |
| University of Washington Seattle, WA | Neuroscience & Society | $219,270 |
| Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Neuroscience & Society | $186,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $279,373,672 | $3,373,160 | $15,548,016 | $8,817,064 | 103 |
| 2023 | $258,637,512 | $5,267,708 | $16,278,255 | $2,579,911 | 99 |
| 2022 | $235,447,051 | $4,655,579 | $11,491,726 | $5,843,442 | 177 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $279,373,672 | $258,637,512 | $235,447,051 |
| Revenue | $3,373,160 | $5,267,708 | $4,655,579 |
| Expenses | $15,548,016 | $16,278,255 | $11,491,726 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $15,128,535 | $8,372,304 | $11,319,680 |
| Net Investment Income | $25,794,730 | $21,570,805 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $13,620,202 | $12,114,218 | $12,425,375 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Caroline Montojo as director and president; Steven E. Hyman as director and chairman; and Charles A. Dana III as director and vice chairman. Other listed directors are Wallace Cook, Hildegarde Mahoney, Peter Nadosy, Husseini K. Manji, and Paula A. Kerger. Geraldine Amera is listed as chief operating officer and treasurer, and Khara Ramos as vice president of Neuroscience & Society.
The Charles a Dana Foundation is led by Caroline Montojo, Director & President since 2022 (on filings since 2021); all 10 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Caroline Montojo
Director & President
President → Director & President, 2022
On filings since 2021
35 hrs/week
$394K (2021) → $525K (2024)
Steven E. Hyman
Director & Chairman
Chairman → Director & Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $6K (2024)
Charles A. Dana III
Director & Vice Chairman
Director → Director & Vice Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $6K (2024)
Hildegarde Mahoney
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $6K (2024)
Peter Nadosy
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $6K (2024)
Wallace Cook
Director & Secretary
Secretary Director → Director & Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $6K (2024)
Husseini K. Manji
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$3K (2023) → $6K (2024)
Paula A. Kerger
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$3K (2023) → $6K (2024)
Geraldine Amera
Chief Operating Officer & Treasurer
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$214K (2022) → $306K (2024)
Khara Ramos
Vice President of Neuroscience & Society
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$224K (2022) → $290K (2024)
Former officers (5)
- Former: Edward Bleier (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Ann McLaughlin Korologus (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Barbara E. Gill (2020–2022) — Director Emeritus
- Former: Burton M Mirsky (2020–2022) — President Emeritus
- Former: Herbert J Siegel (2020–2021) — Director Retired
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 $525K, to Caroline Montojo (Director, President). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Celina Sooksatan
Mailing address: 1270 Avenue Of The Americas 12Th, Floor, New York, NY 10020-1725
Phone: (212) 223-4040
Email: csooksatan@dana.org
Website: https://dana.org
Frequently asked questions about The Charles a Dana Foundation
How much does The Charles a Dana Foundation give each year?
The Charles a Dana Foundation gave $8.8M across 103 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.6M across 99 grants.
What is The Charles a Dana Foundation's typical grant size?
The Charles a Dana Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $85,603, across 103 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Charles a Dana Foundation give grants?
The Charles a Dana Foundation's top state is California, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (14%) and Illinois (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (23 grants), Washington, DC (10 grants), Boston, MA (7 grants) and Palm Beach, FL (4 grants).
Does The Charles a Dana Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 61% of The Charles a Dana Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (63 of 103) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Neuroscience & Society" (38 grants).
Who are The Charles a Dana Foundation's largest grantees?
The Charles a Dana Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of California Los Angeles ($2,000,000), Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) ($1,000,000) and Loyola University of Chicago ($750,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Charles a Dana Foundation?
The Charles a Dana Foundation reported $279.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $15.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $13.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Charles a Dana Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to advance neuroscience that benefits society and reflects the aspirations of all people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Charles a Dana Foundation?
The Foundation’s filing describes a process of submitting a letter fully describing the proposed request, including proposed funding. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Charles a Dana Foundation's EIN?
The Charles a Dana Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-6036761. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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