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 and reflects the aspirations of all people, with grantmaking focused on connections between neuroscience and societal challenges and opportunities.
The Charles a Dana Foundation at a glance
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.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,817,064
- +241.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 103
- +4.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $85,603
- +228.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $279,373,672
- +8.0% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (34% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Charles a Dana Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Apply to a specific program using its application information; the filing describes a letter fully explaining the request and proposed funding. Applicants must meet the stated organizational eligibility requirements.
- Review Cycle
- None listed in the filing.
- Deadline
- None listed in the 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
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Charles a Dana Foundation funds
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%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation is based in New York, New York. Its 2024 grants went to recipients across multiple states; the largest shares of grant dollars went to California (34%), Massachusetts (14%), Illinois (10%), Washington, DC (7%), and Minnesota (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 103 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Charles a Dana Foundation gives
- 36% 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.
Giving History
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.
Grants by year
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 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $279,373,672 | $3,373,160 | $15,548,016 | $8,817,064 | 103 | $15,128,535 | $25,794,730 | $13,620,202 |
| 2023 | $258,637,512 | $5,267,708 | $16,278,255 | $2,579,911 | 99 | $8,372,304 | $21,570,805 | $12,114,218 |
| 2022 | $235,447,051 | $4,655,579 | $11,491,726 | $5,843,442 | 177 | $11,319,680 | — | $12,425,375 |
| 2021 | $279,707,393 | $25,422,501 | $10,060,469 | $4,456,602 | 1 | $9,404,412 | $26,227,092 | $12,513,400 |
| 2020 | $248,257,333 | $20,769,847 | $9,560,561 | $5,263,796 | 157 | — | $18,340,473 | $11,173,115 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to advance neuroscience that benefits society and reflects the aspirations of all people. Its stated programs are Dana Frontiers, which increases collaborative engagement with diverse publics; Dana NextGen, which prepares scholars to apply neuroscience knowledge responsibly for society’s benefit; and Dana Education, which sparks interest in neuroscience and its connections to everyday life.
The Foundation describes neuroscience and society as interdisciplinary work connecting neuroscience with fields such as ethics, law, humanities, medicine, arts, social sciences, policy, education, journalism, and public engagement. Its website says it supports collaborative projects that connect neuroscience to societal problems. The Foundation also says it supports qualified civic and cultural organizations and maintains an employee matching charitable-gifts program.
Examples of 2024 grantees illustrate the range of supported organizations. Loyola University of Chicago describes itself as a Jesuit, Catholic university seeking to expand knowledge in service of humanity. The American Brain Foundation says it invests in innovative science, early-career investigators, and cross-disease discoveries. The Chicago Council on Science & Technology describes its mission as engaging society about science and technology and their contributions. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the Foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation made 103 grants totaling $8,817,064. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $2 million, with a median grant of $10,000. The Foundation says the majority of its grants are up to $150,000 for project periods of 12–18 months.
The largest listed 2024 awards included $2 million to the University of California, Los Angeles; $1 million to Massachusetts General Hospital; $750,000 to Loyola University of Chicago; $354,406 to Brown University; and $353,500 to the University of California, Berkeley. Each was listed for “Neuroscience & Society.” Other listed awards included $283,000 to the American Brain Foundation, $235,000 to Social Good Fund, $219,270 to the University of Washington, and $186,000 to Johns Hopkins University.
Applications are made to a particular program, and the Foundation directs applicants to review program descriptions and application information. Its filing states that a request should be submitted in a letter fully describing the proposed request and proposed funding. Eligible applicants must be tax-exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3), provide an EIN and supporting financial or tax documentation, and be qualified organizations. The Foundation does not fund individuals, political campaigns or political activity, lobbying, or generally for-profit institutions. Its website also says it generally does not fund indirect costs, one-off events, ongoing programs, or general operating support unless otherwise specified. It excludes purely empirical or conceptual biomedical or behavioral research without a substantive, active emphasis on complex societal problems.
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; Charles A. Dana III as director and vice chairman; and Wallace Cook as director and secretary. Other directors listed are 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.
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?
Apply to a specific program using its application information; the filing describes a letter fully explaining the request and 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 October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 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 Charles a Dana Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-charles-a-dana-foundation-morg_167f43d4f32c4018858794153f1497c3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_066036761_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Charles a Dana Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-charles-a-dana-foundation-morg_167f43d4f32c4018858794153f1497c3},
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 Charles a Dana 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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