The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience
The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience is a private foundation based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, established in 1987. The organization is an independent charitable entity created by The McKnight Foundation to advance neuroscience research across the United States. The fund was established to fulfill the wishes of William L. McKnight (1887-1979), founder and longtime leader of the 3M company, who held a personal interest in memory and its diseases.
Key facts about The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience
- EIN
- 41-1563321
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,359,310
- Grants made (2024)
- 45
- Average grant
- $74,651
- Median grant
- $75,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 41% first-time grantees (12 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (28% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The fund accepts applications for its various grant programs. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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.
Who The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience's 45 itemized 2024 grants were California (28%), New York (17%) and Massachusetts (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (8 grants), Berkeley, CA (4 grants), Boston, MA (3 grants) and La Jolla, CA (3 grants). None of its 45 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support.
Is The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience open to new grantees?
41%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 29 grantees (41%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $110K; repeat grants $120K. How we count
Medians: $88K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 52% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience
- How to evaluate The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$3.4M
+4.7% YoY
Grant Count
45
+7.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$75K
-2.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund awards grants for neuroscience research, with particular emphasis on memory and a clearer understanding of diseases affecting memory and its biological substrates. The organization is dedicated to bringing hope to those suffering from brain injury, disease, and cognitive impairment through support of scientific research.
Primary focus areas include:
- Neuroscience research
- Memory and memory disorders
- Brain disease and injury
- Cognitive impairment research
Grantmaking
The fund made 88 grants in its most recent reporting period. Recent grants include:
Grant Range
** $16,500 to $100,000
Average Grant
Amount:** Varies by program
How to Apply
The fund accepts applications for its various grant programs. Detailed application information is available through the organization's website.
Ready to take the next step with The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund supports neuroscience research across the United States, with funding distributed to major research hubs including:
- Boston
- San Francisco
- New York
- And numerous other cities and states throughout the country
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 45 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Fiscal Year (2023):
- Total Assets: $25,588
- Total Revenue: $3,800,550
- Total Expenses: $3,799,393
- Total Giving: $3,799,393
- Number of Employees: 0
The organization maintains a balanced budget with revenues closely matching expenses, indicating efficient financial management and a commitment to directing resources toward grant-making activities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
195 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Regents of the University of California ($500,000 across 6 grants), Columbia University in the City of New York ($300,000 across 4 grants), Mass General Brigham Incorporated ($175,000 across 2 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University Chicago, IL | Funds Transferred from Van Andel. Regulation mechanism of thermosensitive receptors in nervous system. Principal Investigator: Juan Du, Ph.D. | $110,310 |
| Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Investigating Circuits and Mechanisms that Support Long-Lasting Recovery of Movement in Dopamine Depleted Mice. Principal Investigator: Aryn Gittis, Ph.D. | $100,000 |
| Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle, WA | Adipocyte-brain mitochondrial signaling and its impacts on brain function. Principal Investigator: Akhila Rajan,Ph.D. | $100,000 |
| Mass General Brigham Incorporated Boston, MA | The Neurobiology of Glioma: Understanding Malignant Neural Circuits Instructing Tumor Growth. Principal Investigator: Humsa Venkatesh,Ph.D. | $100,000 |
| Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago, IL | Dissecting the Gut-brain Dynamics Underlying Anorexia. Principal Investigator: Lisa Beutler | $100,000 |
| Regents of the University of California Berkeley, CA | Neurotensin mediated regulation of hedonic feeding behavior and obesity. Principal Investigator: Stephan Lammel Ph.D. | $100,000 |
| Regents of the University of California Los Angeles, CA | Characterizing the Context: The Role of the Microenvironment in Shaping Human Glioblastoma. Principal Investigators: Aparna Bhaduri, Ph.D. and Kunal Patel, M.D. | $100,000 |
| Regents of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | In vivo Reprogramming of Astrocytes into Neurons for Treating Parkinson's Disease. Principal Investigator: Thanh Hoang, Ph.D. | $100,000 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis, TN | Identifying Brain Circuits that Connect Respiration and Cognitive State. Principal Investigator: Lindsey Schwarz | $100,000 |
| Stanford University School of Medicine Palo Alto, CA | Neuron-to-OPC synapses in adaptive and maladaptive myelination. Principal Investigator: Juliet K. Knowles, MD, PhD | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key leadership includes:
- J. Anthony Movshon, PhD - President (1.3 hours/week, $11,000 compensation)
- Kelsey Martin, MD, PhD - Vice President (1.1 hours/week, $9,000 compensation)
- Stephanie Duffy - Secretary/Treasurer (Beginning June 2023, 0.2 hours/week)
- Catherine Dulac - Director (0.2 hours/week, $1,000 compensation)
- Dana Anderson - Director (0.2 hours/week)
- Leslie Vosshall - Director (0.2 hours/week, $1,000 compensation)
- Markus Meister - Director (0.4 hours/week, $2,000 compensation)
- Michael D. Ehlers, MD, PhD - Director (0.2 hours/week)
- Ming Guo, MD, PhD - Director (1.1 hours/week, $5,000 compensation)
- Kara Carlisle - Director (Through June 2023, 0.2 hours/week)
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The fund continues to actively award grants to support neuroscience research:
**2025 Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Awards** - Recently announced awards to support research on brain disorders
2025 Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Awards - McKnight Foundation**2025 McKnight Scholar Awards** - Continuing support for early-career neuroscience researchers
2025 McKnight Scholar Awards - McKnight Foundation**2025 McKnight Clinical Research Scholarships in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss** - Recent awards to Giovanna Pilonieta, PhD, DDS, and Deborah Rose, MD
2025 Neurobiology of Brain Disorders Awards - McKnight FoundationThe organization remains actively engaged in funding neuroscience research initiatives across the country, with ongoing grant programs and regular announcement of new award recipients.
The McKnight Brain Research Foundation Recently Awarded the 2025 McKnightFrequently Asked Questions
What does The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience fund?
The fund awards grants for neuroscience research, with particular emphasis on memory and a clearer understanding of diseases affecting memory and its biological substrates. The organization is dedicated to bringing hope to those suffering from brain injury, disease, and cognitive impairment through support of scientific research. Primary focus areas include: • Neuroscience research • Memory and memory disorders • Brain disease and injury • Cognitive impairment research
How do I apply for a grant from The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience?
The fund accepts applications for its various grant programs. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience make grants?
The fund supports neuroscience research across the United States, with funding distributed to major research hubs including: • Boston • San Francisco • New York • And numerous other cities and states throughout the country
What size grants does The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience award?
In 2024, The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience awarded 45 grants totaling $3.4M — an average of about $75K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience's EIN?
The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1563321. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.