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.
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.
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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
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 | — | — | — |
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 include Northwestern University ($110,310), Carnegie Mellon University ($100,000), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Albert Einstein College of Medicine New York, NY | Unravelling the mechanisms of synapse development, from molecules to behavior. Principal Investigator: Dr. Peri Kurshan | $75,000 |
| 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 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Skin-brain axis for rewarding touch behaviors. Principal Investigator: Dr. Ishmail Abdus-Saboor | $75,000 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Neural Mechanisms of Courtship and Monogamy. Principal Investigator: Dr. Vikram Gadagkar | $75,000 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Cortical circuits for perceiving visual form. Principal Investigator: Dr. Yasmine El-Shamayleh | $75,000 |
| Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Molecular Mechanisms of Intergenerational Memory. Principal Investigator: Bianca Jones Marlin, Ph.D. | $75,000 |
| 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 |
| Harvard Medical School Boston, MA | Multiscale Neural Network Models to Infer Functional Motifs in the Brain. Principal Investigator: Kanaka Rajan, Ph.D. | $75,000 |
| 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 |
| MASS GENERAL BRIGHAM INCORPORATED Boston, MA | Development, Function, and Dysfunction of Somatosensory and Viscerosensory Systems in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Principal Investigator: Lauren Orefice, Ph.D. | $75,000 |
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)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
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?
• **Grant Range:** $16,500 to $100,000 • **Median Grant Amount:** $75,000 • **Average Grant Amount:** Varies by program • **Annual Giving:** Approximately $3.2 million to $3.8 million The fund made 88 grants in its most recent reporting period. Recent grants include: • St Jude Children's Research Hospital: $100,000 for "Identifying Brain Circuits That Connect Respiration and Cognitive State" (Principal Investigator: Lindsey Schwarz) • University of Alabama at Birmingham: $100,000 for "Leveragin…
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Mcknight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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