The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation
The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Torrance, California. Established in 2006, the foundation supports science-based research striving for the advancement of a healthy and sustainable future for humans. The foundation is classified as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since June 2016.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$104.2M
+13.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.5M
+30.1% YoY
Grant Count
44
+7.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$261K
+21.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Curci Foundation's mission is to support science-based research striving for the advancement of a healthy and sustainable future for humans. The foundation focuses on funding basic research addressing fundamental scientific questions in the following areas:
- Neuroscience/brain science
- Regenerative medicine
- Cell biology (including stem cells)
- Cancer
- Nanotechnology/nanoscience
The foundation prioritizes basic research that historically is not funded by governments or other foundations, with a particular emphasis on neuroscience and brain research.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes substantial annual grants to support scientific research. Recent grant activity includes:
Invitation Only
**: The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Grants appear to be awarded through direct invitation or established relationships with research institutions.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds research at competitive research universities in the United States, with particular activity in California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. Notable grantees include major research institutions such as UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University, and Children's Hospital and Research Center.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $104.2 million to $112.9 million
- Total Revenues: $6.99 million
- Total Expenses: $12.6 to $12.7 million
- Total Giving: $12.0 to $12.6 million
- Total Liabilities: $8.98 million
The foundation distributes substantial charitable funds annually, with recent charitable disbursements representing approximately 95% of total expenses.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $104,172,964 | $91,503,438 | $98,706,117 |
| Revenue | $6,985,588 | $5,858,315 | $26,767,410 |
| Expenses | $12,652,006 | $9,751,529 | $5,745,565 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $12,184,917 | $8,997,044 | $5,050,720 |
| Net Investment Income | $956,948 | $581,103 | $19,599,565 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,599,805 | $4,392,487 | $4,685,960 |
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
145 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of Utah ($944,116), University of Colorado ($944,116), University of Washington ($916,618).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UC BERKELEY FOUNDATION BERKELEY, CA | SUPPORT FOR THE INNOVATIVE GENOMICS INITIATIVE SCHOLARS PROGRAM FOR LIFE SCIENCE RESEARCH | $25,000 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | SUPPORT RESEARCH ON GENETICALLY TARGETED BIOELECTONICS TO MAP BRAIN-BODY PATHWAYS | $250,000 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA BERKELEY, CA | SUPPORT RESEARCH ON DOPAMINERGIC MODULATION OF SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY FOR DYNAMIC SPATIAL LEARNING | $250,000 |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PASADENA, CA | SUPPORT RESERCH ON DARK PROTEOME-MEDIATED TRANSCRIPTIONAL CONTROL AT SINGLE-MOLECULE RESOLUTION | $250,000 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA BERKELEY, CA | SUPPORT RESEARCH ON INVESTIGATING CONTROL MECHANISMS THAT PROTECT NEURONS FROM TOO MUCH PRESSURE. | $243,115 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | SUPPORT RESEARCH ON MASSIVELY PARALLEL PROFILING OF THE SYNAPTOME AND CELL IDENTITY | $121,000 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA BERKELEY, CA | RESEARCH ON DEFINING CELLULAR BARRIERS TO CROSS-SPECIES VIRUS INFECTIONS | $250,000 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | SUPPORT RESEARCH ON AREAL SPECIFICATION OF THE HUMAN PREFRONTAL CORTEZ | $250,000 |
| LIFE SCIENCE RESEARCH FOUNDATION BALTIMORE, MD | THREE POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS | $220,000 |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA | SUPPORT RESEARCH ON A MICRORNA CLUSTER UNIQUE TO PLACENTAL MAMMALS CONTROLS DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLINICALLY IMPORTANT CORTOSOSPINAL PROJECTION | $250,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Kay Curci — Director and Co-Founder
- Ronald V. Rosequist — President/Director
- E. Davisson Hardman — Treasurer/Director
- James G. Mitchell — Director
- Robert Tjian — Director
- Amy E. Fuermann — Secretary
Key Staff:
- Naoko Tanese — Science Officer
- Hakan Kupesiz — Investment Officer
Founder Information: Shurl Curci (1930–2013) was a graduate of the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. He was founder and chairman of Transpacific Development Company (TDC), through which he developed major office and industrial properties totaling more than 10,000,000 square feet of space in California, Arizona, and Hawaii. Kay Curci, his wife of more than 60 years, continues to be actively involved in the foundation as a member of the Board of Directors.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RONALD V ROSEQUIST | Pres / Director | 16 | $100,000 |
| E DAVISSON HARDMAN | Treas/Director | 8 | — |
| KAY CURCI | Director | — | — |
| JAMES G MITCHELL | Director | 7 | — |
| AMY E FUERMANN | Secretary | 25 | $35,000 |
| ROBERT TJIAN | Director | 1 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported research across multiple institutions and disciplines, including funding for COVID-19 research and ongoing support for basic scientific research at world-class universities in the United States. The foundation maintains active grantmaking relationships with major research institutions and continues to fund emerging biomedical research initiatives.
Preclinical Research: Focused Ultrasound to Noninvasively Clear ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation fund?
The Curci Foundation's mission is to support science-based research striving for the advancement of a healthy and sustainable future for humans. The foundation focuses on funding basic research addressing fundamental scientific questions in the following areas: • Neuroscience/brain science • Regenerative medicine • Cell biology (including stem cells) • Cancer • Nanotechnology/nanoscience The foundation prioritizes basic research that historically is not funded by governments or other foundation…
How do I apply for a grant from The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation?
The foundation makes substantial annual grants to support scientific research. Recent grant activity includes: • **University of Utah**: $944,116 for Ph.D. Scholars Program (2024) • **University of San Francisco**: $874,182 for Ph.D. Scholars Program (2024) • **Georgia Tech Research Corporation**: $250,000 for research on deorphanization of pleiotropic drug resistance transporters (2024) The foundation has created a scholarship program to increase the number of women and international students …
Where does The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds research at competitive research universities in the United States, with particular activity in California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. Notable grantees include major research institutions such as UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon University, and Children's Hospital and Research Center.
What size grants does The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation award?
In 2024, The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation awarded 44 grants totaling $11.5M — an average of about $261K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation's EIN?
The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-2554499. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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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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