The Swartz Foundation
The Swartz Foundation is a private foundation established in 1995 and based in Lloyd Harbor, New York. The foundation is classified as a 501(c)(3) exempt private foundation with EIN 11-6447242.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.7M
-24.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.0M
+13.3% YoY
Grant Count
15
+15.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$132K
-1.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Swartz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $209K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission of the Swartz Foundation is to explore the application of physics, mathematics, and computer engineering principles to neuroscience as a path to better understanding the brain-mind relationship. The foundation's strategic intent is to integrate problem-solving approaches from physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, and computer science into neuroscience research.
The foundation gives primarily to establish research centers devoted to advancing computational neuroscience. Targeted research projects range from experimental investigations of brain circuitry to computational modeling of large-scale neuronal networks to exploration of nonconscious mental processing—all utilizing physical and mathematical principles.
Grantmaking
The Swartz Foundation supports research at eleven centers for theoretical neuroscience located at: The Salk Institute, California Institute of Technology, New York University, University of California at San Francisco, Brandeis University, University of California at San Diego, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Columbia University, Princeton University, Yale University, and Harvard University.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds research institutions primarily located in California, Massachusetts, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of the most recent filing, the foundation reported total assets of $3,671,611 and total giving of $1,981,000.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,671,611 | $4,851,571 | $6,224,411 |
| Revenue | $436,834 | $82,521 | $1,229,155 |
| Expenses | $2,047,500 | $1,840,261 | $1,745,908 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,016,880 | $1,800,025 | $1,675,035 |
| Net Investment Income | $406,419 | $57,741 | $1,162,840 |
| Distributable Amount | $208,826 | $278,468 | $358,176 |
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
68 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Univ of Calif San Diego ($360,000), University of Notre Dame ($200,000), World Central Kitchen ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Univ of Calif San Diego La Jolla, CA | Fund Research | $360,000 |
| California Institute of Tech Pasadena, CA | Fund Research | $112,000 |
| Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Cold Spring Harbor, NY | Fund Research | $96,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Fund research | $74,000 |
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Fund Research | $115,000 |
| Brandeis University Waltham, MA | Fund Research | $135,000 |
| New York University New York, NY | Fund Research | $135,000 |
| Columbia Universtiy New York, NY | Fund Research | $110,000 |
| Princeton University Princeton, NJ | Fund Research | $124,000 |
| University of Washington Seattle, WA | Fund Research | $135,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Swartz Center for Theoretical Neuroscience at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory includes researchers Anthony Zador, Florin Albeanu, Anne Churchland, Adam Kepecs, Alex Koulakov, and Tatiana Engel.
Center Directors at various institutions have included Larry Abbott (Columbia University), Terrence Sejnowski (Salk Institute), and Haim Sompolinsky (Harvard University).
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| James P King | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Dr Jerome Swartz | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Joshua Swartz | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Shanah Swartz Gordon | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Nathan Blumberg | Trustee | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In March 2024, three Center Directors of the Swartz Foundation—Larry Abbott, Terrence Sejnowski, and Haim Sompolinsky—were awarded the Lundbeck Foundation Brain Prize for their pioneering contributions to computational and theoretical neuroscience.
Computational Neuroscience Research - The Swartz Foundation ...In October 2023, the foundation announced winners of the fourth round of its Open Post-Doc Competition.
The foundation hosts annual events, including the 26th Annual Stony Brook Mind/Brain Lecture held in April 2024, featuring presentations on neuroscience research topics.
Computational Neuroscience Research - The Swartz Foundation ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Swartz Foundation fund?
The mission of the Swartz Foundation is to explore the application of physics, mathematics, and computer engineering principles to neuroscience as a path to better understanding the brain-mind relationship. The foundation's strategic intent is to integrate problem-solving approaches from physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, and computer science into neuroscience research. The foundation gives primarily to establish research centers devoted to advancing computational neuroscience. Targe…
How do I apply for a grant from The Swartz Foundation?
The Swartz Foundation supports research at eleven centers for theoretical neuroscience located at: The Salk Institute, California Institute of Technology, New York University, University of California at San Francisco, Brandeis University, University of California at San Diego, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Columbia University, Princeton University, Yale University, and Harvard University. Based on recent financial data, the foundation's typical grant awards range from $6,175 to $360,000. Tota…
Where does The Swartz Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds research institutions primarily located in California, Massachusetts, and New York.
What size grants does The Swartz Foundation award?
In 2024, The Swartz Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $2.0M — an average of about $132K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Swartz Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Swartz Foundation reported a distributable amount of $209K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Swartz Foundation's EIN?
The Swartz Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-6447242. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Swartz Foundation'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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