Warren Alpert Foundation
The Warren Alpert Foundation is a private foundation based in Providence, Rhode Island. Its stated mission is to improve public health through grants and programmatic activities that advance medical treatments or cures through basic, translational, and outcomes research, as well as health education.
Key facts about Warren Alpert Foundation
In short: Warren Alpert Foundation gave $24.3M across 99 grants in 2024 (avg $245K), top state Rhode Island. 42% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 05-0426623
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $24,267,834
- Grants made (2024)
- 99
- Average grant
- $245,130
- Median grant
- $35,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (40 of 96, 2024)
- Total assets
- $397,286,038
- Primary geography
- Rhode Island (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The website directs applicants seeking grants over $25,000 to submit an LOI and those seeking general funding of $25,000 or less to use the general grant application. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The filing lists November 1 for the Distinguished Scholars Fellowship and the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 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.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$397.3M
-2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$24.3M
+4.9% YoY
Grant Count
99
+35.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$245K
-22.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Warren Alpert Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Warren Alpert Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 40 of 96 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $146K; repeat grants $322K. How we count
Medians: $22K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated focus is improving public health through research and health education. Its grantmaking includes medical research and medical education; the foundation also says it sometimes funds general education and basic human services.
The organizations it supports work across several fields. For example, the University of Pennsylvania describes its work as combining education, research, and patient care; Baylor College of Medicine says it advances human health through patient care, research, education, and community services. Among community grantees, Crossroads Rhode Island describes its mission as helping homeless or at-risk individuals and families secure stable homes, while the Genesis Center describes providing education, job training, and support services to people of diverse cultures.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 99 grants totaling $24,267,834. Grants ranged from $500 to $6,408,253, with a median of $35,000. The largest grants included $6,408,253 to Brown University for “Donation - Education,” $4,588,876 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for “Donation - Education,” and $1,939,729 to the President and Fellows of Harvard College for “Donation - Education.”
The foundation’s website describes general, medical, and research grants, including requests over $25,000 that begin with a letter of inquiry (LOI), and general funding requests of $25,000 and under. The LOI calls for a program title and description, perceived need, goals and methodology, an approximate request amount and timeline, and contact information. The foundation allows indirect costs up to 15% of direct costs. Its 2024 filing states there are no limitations or restrictions on awards other than the Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholars Fellowship, which is restricted to U.S. medical schools.
The Distinguished Scholars Award supports postdoctoral researchers in basic or clinical neurosciences. A dean or equivalent institutional senior leader nominates one candidate; eligibility includes an MD and/or PhD, a U.S.-based postdoctoral research position, and three to six years of postdoctoral fellowship by July 1, 2027. The award provides the appointing institution $200,000 annually for two years, with indirect costs of up to 15% of direct costs included in that amount. The website gives conflicting application timing: its How to Apply page says enrollment is open until November 1, 2026, while its Awards page lists a November 1, 2025 submission date, which is past.
Review Cycle
The filing lists November 1 for the Distinguished Scholars Fellowship and the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize. The website’s Distinguished Scholars pages conflict on the application date, as noted above.
How to Apply
The website directs applicants seeking grants over $25,000 to submit an LOI and those seeking general funding of $25,000 or less to use the general grant application. The 2024 filing lists research grant, general grant, and Distinguished Scholars applications, with materials including a title, summary, principal investigator or organization name, amount requested, budget, and background. The website gives different LOI cutoffs for quarterly board meetings: its How to Apply page lists the 10th of the month before the meeting, while its Grantees page lists the 15th.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Warren Alpert Foundation
Warren Alpert Foundation: Distinguished Scholars Award Grant
Warren Alpert Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Warren Alpert Foundation: Grants Program Funding Over $25,000
Warren Alpert Foundation
Amount
More than US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Warren Alpert Foundation: Grants Program Funding Under $25,000
Warren Alpert Foundation
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Warren Alpert Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing shows grant dollars going primarily to recipients in Rhode Island (38%), Pennsylvania (20%), Massachusetts (14%), California (10%), and Utah (7%). The foundation’s website also describes the Distinguished Scholars Award as open to nominees from U.S. medical schools, academic hospitals, and research institutes.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 99 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $19.4M (2020) to $24.8M (2021). In 2024 it made 99 grants totaling $24.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Brown University ($6.4M). Together the top 10 received $18.9M.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($375,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
384 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 234 grants of 384 (61%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brown University Providence, RI | Donation - Education | $6,408,253 |
| Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Donation - Education | $4,588,876 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College Boston, MA | Donation - Education | $1,939,729 |
| Intermountain Foundation Salt Lake City, UT | Donation | $1,611,313 |
| The Regents of the University of California La Jolla, CA | Donation - Education | $1,080,129 |
| Stanford University Los Angeles, CA | Donation - Education | $890,940 |
| Childrens Hospital Corporation Chelsea, MA | Donation | $775,000 |
| South County Health Warwick, RI | Donation | $621,000 |
| New York STEM Cell Foundation New York, NY | Donation | $500,750 |
| Pan-Massachusetts Challenge Incjimmy Fund Providence, RI | Donation | $500,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $397,286,038 | $21,372,293 | $27,736,923 | $24,267,834 |
| 2023 | $406,646,323 | $17,099,482 | $27,531,963 | $23,125,302 |
| 2022 | $418,983,149 | $16,515,643 | $26,771,938 | $23,805,209 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $397,286,038 | $406,646,323 | $418,983,149 |
| Revenue | $21,372,293 | $17,099,482 | $16,515,643 |
| Expenses | $27,736,923 | $27,531,963 | $26,771,938 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $26,623,856 | $25,637,651 | $25,349,026 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,179,313 | $16,876,507 | $8,035,309 |
| Distributable Amount | $26,778,799 | $26,338,712 | $26,200,061 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists August R. Schiesser as executive director, president, and treasurer; David Hirsch as chairman of the board; Jeffrey A. Walker as secretary and audit chair; Robert H. Brown Jr. as director and grant committee chair; Gregory W. Kaneb as director and compensation and governance chair; and Daniel F. Schmitt as director and investment chair. It also lists Keith E. Blanchette, Wendy Chung, Ronald K. Machtley, and Joseph B. Martin as directors.
Warren Alpert Foundation is led by August R. Schiesser, Executive Director, President & Treasurer since 2023 (on filings since 2020); all 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
August R. Schiesser
Executive Director, President & Treasurer
Director, Executive Director, President & Treasurer → Director, Executive Director & Treasurer, 2022
Director, Executive Director & Treasurer → Executive Director, President & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$294K (2020) → $342K (2024)
Daniel F. Schmitt
Director & Investment Chair
Director → Director & Investment Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
4.5 hrs/week
$65K (2020) → $114K (2024)
David Hirsch
Chairman of the Board
Director → Chairman of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2020
9 hrs/week
$67K (2020) → $135K (2024)
Gregory W. Kaneb
Director, Comptroller & Gov Chair
Director → Director, Comptroller & Gov Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
4.5 hrs/week
$65K (2020) → $114K (2024)
Jeffrey A. Walker
Secretary & Audit Chair
Director, Secretary & General Counsel → Director & Audit Chair, 2022
Director & Audit Chair → Secretary & Audit Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
4.5 hrs/week
$114K (2020) → $114K (2024)
Robert H. Brown Jr.
Director & Grant Committee Chair
Director → Director & Grant Committee Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
4.5 hrs/week
$65K (2020) → $109K (2024)
Barbara J. McNeil
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$62K (2020) → $105K (2024)
Fred J. Schiffman MD
Director
On filings since 2020
4.5 hrs/week
$68K (2020) → $105K (2024)
Joseph B. Martin
Director
Director & Chairperson → Director & Chairman, 2021
Director & Chairman → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$97K (2020) → $105K (2024)
Keith E. Blanchette
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
$70K (2022) → $105K (2024)
Ronald K. Machtley
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
$70K (2022) → $102K (2024)
Wendy Chung
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
$71K (2022) → $103K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: John Clunan (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: John Dziedzic (2020–2021) — Director
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 $342K, to August R Schiesser (Exec Director, President, & Treasurer). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: The Warren Alpert Foundation
Mailing address: 90 Elm Street - Suite 2, Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 383-1331
Email: info@warrenalpertfoundation.org
Website: https://warrenalpertfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Warren Alpert Foundation
How much does Warren Alpert Foundation give each year?
Warren Alpert Foundation gave $24.3M across 99 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $23.1M across 73 grants.
What is Warren Alpert Foundation's typical grant size?
Warren Alpert Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $35,000, and its average grant was $245,130, across 99 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Warren Alpert Foundation that year got $146K on average.
Where does Warren Alpert Foundation give grants?
Warren Alpert Foundation's top state is Rhode Island, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (20%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Providence, RI (20 grants), Boston, MA (11 grants), New York, NY (6 grants) and Warwick, RI (4 grants).
Does Warren Alpert Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 99 grants with a stated purpose on Warren Alpert Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (66 grants), "Donation - Education" (30 grants) and "Prize" (3 grants).
Who are Warren Alpert Foundation's largest grantees?
Warren Alpert Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Brown University ($6,408,253), Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania ($4,588,876) and President and Fellows of Harvard College ($1,939,729), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($375,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Warren Alpert Foundation?
Warren Alpert Foundation reported $397.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $26.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $26.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Warren Alpert Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated focus is improving public health through research and health education. Its grantmaking includes medical research and medical education; the foundation also says it sometimes funds general education and basic human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Warren Alpert Foundation?
The website directs applicants seeking grants over $25,000 to submit an LOI and those seeking general funding of $25,000 or less to use the general grant application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Warren Alpert Foundation's EIN?
Warren Alpert Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-0426623. 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.
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