Hillblom Foundation Start-Up Grant

Hillblom Foundation Start-Up Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Larry L Hillblom Foundation Inc.
Amount: Up to US $360,000
Last Updated: December 18, 2025

Summary

The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation offers the Start-Up Grant to support early-career researchers in California focused on diabetes and age-related brain and vision disorders. Grants of up to $120,000 per year for three years are available for projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to medical research. The foundation prioritizes funding for those affiliated with California institutions and encourages applications from those who have not held faculty positions for over a year.

Overview

About The Foundation Established in 1996, The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation (“LLHF”) is a California non-profit public benefit corporation funded through a bequest from Larry L. Hillblom, a respected international businessman who was one of the three founders of DHL Worldwide Express. By virtue of Mr. Hillblom’s will, substantially all of the Foundation’s funding supports medical research within the State of California, with particular attention to research programs conducted by the University of California. The Foundation supports basic scientific research, clinical research, and research related to patient self-care and management. The Board of the Larry L. Hillblom Foundation has assigned its initial medical research priorities in efforts toward curing, treating and managing diabetes mellitus, and chronic and degenerative diseases associated with aging, with a primary focus on brain and vision disorders. Our Grant Programs At this time, the Foundation will consider funding fundamental and translational research programs. Proposals should employ genetic, molecular, cellular and/or metabolic approaches to one of two categories which are the areas of concern to the Foundation: Diabetes Mellitus and its complications including studies of normal glucose metabolism; andAge-related chronic or degenerative disorders of the brain or vision including such studies of the healthy aging processes. Studies should target the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and/or cure of diseases described above. Start-Up Grant Purpose The Hillblom Foundation offers grants to qualified researchers to initiate independent research careers in one of the two areas of stated interest to the Hillblom Foundation. Grantmaking Procedures The Start-Up Grant shall be made directly to and administered by the office of contracts and grants at the applicant’s Institution, which shall be responsible for the expenditure of the grant funds. Annual renewal of a Start-Up Grant shall be subject to the Foundation’s approval. Funding Maximum Funding: $120,000 per year Duration of the Award: Up to three (3) years, subject to annual Foundation approval, non-renewable Personnel costs are restricted to those named and justified in the budget with a maximum of $25,000 per year for supplies, a maximum of $5,000 per year for equipment and a maximum of $2,500 per year on travel (including the Annual Hillblom Foundation Scientific Meeting).

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The PI’s lab must be affiliated with an institution within the state of California.The primary geographic area of concentration for Foundation funding shall be within the State of California with particular attention to programs conducted by the University of California.While the Foundation may fund any organization recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a public charity under §§ 501(c)(3) and 509(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, its primary focus and funding will be for medical research as outlined in each funding category of the grant criteria.Expectation of the Host Institutions

The host institution will provide a faculty appointment (ordinarily at the Assistant Professor level) to the applicant. The applicant will be provided with an office, administrative support, research space and required core facilities to support the proposed work. The Institution will limit teaching and/or clinical practice requirements to no more than one day per week. The Institution salary contribution will be made independent of clinical practice revenue.Expectation of the Investigator

Investigators must be highly promising based on performance during training and have shown promise that they are ready to make the transition to independent investigation.The investigator must demonstrate that they have a research plan that is distinct from the work of their mentors’ program, is important and is achievable. The investigator will be asked to identify planned research milestones. The investigator must indicate how core facilities at the Institution are sufficient to allow completion of the proposed studies within the proposed budget. The principal investigator will be required to submit an annual report to the host institution and the Foundation (submitted electronically via the LLHF Grant Management System). Additionally, the investigator will be required to attend the Annual Hillblom Scientific Meeting to give a presentation on the findings of their research to date. The annual renewal of any Start-Up Grant for the three year time period will be contingent upon a satisfactory annual report and presentation at this forum. Renewal / non-renewal decisions by the Board of Directors of the Hillblom Foundation are final and not subject to appeal or review.

Ineligibility

Note that the Foundation does not include within its criteria, nor does it specifically fund cancer, cardiovascular or joint/bone degenerative disease research.Applicants who have held a faculty position for more than 3 years prior to the application date are not eligible for this grant.