The Alpha-1 Foundation is committed to finding a cure for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency and to improving the lives of people affected by Alpha-1 worldwide.
A defining feature of Alpha-1 Foundation Inc is its sustained support for research tied to Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, including work that moves from early-stage ideas into clinical development. The foundation’s active programs include pilot and feasibility awards, career development awards, ethical, legal, and social issues grants, travel grants, and the therapeutic-development investment program known as The Alpha-1 Project. That mix shows a funder that supports both scientific infrastructure and the pipeline from hypothesis generation to therapy-oriented work. Recent grants illustrate that approach across major research institutions and medical centers. University of Florida received multiple awards across 2023 to 2025, including a $523,817 grant in 2025. Brigham & Women’s Hospital also appears repeatedly, with awards in 2024 and 2025, including $397,375 in 2025. Columbia University, Boston University, National Jewish Health, and Baylor College of Medicine are among other recipients, signaling a broad research network centered on Alpha-1-related lung and liver disease, translational research, and therapeutic development.
The foundation backs several connected lines of work around Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. For therapeutic development, it uses The Alpha-1 Project to invest in pharmaceutical and biotech companies and tools that advance therapies for Alpha-1, including work tied to liver disease and COPD. It also supports investigator development and early research. John W. Walsh Career Development awards are designed to help researchers test new hypotheses or methods in AATD, while Pilot and Feasibility awards support one-year projects that generate preliminary data for larger studies. In addition, the foundation funds bioethical, legal, economic, and social research through its ELSI grants. Patient-facing support is part of the portfolio as well. Its stated focus areas include patient education and support, alongside research on lung disease, liver disease, biobanking, and clinical trials.
Typical grant size sits at $56,611 at the 25th percentile, $99,476 at the median, and $140,292 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same institutions across multiple years, including several universities and hospitals that received grants in both 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern points to sustained research relationships rather than one-off support. The foundation is an operating grantmaker with program-related investments and a national geographic scope. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including in-cycle grants, pilot and feasibility awards, travel grants, and ELSI grants. The therapeutic-development investment program does not accept unsolicited applications.
$1.8M
$47.5M
$13.8M
$14M
Most grants fall between $57K and $140K, with a median of $99K.
25th Percentile
$57K
Median
$99K
75th Percentile
$140K
About 6% of grants go to recipients in MA.
Scott Santarella
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Grantmaking is national and entirely U.S.-based in the recent record, with 44 grants to U.S. recipients. The top state by grant count is Illinois, though the foundation itself is headquartered in Miami, Florida. Recent awards land in research hubs such as Gainesville, Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Cambridge, Birmingham, Houston, and Rochester. Florida recipients account for 7% of grants, showing some in-state activity but a broader national spread.
It funds research and related work focused on Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, including lung disease, liver disease, clinical trials, therapeutic development, biobanking, research training, patient education, and support. It also supports ethical, legal, and social issues research tied to genetic conditions.
Typical awards fall around $56,611 at the 25th percentile, $99,476 at the median, and $140,292 at the 75th percentile. Active programs also include smaller travel grants up to $1,000 and larger research awards up to $100,000.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to the same institutions across multiple years, including University of Florida, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Columbia University, Boston University, National Jewish Health, and Baylor College of Medicine.
Through The Alpha-1 Project, it invests in pharmaceutical and biotech companies and tools that advance therapies for Alpha-1. The program is tied to drug discovery and development and is not limited to a single region.
Yes. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including the In-Cycle Grants Award Program, Pilot and Feasibility awards, Travel Grants, ELSI grants, and Career Development awards. The therapeutic-development investment program does not accept unsolicited applications.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Alpha-1 Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Open to academia and industry investigators who wish to provide or acquire Alpha-1 biomaterials for research purposes. Participants must complete the application and disclaimer.
Deadline: No fixed deadline; availability changes constantly.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINSVILLE, FL | $470,549 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIV OF CALIFORNIA | DAVIS, CA | $178,944 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| BRIGHAM & WOMEN'S HOSPITAL INC | BOSTON, MA | $174,125 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | HOUSTON, TX | $174,051 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH | DENVER, CO | $99,723 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERISTY OF CINCINNATI | CLEVELAND, OH | $99,500 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| CLEMSON UNIVERSITY | CLEMSON, SC | $99,452 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER | BOSTON, MA | $95,267 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS | AUSTIN, TX | $74,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| BOSTON UNIV OF INTERNAL MEDICINE | BOSTON, MA | $63,368 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $52,500 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC | KANSAS CITY, KS | $48,012 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $45,894 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| CENTER FOR VETERANS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $38,837 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $37,250 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $35,845 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $10,499 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCES | DENVER, CO | $7,500 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETIES FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY | BETHESDA, MD | $7,500 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | $523,817 | 2025 | Research |
| Brigham & Women's Hospital | Boston, MA | $397,375 | 2025 | — |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | $234,375 | 2025 | — |
| Regents of the University of California Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $233,749 | 2025 | Research |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | $185,618 | 2025 | — |
| University of Alabama | Birmingham, AL | $124,500 | 2025 | — |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | $124,350 | 2025 | — |
| Boston Medical Center | Boston, MA | $99,500 | 2025 | — |
| Clemson University | Clemson, SC | $99,452 | 2025 | — |
| University of Colorado | Denver, CO | $70,000 | 2025 | — |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $62,148 | 2025 | — |
| National Jewish Health | Denver, CO | $40,000 | 2025 | — |
| NORD | Woburn, MA | $30,000 | 2025 | — |
| University of Kansas Medical Center | Kansas City, KS | $16,004 | 2025 | — |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | $457,398 | 2024 | Research |
| Brigham & Women's Hospital | Boston, MA | $199,000 | 2024 | Research |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | $146,433 | 2024 | Research |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | $141,167 | 2024 | Research |
| National Jewish Health | Denver, CO | $140,000 | 2024 | Research |
| Mass Inst of Technology | Cambridge, MA | $124,750 | 2024 | Research |
| University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY | $100,000 | 2024 | Research |
| Boston Medical Center | Boston, MA | $99,500 | 2024 | Research |
| Northwestern University | Chicago, IL | $82,000 | 2024 | Research |
| University of Alabama | Birmingham, AL | $74,500 | 2024 | Research |
| University of Colorado | Denver, CO | $31,739 | 2024 | Research |
| Nat Org Rare Disorders | Danbury, CT | $25,000 | 2024 | Patient support |
| University of N Carolina | Chapel Hill, NC | $10,000 | 2024 | Research |
| Saint Louis University | Saint Louis, MO | $5,647 | 2024 | Research |
| University of Florida | Gainesville, FL | $441,615 | 2023 | Research |
| Columbia University | New York, NY | $300,000 | 2023 | Research |
| National Jewish Health | Denver, CO | $124,873 | 2023 | Research |
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$470,549RESEARCH
REGENTS OF THE UNIV OF CALIFORNIA
$178,944RESEARCH
BRIGHAM & WOMEN'S HOSPITAL INC
$174,125RESEARCH
NATIONAL JEWISH HEALTH
$99,723RESEARCH
UNIVERISTY OF CINCINNATI
$99,500RESEARCH
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
$99,452RESEARCH
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
$74,000RESEARCH
BOSTON UNIV OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
$63,368RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
$52,500RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$10,499RESEARCH
FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SOCIETIES FOR EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
$7,500RESEARCH
University of Florida
$523,817Research
Brigham & Women's Hospital
$397,375Regents of the University of California Los Angeles
$233,749Research
University of Alabama
$124,500Clemson University
$99,452University of Colorado
$70,000National Jewish Health
$40,000University of Florida
$457,398Research
Brigham & Women's Hospital
$199,000Research
National Jewish Health
$140,000Research
University of Alabama
$74,500Research
University of Colorado
$31,739Research
University of N Carolina
$10,000Research
Saint Louis University
$5,647Research
University of Florida
$441,615Research
National Jewish Health
$124,873Research
