What kinds of projects does Alpha-1 Foundation Inc fund?

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.

What is the typical grant size?

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.

Does the foundation fund the same organizations more than once?

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.

How does the foundation support therapeutic development?

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.

Are applications accepted for any of its programs?

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.

Alpha-1 Foundation

Name: Alpha-1 Foundation — grants, 990 financials & funding data
Creator: Kindora

ActiveHealth CareMakes PRIs

Miami, FLWebsite3055679888

About Alpha-1 Foundation

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.

Focus Areas

Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD)Lung diseaseLiver diseaseClinical trials and therapeutic developmentBiobanking (DNA & tissue)Research training and career developmentPatient education and support

Who They Fund

people living with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiencypatients' families and caregiversclinical researchers and trial investigatorsrare disease patient community

Funding Style

About Alpha-1 Foundation

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.

What Alpha-1 Foundation Funds

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.

How Alpha-1 Foundation Gives

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.

Financial Snapshot

Annual Giving

$2.2M

Total Assets

$44.5M

Total Revenue

$11.6M

Total Expenses

$10.1M

Typical Grant Size

Most grants fall between $57K and $140K, with a median of $99K.

25th Percentile

$57K

Median

$99K

75th Percentile

$140K

Geographic Reach

National15 states funded

About 7% of grants go to recipients in MA.

Funding intensity

Low

High

Headquarters

Leadership

Scott Santarella

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Recipient	Location	Amount	Year	Purpose
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 Research Institute	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
Brigham & Women's Hospital	Boston, MA	$100,000	2023	Research
Mayo Clinic	Rochester, MN	$100,000	2023	Research
Baylor College of Medicine	Houston, TX	$100,000	2023	Research
University of Kentucky	Lexington, KY	$94,340	2023	Research
Saint Louis University	Saint Louis, MO	$81,996	2023	Research
Mass Inst of Technology	Cambridge, MA	$74,250	2023	Research
Clemson University	Clemson, SC	$74,000	2023	Research
University of Alabama	Birmingham, AL	$74,000	2023	Research
Northwestern University	Chicago, IL	$67,850	2023	Research
Nat Org Rare Disorders	Danbury, CT	$25,000	2023	Patient support
University of N Carolina	Chapel Hill, NC	$25,000	2023	Research
American Thoracic Society	New York, NY	$20,000	2023	Research
University of Colorado	Denver, CO	$15,628	2023	Research

Alpha-1 Foundation

About Alpha-1 Foundation

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

Funding Style

About Alpha-1 Foundation

What Alpha-1 Foundation Funds

How Alpha-1 Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Leadership

Deep Analysis

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Where Alpha-1 Foundation Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About Alpha-1 Foundation

What kinds of projects does Alpha-1 Foundation Inc fund?

What is the typical grant size?

Does the foundation fund the same organizations more than once?

How does the foundation support therapeutic development?

Are applications accepted for any of its programs?

Recent Grants

Open Grant Opportunities

2025–2026 In‑Cycle Grants Award Program

Alpha-1 Foundation

About Alpha-1 Foundation

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

Funding Style

About Alpha-1 Foundation

What Alpha-1 Foundation Funds

How Alpha-1 Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

Leadership

Unlock Deep Analysis

See Similar Funders

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Want a Personalized Pitch for Alpha-1 Foundation?

The Grant Brief

Topics

Where Alpha-1 Foundation Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About Alpha-1 Foundation

What kinds of projects does Alpha-1 Foundation Inc fund?

What is the typical grant size?

Does the foundation fund the same organizations more than once?

How does the foundation support therapeutic development?

Are applications accepted for any of its programs?

Recent Grants

Open Grant Opportunities

2025–2026 In‑Cycle Grants Award Program