Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
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About Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Improve the human condition through plant science.
Focus Areas
Plant scienceFood security / global food productionEnvironmental sustainabilitySTEM education and outreachResearch infrastructure and core facilitiesTechnology translation and startup/company support
Who They Fund
farmers and agricultural communitiesK-12 students and teachersscientists and research institutionsgeneral public and informal learners
Funding Style
research & translational funding
About Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center directs its philanthropy toward plant science research, with a grantmaking record that includes substantial support for university and research-institution partners across the United States. Its largest listed awards in the recent grant set went to University of California, Berkeley, and Arizona Board of Regents, both for research, and other major recipients include Leland Stanford Junior University and the University of Kansas. The foundation’s giving aligns with its stated aim to improve the human condition through plant science, and its active programs extend that mission through fellowships, training, and research initiatives. The grant list shows a pattern of funding advanced research rather than broad charitable operating support. Recipients include major public universities, private universities, and scientific institutions, reflecting a portfolio centered on plant science capacity, crop-related inquiry, and translational research. The foundation also supports research infrastructure and technology translation through separate program lines, including fellowships for plant science graduate students and for researchers moving into the field. Recent awards to institutions such as University of Illinois, University of Rhode Island, and Michigan State University point to a broad national research network rather than a single campus-based focus.
What Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Funds
Plant science research is the clearest throughline in the recent grant record. The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center gave $1,251,187 to University of California, Berkeley for research, and $1,170,519 to Arizona Board of Regents for research, both fitting a pattern of support for large-scale scientific work at universities. Food-system and crop-oriented work also appears in the portfolio. The foundation awarded $881,742 to University of Kansas for research and $300,800 to Purdue University for research, both institutions that sit within the center’s stated focus on food security and global food production. Environmental and ecosystem science is another visible lane. The grant to Chicago Horticultural Society for research, along with support to Washington State University and the University of Rhode Island, sits alongside the foundation’s emphasis on agricultural sustainability, restoration ecology, and soil health research. STEM education is also present through active fellowship programs for graduate students and career-transition researchers.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$6.4M
Total Assets
$625.7M
Total Revenue
$63.8M
Total Expenses
$67.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $43K and $265K, with a median of $141K.
25th Percentile
$43K
Median
$141K
75th Percentile
$265K
Geographic Reach
National19 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
JAMES CARRINGTON PRES A
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