About Glenn Foundation for Medical Research
The Glenn Foundation is a highly focused medical research funder that prioritizes aging and longevity science, channeling substantial grants to leading research institutions and specialized aging-research organizations. Its support goes to both independent research institutes and major university medical centers, often funding programmatic research and infrastructure rather than small community services. The foundation’s portfolio is national in scope and dominated by a few large awards, with a particularly strong, recurring commitment to organizations advancing geroscience.
Focus Areas
Aging and longevity research (geroscience), including translational studiesSupport for specialized aging research institutes (e.g., Buck Institute, AFAR)Major university medical research programs in biomedicine (Stanford, Harvard, Mayo, UMich)Research infrastructure and program support for biomedical science
Who They Fund
research institutionsscientists/researchersclinical trial participants (indirect)
Giving Approach
About Glenn Foundation for Medical Research
A recurring pattern defines Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Inc: large awards flow to aging and longevity science, especially through American Federation for Aging Research, the Buck Institute, and major university medical centers. The foundation’s recent giving shows a strong commitment to geroscience rather than broad biomedical philanthropy, with support aimed at research programs, centers, and investigator development. Several of the largest grants go to AFAR, including multi-million-dollar awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation also backs research institutions that are central to aging biology, such as the Buck Institute and University of Michigan, alongside Stanford University, Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School, and the Salk Institute. Those grants suggest a mix of center-scale funding and project-based support for institutions working on the biology of aging. Its grantmaking is national, but it is concentrated among a relatively small set of research organizations. The portfolio includes both one-time awards and repeat support to the same recipients across multiple years, with grant sizes ranging from modest research awards to multimillion-dollar institutional grants. The foundation’s structure is that of a regular funder, and it does not fund individuals directly.
What Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Funds
Aging research is the core theme. The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Inc gave $1,010,000 to Buck Institute in 2025 and another $1,000,000 to the same institution that year, both marked medical research. University-based biomedical science is another clear strand. In 2025, the foundation gave $1,000,000 to University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and $1,000,000 to Stanford University in Stanford, both for medical research. The foundation also supports aging-related work at major research hospitals and schools. In 2025, it gave $1,000,000 to Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis and $1,000,000 to Harvard Medical School in Boston. Smaller grants still fit the same research focus. The foundation gave $50,000 to University of Chicago Marine Biology Lab in Woods Hole in 2025, showing that its portfolio extends beyond standard medical school settings when the work aligns with its research interests.
How Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Gives
Typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $825,000 at the 75th percentile, which points to a distribution shaped by a few very large awards and a smaller set of modest grants. The recent grant list also shows repeat support across years, especially for AFAR, the Buck Institute, Stanford University, and University of Michigan. That pattern fits a regular funder rather than a donor-advised or individual-giving model, and the foundation does not fund individuals directly. Program structure is clear: it uses named research awards, fellowships, junior faculty support, and center awards. Some programs accept unsolicited applications, while others are nomination-based or competitive.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$9M
Total Assets
$189.2M
Total Revenue
$19.8M
Total Expenses
$11.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $10K and $825K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$825K
Geographic Reach
National14 states funded
About 4% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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