Open nowAward: Up to $1K
Brain Awareness Week Grants — IBRO/Dana
Public outreachScience educationBrain awareness
Who can apply: Projects organized for Brain Awareness Week in countries outside Europe; applicants follow IBRO/Dana application process.
About Charles A Dana Foundation
The Charles A. Dana Foundation concentrates its giving on neuroscience research, education, and public engagement, supporting university and hospital-based brain science programs as well as a dedicated advocacy/knowledge network. Grants are large, targeted awards to established academic medical centers and organizations that translate neuroscience for society, indicating a focus on advancing brain science and its societal implications rather than broad philanthropy. The foundation supports both basic and translational research and efforts to communicate neuroscience to professionals and the public.
Focus Areas
University-based neuroscience research centers (e.g., major grants to UCLA and MGH)Neuroscience public education and policy engagement (Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives)Clinical neuroscience programs within academic hospitalsAcademic neuroscience training and capacity-building (grants to medical schools and universities)
Who They Fund
nonprofit organizations working on neuroscience & societyneuroscience researchers and scholarspublic stakeholders / general public audiences
About Charles A Dana Foundation
A $2,000,000 award to the University of California Los Angeles in 2025 shows the Charles A Dana Foundation Incorporated’s core pattern: large, targeted support for neuroscience and society work at established universities and medical institutions. Across the recent grants list, the foundation backs brain science research, public engagement, and translation between neuroscience and the broader public, with repeated awards to academic medical centers, universities, and organizations that interpret neuroscience for nonacademic audiences. The Charles A Dana Foundation Incorporated also uses general operating support when it wants to sustain a standing intermediary in the field. One example is a $1,402,004 grant in 2023 to The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives Inc in New York. Another major grant went to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston for neuroscience and society work, reinforcing the foundation’s preference for institutions that can combine research, training, and public-facing activity. Its portfolio is not limited to research labs. Recent awards include support for interdisciplinary centers, policy-oriented organizations, and neuroscience outreach groups, indicating a funder that treats brain science as both an academic field and a public-interest subject. The grant list also shows continued backing for institutions that can move between scholarship, training, and engagement.
What Charles A Dana Foundation Funds
In neuroscience and society work, the foundation gave $750,000 to Loyola University of Chicago for neuroscience and society and $354,406 to Brown University for the same area. It also supported University of California Berkeley with $353,500 for neuroscience and society, pointing to a strong interest in academic projects that connect neuroscience with public or social questions. The foundation also funds institutional and policy-oriented intermediaries. It granted $235,000 to Social Good Fund for neuroscience and society, $200,000 to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors for neuroscience and society, and $184,000 to the American Association for the Advancement of Science for neuroscience and society. Those awards suggest support for organizations that can translate research into broader engagement. Basic neuroscience appears alongside the society work. In 2023, Harvard University received $250,060 for neuroscience, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute received $200,000 for neuroscience, and Arizona State University received $167,000 for neuroscience. The mix shows a portfolio that includes both research and the infrastructure around it.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$8.3M
Total Assets
$279.4M
Total Revenue
$3.4M
Total Expenses
$15.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $3K and $25K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$25K
Geographic Reach
Regional30 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Charles A Dana Foundation Funds
Top 5 recipient countries by grant volume for Charles A Dana Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 374 | $18.1M | 97.7% |
| 2 | France |
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeExplore related grant guides
Want a Personalized Pitch for Charles A Dana Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime