The Della Pietra Foundation concentrates on supporting advanced scientific research, particularly in mathematics and theoretical physics, and to a lesser extent biomedical and computational medical research. Its grants are directed to premier university and specialized research institutes (often repeating support to the same organizations) rather than grassroots service providers. The foundation favors large, targeted awards that underwrite specific research programs and institutes.
The Della Pietra Foundation’s largest recent award was a $3.75 million grant to Princeton University in 2023, underscoring its preference for major research funding rather than small, dispersed awards. Across the recent grants list, the foundation backs advanced scientific research at universities and specialized institutes, with repeated support for mathematical sciences, theoretical physics, and biomedical research. It also funds projects that connect research to clinical or data-driven applications, such as computational surgery and medical data science. Repeated awards to the same institutions point to long-term relationships. Harvard received three $500,000 grants for the Swampland program under Professor Cumrun Vafa, while Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory was funded in 2023 and again in 2024 and 2025. The foundation also returned to Stony Brook Foundation across three consecutive years, signaling continuity in its support. Its recent grantmaking includes both unrestricted support and program-specific awards, but the organization’s pattern is clear: it directs substantial resources to faculty-led research programs, university centers, and research institutes with defined scientific agendas.
In mathematical sciences, the foundation backed major centers with seven-figure grants, including the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute in Berkeley and the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley. Those awards align with its emphasis on research institutes rather than service organizations. Theoretical physics is another clear thread. Harvard College received $500,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025 to support the Swampland program under Professor Cumrun Vafa, tying the foundation to a sustained line of inquiry in string theory and related topics. In biomedical and life-science research, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, including amounts of $155,000 and $1,155,000. The foundation also funded Children and Screens Institute of Digital Media and Child Development in multiple years, showing interest in research that extends beyond physics and mathematics.
Recent grants show a wide spread in size, from a p25 of $42,500 to a median of $225,000 and a p75 of $513,875. That distribution fits a model of concentrated, high-value awards with some smaller supporting gifts. The recent record also shows repeat funding over multiple years to the same organizations, including Harvard College, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Stony Brook Foundation, and Friends of Ihes Inc NY. The foundation makes unrestricted grants in the recent list, and its profile identifies program support and faculty-directed funding as part of its approach. It does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$5.8M
$67.3M
$8.9M
$6.2M
Most grants fall between $43K and $514K, with a median of $225K.
25th Percentile
$43K
Median
$225K
75th Percentile
$514K
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small set of elite research institutions; multiple repeat grants to the same organizations and program-focused funding rather than many small general-purpose awards.
Notable grantees: Princeton University, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), President and Fellows of Harvard College (Swampland program), Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute
The recipient map is entirely domestic in the recent grants list, with 40 grants to US recipients. New York institutions appear frequently, including Cold Spring Harbor, Stony Brook, New York City, and St. James. Washington, DC is the top state by grant count, and one recipient there is Surgeons Data Science Collective Inc. Outside the Northeast, recent grants also went to Berkeley, Cambridge, Boston, Chicago, and Naples, showing a national but still regional pattern of giving.
The foundation supports universities and specialized research institutes, especially in mathematical sciences and theoretical physics. Recent grants also include biomedical and computational medical research, such as awards to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Surgeons Data Science Collective Inc.
Yes. Recent examples include Harvard College, which received $500,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for the Swampland program; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, funded in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Stony Brook Foundation, which received grants in three consecutive years.
Typical grant sizes are substantial. The recent distribution shows a p25 of $42,500, a median of $225,000, and a p75 of $513,875. The list also includes several seven-figure awards, including $3.75 million to Princeton University.
The recent grants list shows US-only giving: 40 grants and 100% of recipients in the United States.
The grants focus on mathematical sciences, theoretical physics, and string theory, with the Swampland program at Harvard as a recurring example. The foundation also supports biomedical research and computational medical work through recipients such as Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Surgeons Data Science Collective Inc.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY | COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | $1,155,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SIMONS LAUFER MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE | BERKELEY, CA | $1,100,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION | STONY BROOK, NY | $1,089,658 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SURGEONS DATA SCIENCE COLLECTIVE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $510,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT THE RESEARCH ON THE SWAMPLAND PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR CUMRUN VAFA |
| FRIENDS OF IHES INC NY | NEW YORK, NY | $510,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PIVOT WORKS | BOSTON, MA | $300,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WORLD SCIENCE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF COLLIER COUNTY | NAPLES, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD HUDSON PECONIC ACTION FUND INC | ELMSFORD, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GILBERT AND SULLIVAN LIGHT OPERA COMPANY OF LONG ISLAND INC | HICKSVILLE, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HARBOR COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | ST JAMES, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HIGH DESERT KEEPERS ORGANIZATION | PINON HILLS, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SIMONS LAUFER MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE | BERKELEY, CA | $1,200,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY | COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | $1,155,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION | STONY BROOK, NY | $1,071,025 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SURGEONS DATA SCIENCE COLLECTIVE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FRIENDS OF IHES INC NY | NEW YORK, NY | $505,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $500,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT THE RESEARCH ON THE SWAMPLAND PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR CUMRUN VAFA |
| CHILDREN AND SCREENS INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT INC | JERICHO, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PIVOT WORKS | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WORLD SCIENCE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF COLLIER COUNTY | NAPLES, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD HUDSON PECONIC ACTION FUND INC | ELMSFORD, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GILBERT AND SULLIVAN LIGHT OPERA COMPANY OF LONG ISLAND INC | HICKSVILLE, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HARBOR COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | ST JAMES, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| FRIENDS OF SCIENCE EAST INC | SHOREHAM, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY | COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | $1,155,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE | BERKELEY, CA | $1,100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION | STONY BROOK, NY | $554,917 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $500,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT THE RESEARCH ON THE SWAMPLAND PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR CUMRUN VAFA |
| FRIENDS OF IHES INC NY | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CHILDREN AND SCREENS INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT INC | JERICHO, NY | $260,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PIVOT WORKS | BOSTON, MA | $250,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WORLD SCIENCE FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HARBOR COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | ST JAMES, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES INC | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF COLLIER COUNTY | NAPLES, FL | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| GILBERT AND SULLIVAN LIGHT OPERA COMPANY OF LONG ISLAND INC | HICKSVILLE, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $15,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD HUDSON PECONIC ACTION FUND INC | ELMSFORD, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $3,750,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE | BERKELEY, CA | $1,100,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION | STONY BROOK, NY | $540,500 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $500,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT THE RESEARCH ON THE SWAMPLAND PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR CUMRUN VAFA |
| CHILDREN AND SCREENS INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT INC | JERICHO, NY | $250,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HARBOR COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL | ST JAMES, NY | $200,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PIVOT WORKS | BOSTON, MA | $200,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY | COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | $155,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
SIMONS LAUFER MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE
$1,100,000UNRESTRICTED
SURGEONS DATA SCIENCE COLLECTIVE INC
$1,000,000UNRESTRICTED
SUPPORT THE RESEARCH ON THE SWAMPLAND PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR CUMRUN VAFA
UNRESTRICTED
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF COLLIER COUNTY
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
PLANNED PARENTHOOD HUDSON PECONIC ACTION FUND INC
$25,000UNRESTRICTED
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN LIGHT OPERA COMPANY OF LONG ISLAND INC
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
HIGH DESERT KEEPERS ORGANIZATION
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
SIMONS LAUFER MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE
$1,200,000UNRESTRICTED
SURGEONS DATA SCIENCE COLLECTIVE INC
$1,000,000UNRESTRICTED
SUPPORT THE RESEARCH ON THE SWAMPLAND PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR CUMRUN VAFA
CHILDREN AND SCREENS INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT INC
$250,000UNRESTRICTED
PIVOT WORKS
$250,000UNRESTRICTED
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF COLLIER COUNTY
$50,000UNRESTRICTED
PLANNED PARENTHOOD HUDSON PECONIC ACTION FUND INC
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN LIGHT OPERA COMPANY OF LONG ISLAND INC
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
FRIENDS OF SCIENCE EAST INC
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$1,100,000UNRESTRICTED
SUPPORT THE RESEARCH ON THE SWAMPLAND PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR CUMRUN VAFA
CHILDREN AND SCREENS INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT INC
$260,000UNRESTRICTED
GILBERT AND SULLIVAN LIGHT OPERA COMPANY OF LONG ISLAND INC
$20,000UNRESTRICTED
PLANNED PARENTHOOD HUDSON PECONIC ACTION FUND INC
$10,000UNRESTRICTED
MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$1,100,000UNRESTRICTED
SUPPORT THE RESEARCH ON THE SWAMPLAND PROGRAM UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSOR CUMRUN VAFA
CHILDREN AND SCREENS INSTITUTE OF DIGITAL MEDIA AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT INC
$250,000UNRESTRICTED