Open nowRolling / open intake
New Ideas — Request for Applications
Autism ResearchNeurodevelopmental Disorders
Who can apply: Investigators proposing exploratory research in autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders.
Deadline: Rolling
About Simons Foundation
The Simons Foundation concentrates on funding basic and translational scientific research—especially mathematics, theoretical and computational sciences, and autism/brain research—while also supporting STEM education and public mathematics engagement. They primarily fund major research universities, dedicated research centers, and a few recurring program partners, favoring project-based science initiatives and fellowship/scholarship programs that build institutional capacity. The foundation’s giving is geographically concentrated in New York and California and shows a strong preference for sustained, multi-year investments in flagship research programs and repeat grantees.
Focus Areas
Autism & neurodevelopmental disorder research (gene therapy, preclinical models, biomarkers)Fundamental mathematics and theoretical/computational science (Simons investigators, visiting professorships)University-based STEM research infrastructure and fellowships (junior faculty support, postdoctoral bridging)Mathematics public engagement and K–12 STEM teacher support (Museum of Mathematics, Math for America)Microbial/oceanographic ecosystem science and biogeochemistry (marine microbiome, microbial ecology)
Who They Fund
About Simons Foundation
The Simons Foundation Inc’s grantmaking is defined by large, sustained support for scientific research centers and investigator networks, with especially strong ties to mathematics, physics, computation, autism research, and selected life sciences fields. A major thread in the recent record is support for research infrastructure and recurring institutional programs: the Simons Observatory at the University of California San Diego received $26,508,195 in 2023 and $12,782,220 in 2024, while the New York Genome Center received $20,000,000 in both 2023 and 2024 through a continuing gift. The foundation also backs long-running university-based programs such as the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing at UC Berkeley and the Simons Math/Physics Operating Fund at Stony Brook Foundation Inc. Its portfolio includes both direct research awards and capacity-building grants, including support for autism research at Clinical Research Associates and for the National Museum of Mathematics. Across these examples, the foundation favors projects tied to institutional platforms, research collaboration, and field-building rather than isolated one-off awards.
What Simons Foundation Funds
In mathematics and theoretical computer science, the foundation funded the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing at UC Berkeley with $4,500,000 in 2024 and $3,925,000 in 2023, showing continued support for an institutional research platform. In autism and neuroscience, it gave $3,184,000 in 2023 and $3,130,000 in 2024 to Clinical Research Associates for autism research, and $2,028,805 in 2023 to the University of Cambridge for the Autism Prenatal Sex Differences (APEX) Program. In genomics and cancer-related research, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory received $3,315,402 in 2024 and $3,219,463 in 2023 for applications of genomics to breast cancer detection, risk assessment, and treatment response. The foundation also supports public mathematics engagement: Math for America received $19,000,000 in 2023.
How Simons Foundation Gives
The typical grant size is $8,400 at the 25th percentile, $75,000 at the median, and $152,242 at the 75th percentile, which indicates a mix of smaller program awards and much larger institutional grants. The recent record shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including continuing gifts and operating support for research centers, fellowships, and institute-level programs. It is a regular funder and funds individuals, which aligns with its fellowship-heavy program list. Several active programs also accept unsolicited applications, including New Ideas, Targeted Grants in MPS, and multiple fellowship programs.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$107M
Total Assets
$4.5B
Total Revenue
$171.4M
Total Expenses
$365M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $152K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$152K
Geographic Reach
National49 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
DAVID SPERGEL
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Simons Foundation Funds
Top 10 recipient countries by grant volume for Simons Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 4,842 | $795.9M | 87.0% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 142 |
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