The Zachary & Elizabeth M. Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation is a highly focused biomedical funder that directs large, targeted gifts to leading New York–based biomedical research institutions to support Alzheimer’s disease research. Its giving prioritizes institutional research programs and investigator-driven neuroscience work at major academic medical centers rather than small community nonprofits or service providers. The foundation’s grants are concentrated and strategic, aimed at accelerating scientific discovery and potential therapies for Alzheimer’s disease.
Highly concentrated, large-dollar grants primarily to a small set of repeat grantees (Rockefeller University and NYU), favoring multi-grant relationships and major institutional commitments rather than broad, small-dollar or geographically diverse giving.
The Zachary & Elizabeth M Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation gives in large, research-centered blocks, with recent awards reaching $10,951,990 to The Rockefeller University and $8,400,000 to New York University School of Medicine. That scale points to a funder focused on sustained biomedical research rather than broad, small-scale grantmaking. Its recent activity centers on Alzheimer’s disease research at New York academic medical institutions, with repeated support to The Rockefeller University across multiple years and additional funding to New York University and New York University School of Medicine. The foundation’s pattern is highly targeted: grants are directed to a small set of research institutions, and the purpose language stays consistent around Alzheimer’s disease research. The 2024 and 2025 awards to Rockefeller and NYU show continued support for institutional research programs and investigator-led work. The presence of both multi-million-dollar and smaller six-figure grants suggests a mix of major program support and more focused research funding within the same disease area.
In Alzheimer’s disease biomedical research, the foundation has supported The Rockefeller University with multiple grants, including $9,762,943 in 2023 and $3,500,000 in 2024, both described as funding Alzheimer’s disease research. It also gave $10,951,990 in 2025 to the same institution for the same purpose, showing repeated support for a single research environment. At New York University School of Medicine, the foundation awarded $8,400,000 in 2025 for Alzheimer’s disease research. The foundation also made a $300,000 grant in 2023 to New York University for the same disease area. Across these awards, the common thread is biomedical research support rather than service delivery. The grant purposes in the recent list point to basic and translational neuroscience work carried out at academic medical centers in New York.
Typical grants are large: the recent distribution shows a 25th percentile of $375,000, a median of $1,950,000, and a 75th percentile of $5,065,736. The pattern is concentrated rather than diffuse, with repeated awards to the same institutions across 2023, 2024, and 2025. It is a public charity, not an individual-giving funder, and it does not make program-related investments. The available grant history suggests restricted institutional support tied to Alzheimer’s disease research rather than open, competitive programming.
$19.4M
$36.3M
$14.5M
$22.5M
Most grants fall between $375K and $5.1M, with a median of $2M.
25th Percentile
$375K
Median
$2M
75th Percentile
$5.1M
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Notable grantees: The Rockefeller University, New York University School of Medicine, New York University
Giving is local and entirely in New York, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. The recent grants list places awards in New York City institutions, including The Rockefeller University, New York University School of Medicine, and New York University. The foundation’s top state by grant count is NY, and the recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. The pattern is geographically narrow and centered on New York academic research institutions.
It funds Alzheimer’s disease biomedical research, with recent grants described as supporting Alzheimer’s disease research at academic institutions such as The Rockefeller University and New York University School of Medicine.
Recent grants are large: the 25th percentile is $375,000, the median is $1,950,000, and the 75th percentile is $5,065,736.
Its giving is local, and 100% of grants in the available data went to recipients in New York. The recent grants all went to U.S. recipients in New York City institutions.
Yes. The Rockefeller University appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025 grants, and New York University School of Medicine appears in 2024 and 2025, indicating repeated institutional support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $10,951,990 | 2025 | TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS. |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | NEW YORK, NY | $8,400,000 | 2025 | TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS. |
| THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $3,500,000 | 2024 | TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS. |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | BOSTON, NY | $400,000 | 2024 | TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS. |
| THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $9,762,943 | 2023 | TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS. |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2023 | TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. |
TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS.
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$8,400,000TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS.
TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS.
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$400,000TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS.
TO FUND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESEARCH. SEE PART IV FOR DETAILS.