About Drexel University
Advance education, research, innovation, and community impact by providing experiential, technology-infused learning and fostering interdisciplinary discovery that benefits students, faculty, and society.
Focus Areas
higher educationstudent scholarships and supportresearch (health, design, technology/engineering, social sciences)innovation and entrepreneurshipglobal partnershipscommunity engagementsustainability
Who They Fund
higher education institutions (universities, colleges)academic researchers and research teamsgraduate and professional students (medicine, nursing, computer science, business)industry / private-sector partners collaborating with academia
About Drexel University
Drexel University’s recent giving is anchored by large research awards to major academic and clinical partners, with the biggest listed grant going to the Regents of the University of California, Berkeley for $2,292,571 in 2024. The next year, the university continued that pattern with a $2,036,695 grant to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, showing sustained support for research collaborations at the institutional level. Across the recent grants list, Drexel University funds universities, hospitals, school districts, and research organizations, with awards that reach well into the seven figures. The portfolio points to a funder that uses grantmaking to support research, applied collaboration, and knowledge transfer rather than individual support. Recipients include the Regents of the University of California, Berkeley, the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, and the School District of Philadelphia, indicating activity across higher education and public-sector research settings. The active grant programs also show a formal research agenda in Latin America through SALURBAL ancillary studies focused on policy evaluation, urban health, mobility, emissions control, and reduction of social inequalities. That combination of large institutional grants and targeted research calls defines how Drexel University funds.
What Drexel University Funds
Drexel University’s giving aligns most clearly with research translation and applied academic work. In research, it awarded $917,116 to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles in 2023 and $624,305 in 2024, both listed as research grants. It also gave $649,714 to Johns Hopkins University in 2025 and $592,100 in 2024, again under research, which shows continued support for multi-year institutional research relationships. The portfolio also includes $629,411 to Clarifi in 2025, indicating support beyond campuses into community-facing organizations. Another research grant went to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for $546,887 in 2023, reinforcing the medical and clinical research side of its work. Its active SALURBAL program adds a more specialized line of grantmaking for policy evaluation studies in Latin America tied to urban health and environmental impacts.
How Drexel University Gives
Drexel University’s typical grant size is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $67,674 at the median, and $167,464 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including the Regents of the University of California Berkeley, the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, and the School District of Philadelphia. That pattern suggests recurring institutional relationships rather than isolated one-off awards. The foundation is a regular funder and also makes program-related investments. The active SALURBAL ancillary study programs accept unsolicited proposals, with awards ranging from $0 to $100,000 and project lengths of 1 to 3 years.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$19.4M
Total Assets
$2.9B
Total Revenue
$1.4B
Total Expenses
$1.5B
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $167K, with a median of $68K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$68K
75th Percentile
$167K
Geographic Reach
National40 states funded
About 31% of grants go to recipients in PA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
HELEN BOWMAN
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