Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
ActiveMedical Research
About Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
To support the National Institutes of Health in its mission and to advance collaboration with biomedical researchers from universities, industry, and nonprofit organizations; to provide and administer fellowships, grants, training, research programs, meetings, and other activities that support biomedical research and education.
Focus Areas
Biomedical researchTranslational medicineFellowships and trainingClinical trials consortiaCancerNeuroscienceInfectious diseaseRare diseasesBiomarkers
Who They Fund
biomedical researchers (academic and industry)biotech and pharmaceutical organizationshealthcare providers and health systems
About Foundation for the National Institutes of Health
A defining feature of Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Inc is its role in supporting NIH research through large project grants, with several of the biggest recent awards flowing directly to NIH institutes in Bethesda. The largest grant in the recent list was $8.7 million to Nihniams in 2025, followed by $7.5 million to the same institute in 2024. Other major NIH recipients include Nihnci, Nihniaid, Nih Nimh, and Nih Nia, showing a grantmaking pattern centered on federal biomedical research priorities rather than a broad charitable portfolio. Beyond NIH itself, the foundation also backs university and research-organization partners such as the University of Southern California, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Research Triangle Institute. Its stated purpose is to support the National Institutes of Health in its mission and to advance collaboration with biomedical researchers from universities, industry, and nonprofit organizations. The recent grants show that this mission is carried out through substantial research support, with recurring awards that connect NIH institutes and outside institutions around biomedical studies, training, and collaborative research infrastructure.
What Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Funds
Cancer-related collaboration appears in both the foundation’s program list and its grants. Under the Partnership for Accelerating Cancer Therapies, it supports research and infrastructure to develop and validate biomarkers and platforms for immuno-oncology therapeutics. In recent awards, it gave $1,277,547 to Nihnci and $562,536 to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for research. Neuroscience is another visible area: the Deeda Blair Research Initiative for Disorders of the Brain supports research into brain disorders, and the foundation gave $3,068,409 to Nih Nimh and $614,100 to Nihninds for research. Infectious disease and related clinical work also appear through the RECOVER – Treating Long COVID program, which coordinates NIH and external partners, alongside grants to Nihniaid totaling $5,440,078 and $2,370,985 in the recent list. Training is part of the mix as well through fellowships and the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program.
How Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Gives
Typical grants are mid-sized to large: the p25 is $69,691, the median is $237,341, and the p75 is $949,504. The recent list includes both very large project awards and smaller research grants, indicating a wide spread within a research-funding model. Recurring support is visible in repeated awards to the same NIH institutes across 2023, 2024, and 2025, including NIHIAMS, NIHNCI, NIHNIAID, NIH NIMH, and NIH NINDS. The foundation does not make grants to individuals and does not make program-related investments. Several programs are structured around nominations or coordinated partnerships rather than open unsolicited applications.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$21.8M
Total Assets
$214.1M
Total Revenue
$78.5M
Total Expenses
$76.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $70K and $950K, with a median of $237K.
25th Percentile
$70K
Median
$237K
75th Percentile
$950K
Geographic Reach
Regional15 states funded
About 43% of grants go to recipients in NC.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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