About Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) advances the discovery and sharing of scientific knowledge to benefit us all; HHMI is a biomedical research organization and philanthropy that supports scientific research, science education, and public engagement.
Focus Areas
Biomedical researchBasic biological sciencesScience educationPublic engagementResearch training and career-stage supportInternational research programs
Who They Fund
K-12 studentsK-12 science teachershigher-education faculty researchers (H. Gray Scholars)underrepresented students and faculty in STEM fieldsmedical researchers
Funding Style
About Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s recent grants show a strong pattern of large, multi-institution awards in science education and research training, alongside support for biomedical and basic biological research. One of the clearest examples is the $3,198,600 grant to the University of Alaska Anchorage for Inclusive Excellence 3 Learning Community, which reflects HHMI’s emphasis on learning communities and inclusive excellence in STEM. The institute also backs major national science education work, including a $3,000,000 grant to the University of Pittsburgh for Science Education Alliance and a $3,000,000 grant to Loudoun County Public Schools for K-12 science education activities. Its portfolio extends beyond classrooms into faculty development and medical research. HHMI awarded $2,560,000 to Vanderbilt University for H. Gray Scholars - Faculty and $2,900,000 to the Allen Institute for Medical Research. These grants fit the organization’s broader mission of advancing scientific knowledge through research, education, and public engagement. The recent record also includes repeated support for structured programs such as Driving Change and H. Gray Scholars, indicating a preference for named initiatives that build capacity across institutions rather than one-off project sponsorships.
What Howard Hughes Medical Institute Funds
HHMI funds a mix of K-12 science education, faculty development, and research-focused programming. In K-12 science education, it gave $3,000,000 to Loudoun County Public Schools for support of K-12 science education activities and $1,500,000 to Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation Inc for the same type of work. For higher-education faculty support, the foundation backed Vanderbilt University with $2,560,000 for H. Gray Scholars - Faculty and awarded $1,658,760 to Stanford University for H. Gray Scholars - Grant. It also supported similar faculty awards at Stanford Univ, Yale University, University of California-San Francisco, University of Colorado Boulder, University of California - San Diego, and Boston University. In research and advanced training, HHMI gave $2,900,000 to the Allen Institute for Medical Research, $2,026,905 to UNC Chapel Hill for Medical Research, and $1,950,000 to Marine Biological Lab for Advanced Courses.
How Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gives
Typical grant size is substantial: the 25th percentile is $50,000, the median is $472,833, and the 75th percentile is $782,716. The recent list shows both smaller institutional awards and many multi-million-dollar grants, which suggests HHMI uses a layered grantmaking model across programmatic and research support. The same program names recur across years and institutions, especially Driving Change and H. Gray Scholars, pointing to recurring, structured support rather than isolated gifts. HHMI is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals. It also does not make program-related investments.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$51.6M
Total Assets
$27.3B
Total Revenue
$1.8B
Total Expenses
$1.2B
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $50K and $783K, with a median of $473K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$473K
75th Percentile
$783K
Geographic Reach
National47 states funded
About 5% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
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