MDA's mission is to empower the people we serve to live longer, more independent lives by accelerating research, advancing care, and advocating for people living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases.
Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc directs its grantmaking toward muscular dystrophy, ALS, and related neuromuscular diseases, with research and medical-diagnosis grants appearing side by side in the recent record. The largest recent award listed is $650,000 to Myosana Therapeutics Inc in Seattle for research, signaling support for therapy development alongside academic science. Other large grants point to a broad research network: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine received $508,290 in 2024, and the University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute Inc received $505,832 the same year. The foundation also funds clinical and diagnostic work, including grants to Massachusetts General Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center under medical-diagnosis or research categories. Its mission statement centers on helping people live longer and more independently by accelerating research, advancing care, and advocating for people living with neuromuscular disease. The recent grant list shows this is not limited to one type of institution; universities, hospitals, and biotechnology firms all appear in the portfolio.
In research funding, the foundation backs both academic and commercial recipients. Myosana Therapeutics Inc received $650,000 for research, while the University of Washington received $485,202 for research in 2024. That mix suggests support for projects that move from laboratory work toward application. Clinical and diagnostic work is another clear lane: Massachusetts General Hospital received $227,716 in 2023 for medical diagnosis, and Baylor College of Medicine received $202,170 for medical diagnosis. The foundation also supports university medical centers engaged in disease-specific work, including Columbia University Medical Center with a $189,996 research grant and the University of Florida with $255,000 for research. Across these grants, the named purposes stay close to neuromuscular disease science, diagnosis, and care-related infrastructure.
The typical grant size sits around $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $34,710 at the median, and $69,410 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes much larger awards in the hundreds of thousands, showing a wide spread between programmatic support and major research grants. Recipients appear across multiple years, including Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, the University of Rochester, University of Washington, Baylor College of Medicine, and the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. MDA is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and the data points to a grantmaking model built around restricted, project-specific support. Some programs accept unsolicited applications, including the central Funding Opportunities hub and Venture Philanthropy, while targeted RFAs do not.
$12.6M
$50.9M
$64.2M
$61.7M
Most grants fall between $20K and $69K, with a median of $35K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$35K
75th Percentile
$69K
About 6% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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The grant portfolio is national, with every recent grant in the United States. Illinois is the top state by grant count, even though only 6% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state. Recent recipient cities include Seattle, Baltimore, Kansas City, Boston, Rochester, Houston, Dallas, New York, Los Angeles, and Charlotte. Seattle and Baltimore appear repeatedly among the largest awards, while Boston and New York also recur in the recent list.
The recent grants show support for universities, hospitals, research institutes, and biotech companies. Examples include Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute Inc, Myosana Therapeutics Inc, and University of Washington.
The listed focus areas center on muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and related neuromuscular diseases. The program taxonomy also highlights clinical research, gene therapy, diagnostic registry development, and MOVR registry support.
The distribution is $20,000 at the 25th percentile, $34,710 at the median, and $69,410 at the 75th percentile. The recent awards list also includes grants above $500,000 for research.
Yes, some programs do. The Funding Opportunities hub accepts unsolicited applications, and Venture Philanthropy is also marked as accepting unsolicited proposals. Targeted RFAs are listed separately and do not accept unsolicited applications.
The foundation gives nationally, with 411 recent grants all in the United States. Illinois is the top state by grant count, and 6% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state of Illinois.
DR DONALD S WOOD
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Muscular Dystrophy Association that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicants must be from a US-based institution. The program funds postdoctoral investigators working in the laboratory of a senior investigator.
Deadline: Letter of Intent due February 1, 2027; application due April 1, 2027; proposed start date September 1, 2027.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON MEDICAL CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $641,819 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY- CG | BALTIMORE, MD | $578,750 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES | LA JOLLA, CA | $410,998 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS RESEARCH AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER - | ROCHESTER, NY | $398,910 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $377,699 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA - TWIN CITIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $272,950 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| CHILDREN'S RESEARCH INSTITUTE (CNMC) | WASHINGTON, DC | $258,963 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC | KANSAS CITY, KS | $206,922 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $196,318 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINESVILLE, FL | $191,500 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS - UNIV OF ILLINOIS AT | CHICAGO, IL | $189,982 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK | SYRACUSE, NY | $189,470 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $188,722 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| EMORY UNIVERSITY | ATLANTA, GA | $159,603 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| MILLER SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | ATLANTA, GA | $157,732 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $144,824 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA | IOWA CITY, IA | $144,401 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO | DAVIS, CA | $133,975 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS RESEARCH AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT |
| BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | DALLAS, TX | $131,500 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | ATLANTA, GA | $128,050 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT |
| VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | DALLAS, TX | $125,550 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT |
| WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST LOUIS | ST LOUIS, MO | $125,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY | RICHMOND, VA | $122,759 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| FRIEDREICH'S ATAXIA RESEARCH ALLIANCE | SPRINGFIELD, VA | $113,159 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | PITTSBURGH, PA | $112,366 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (IRVINE) | IRVINE, CA | $106,500 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS CHAN MEDICAL SCHOOL | NORTH WORCESTER, MA | $105,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | COLUMBUS, OH | $102,325 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $101,876 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS RESEARCH AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT |
| EMORY UNIVERSITY | ATLANTA, GA | $100,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | CHARLOTTE, NC | $100,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER | DENVER, CO | $100,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| NEMOURS FOUNDATION | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $100,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| UNIVERSITY OF IOWA | IOWA CITY, IA | $100,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| THE METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | HOUSTON, TX | $100,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY | PORTLAND, OR | $99,994 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $96,250 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| CALIFORNIA PACIFIC MEDICAL CENTER FOUNDATION | SACRAMENTO, CA | $92,650 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| ATRIUM HEALTH FOUNDATION | CHARLOTTE, NC | $90,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $85,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $83,300 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $81,212 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| DIGNITY HEALTH DBA ST JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER | PHOENIX, AZ | $80,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| THE PAINTED TURTLE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $80,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH |
| KUMC RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC | KANSAS CITY, KS | $75,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| CLINICAL NEUROLOGY PC | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $75,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $75,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $75,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS |
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON MEDICAL CENTER
$641,819MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
$410,998MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS RESEARCH AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER -
$398,910RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$377,699MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA - TWIN CITIES
$272,950RESEARCH
MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$191,500RESEARCH
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS - UNIV OF ILLINOIS AT
$189,982RESEARCH
THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
$189,470RESEARCH
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS
$188,722RESEARCH
THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
$144,401RESEARCH
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
$133,975MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS RESEARCH AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT
MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT
VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
$122,759RESEARCH
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$112,366MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (IRVINE)
$106,500RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS CHAN MEDICAL SCHOOL
$105,000RESEARCH
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
$102,325MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT
EMORY UNIVERSITY
$100,000MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
$100,000MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
$100,000MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
THE METHODIST HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$100,000MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
$99,994RESEARCH
UT SOUTHWESTERN MEDICAL CENTER
$96,250MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$85,000MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND MOVR REGISTRY SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
$81,212MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
CLINICAL NEUROLOGY PC
$75,000MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT SAN ANTONIO
$75,000MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS
