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The Vallee Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.3M
Grant Range
$400K - $0.4M
Decision Time
8mo

The Vallee Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: ~$3.3 million (2023/2024)
  • Total Assets: $64.8 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $400,000 (Vallee Scholar Awards)
  • Decision Time: ~7 months (September invitation to September announcement for Vallee Scholars)
  • Geographic Focus: International (North America, Europe, UK)

Contact Details

Overview

The Vallee Foundation was established in 1996 by Bert L. Vallee (1919-2010) and Natalie "Kuggie" Vallee (1926-2011) to foster originality, creativity, and leadership within biomedical scientific research and medical education. Bert Vallee was a pioneering biochemist who established the Biophysics Research Laboratory at Harvard Medical School in 1954 and became the Paul C. Cabot Professor of Biological Chemistry at Harvard in 1965, notable for discovering the metallothionein protein in 1957.

The Foundation's mission is "to promote a collegial community of international scientists, to enhance scientific collaboration and communication, and to advance medical education and biomedical research." Since 2013, the Foundation has invested over $20 million in supporting 65 exceptional early-career researchers worldwide through its Vallee Scholar Awards program alone. As of January 1, 2020, the organization legally became known as The Vallee Foundation Inc. Total assets have grown from $7.8 million in 2011 to over $64 million by 2024, with approximately 94% of expenses directed toward charitable disbursements.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Vallee Scholar Awards - $400,000 over four years

  • Annual program supporting six early-career biomedical researchers
  • Unrestricted, flexible funding with mandatory participation in annual meetings
  • Nomination-only process through selected institutions
  • December 1 nomination deadline; February 1 application deadline; September announcement

Vallee Visiting Professorships (VVP)

  • Month-long sabbaticals at premier research institutions worldwide
  • Honorarium plus reimbursement for travel and accommodation
  • Two to four VVPs appointed annually by the Board from nominated candidates
  • Open to distinguished scientists from any institution globally

Kuggie Vallee Distinguished Lecturers

  • Honors the Foundation's co-founder
  • Highlights major successes by women in biomedical sciences
  • Includes public lectures and workshops on women in science and career building

Eddy Fischer Fellowship Fund for Lindau Nobel Meetings

  • Travel fellowships for gifted young postdocs to attend Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings
  • Named in honor of former Board Member Edmond H. Fischer (1920-2021), 1992 Nobel Prize recipient

Bert and Natalie Vallee Award in Biomedical Science (with ASBMB)

  • $10,000 award plus plaque and travel expenses
  • Recognizes established scientists for outstanding basic biomedical research accomplishments
  • Presented annually at the ASBMB meeting

Priority Areas

  • Basic biomedical research
  • Early-career researcher development
  • International scientific collaboration
  • Women in science initiatives
  • Innovative and bold scientific research approaches

What They Don't Fund

  • Salary support for Vallee Scholar Award recipients themselves
  • Graduate student tuition exceeding $10,000 per year
  • Indirect costs exceeding 10% of award funding
  • Non-biomedical research areas
  • Organizations outside their selected institutional network (for Vallee Scholars)

Governance and Leadership

President: Peter M. Howley, MD

  • Shattuck Professor of Pathological Anatomy and Professor of Microbiology and Immunobiology at Harvard Medical School
  • Third President of the Foundation (elected 2015)
  • Member of National Academy of Sciences (1993), Institute of Medicine (1994), and American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1996)
  • Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology

Executive Director/Secretary: Alexa M. Mason

  • Primary contact for program inquiries

Board Members/Trustees:

  • Alexa M. Mason
  • Carol Robinson
  • Elizabeth Huidekoper

Previous Presidents:

  • Bert L. Vallee (Founder, until 2010)
  • S. James Adelstein (2010-2015) - Paul C. Cabot Distinguished Professor of Medical Biophysics, Harvard Medical School

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Vallee Scholar Awards (Primary Grant Program):

  • Nomination-Only Process: Awards are available only to investigators nominated by institutions selected by the Foundation Board of Directors
  • One nomination accepted per institution annually
  • Candidates cannot apply directly; they must be nominated by their institution

Vallee Visiting Professorships:

  • No direct applications accepted
  • Candidates must be nominated to be considered
  • Board appoints 2-4 VVPs annually from nominated pool

Bert and Natalie Vallee Award (ASBMB):

  • Nominations must originate from ASBMB members
  • Nominee need not be an ASBMB member

Getting on Their Radar

The Vallee Foundation operates through a closed nomination system. To be considered:

  • Join an eligible institution: The Foundation invites specific institutions to submit nominations annually. Current eligible institutions for 2026 include: Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, UCLA, UCSF, University of Cambridge, EPFL Switzerland, Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins University, MIT, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Rockefeller University, Stanford University, University of Oxford, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Washington University in St. Louis, Weill Cornell Medicine, Yale University, and others.
  • Work with your institution's research office: Each eligible institution has internal nomination processes
  • Build a track record in basic biomedical research: The Foundation values "bold and innovative" research approaches

Decision Timeline

Vallee Scholar Awards Timeline:

  • September: Foundation invites eligible institutions
  • December 1: Dean/Department Chair nomination deadline
  • February 1: Completed applications due
  • Early September: Awards announced

Reapplication Policy

Given the competitive, nomination-only nature of awards, unsuccessful candidates may be renominated in subsequent years if they continue to meet eligibility criteria (PhD/MD within 12 years, independent researcher for 6 years or fewer).

Application Success Factors

For Vallee Scholar Awards - The Foundation specifically seeks:

  • Bold and innovative research: The Foundation emphasizes supporting "bold and innovative basic biomedical research" - incremental science is unlikely to be competitive
  • Early-career stage: Candidates must be within 12 years of PhD/MD and 6 years of independent research position
  • Strong institutional support: Nominations require letters from Dean/Department Chair
  • Career extension for parents: The Foundation extends the 12-year deadline by one year per child (maximum 2-year extension) - demonstrating commitment to supporting diverse career paths
  • Commitment to mentorship: Applications require description of mentorship approach
  • Clear articulation of innovation: Must explain novel/innovative aspects of research
  • Lay communication skills: Project summary must be written in accessible terms

Recent Successful Scholars (2025 cohort characteristics):

  • Recipients from diverse international institutions (Francis Crick Institute, Institut Pasteur, Duke, UC Berkeley, Washington University, Caltech)
  • Prior recognition through other prestigious awards (ERC Starting Grants, NIH Director's New Innovator Awards, HHMI Hanna Gray Fellowships, Pew Biomedical Scholars)
  • Research spanning virology, epigenetics, developmental biology, biochemistry, and neuroscience

The Foundation actively welcomes "nominations for outstanding scientists from diverse backgrounds and experiences."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Nomination-only system: You cannot apply directly to the Vallee Foundation; work with your institution's research office if your university is on the invited list
  • Focus on basic biomedical research: Clinical or applied research is outside their scope
  • $400,000 over four years with relatively unrestricted use (no PI salary, limited indirect costs)
  • Early-career focus: Must be within 6 years of becoming an independent researcher
  • International reach: Programs support scientists from institutions across North America and Europe
  • Community emphasis: Award includes mandatory participation in annual meetings and joining a network of scholars
  • Parent-friendly policies: Career timeline extensions available for new parents
  • Strong track record: Over $20 million invested in 65 scholars since 2013

References

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