The Grass Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation advances knowledge principally in neurophysiology and allied fields of medicine and science, so your work fits best if it sits in neuroscience research, neuroscience education or clinical investigation, especially education and outreach in under-resourced communities and institutions.
- The filing says organisations cannot submit unsolicited requests and that contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations, so if you have no existing invitation, you should not apply.
- Half of its grants to organisations were $30,000 or less, so a modest request is the realistic size, although the typical band runs from $1,500 to $195,000.
- Repeat giving is strong: 97% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had already funded, so this is a relationship-led funder, and a warm introduction to someone already connected to it is the most sensible route.
Overview
The Grass Foundation is a US private foundation based in Harrison, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Grass Foundation says it advances knowledge principally in neurophysiology and allied fields of medicine and science, supporting education, research and clinical investigation in those fields. Its Grass Fellowship supports investigator-designed, independent neuroscience research by early-career scientists; applicants with a demonstrated commitment to a research career receive priority. The Foundation also supports neuroscience education and outreach that seeks to make the field broadly inclusive and accessible, including through education in under-resourced communities and institutions. For activities beyond its directly administered programmes, it awards funds to other not-for-profit organisations to administer relevant programmes. Its stated approach values exceptional work, encourages daring, and supports individual growth and collaboration.
Themes
- Neurophysiology
- Allied medicine and science
- Neuroscience research
- Neuroscience education
- Clinical investigation
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Massachusetts and Maryland.
How to apply
Organisations cannot submit unsolicited requests: the filing says contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 97% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 23 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
1 other state: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 83% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to organisations The Grass Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 9 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Marine Biological Laboratory · Grass fellowship program and the forbes lecture.$194,8632024 tax year
- Marine Biological Laboratory · Neurobiology and neural systems and behavior courses.$183,6002024 tax year
- Society for Neuroscience · Year-long, multi-module professional development series for early-career neuroscience researchers on non-laboratory skills.$50,0002024 tax year
- Foundation for the National Institutes of Health · Participation of native american students in the national institute for neurological disorders and stroke (ninds) summer internship program (sip).$30,0002024 tax year
- University of Massachusetts Foundation · Cephalopod neuroscience conference and workshops.$10,0002024 tax year
- Trustees Of Tufts College · Birdsong satellite meeting.$4,0002024 tax year
- Gordon Research Conferences · 2025 neuroethology gordon research conference.$2,5002024 tax year
- Gordon Research Conferences · 2025 cerebellum gordon research seminar.$1,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Steven J Zottoli PhD — Director
- Michael A Long PhD — Director
- Guoping Feng PhD — Director
- Kafui Dzirasa MD PhD — Director
- Gwyneth Card PhD — Director (Began 01/11/2024)
- Felix E Schweizer PhD — Life Director
- Kamran Khodakhah PhD — Life Director (Began 07/11/2024)
- Ronald R Hoy PhD — Life Director
- Henry J Grass MD — Life Director
- Catherine E Carr PhD — Life Director
- Joshua Grass PhD — Director, Treasurer (Began 12/19/2024)
- Bernice Grafstein PhD — Life Director, Vice President
- Matthew B Mcfarlane PhD — Director, President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,344,829 | $936,362 | $24,788,062 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,215,050 | $881,873 | $27,367,598 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $803,217 | $486,963 | $29,721,047 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Grass Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- gfp@grassfoundation.org
- Harrison, NY
- grassfoundation.org
Applying to The Grass Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- gfp@grassfoundation.org
- Harrison, NY
- grassfoundation.org