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The Tommy Fuss Fund

Annual Giving
$0.9M
Grant Range
$50K - $0.3M
Decision Time
3mo

The Tommy Fuss Fund - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $892,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only at foundation level)
  • Decision Time: Varies by program
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $250,000
  • Geographic Focus: Massachusetts-based institutions (Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, McLean Hospital)

Contact Details

Website: http://tommyfussfund.org/ (Note: Website currently experiencing certificate issues)

Foundation Address: 44 Longfellow Rd, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481

EIN: 04-7024674

For specific grant program inquiries:

  • Tommy Fuss Scholars Program (MGH): Contact Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Precision Psychiatry
  • Tommy Fuss Center Research Grants (Boston Children's): Contact Boston Children's Hospital Research Administration

Overview

The Tommy Fuss Fund is a private family foundation established in 2007 by RoseMary and Dan Fuss following the loss of their son Tommy to suicide in 2006 at age 17. With assets exceeding $20 million, the foundation has dedicated 17 years to promoting medical research to further understanding of mental illness and develop more effective means of diagnosing and treating psychiatric disease. The foundation takes a precision medicine approach to mental health, emphasizing early identification through genetic and biological markers. Dan Fuss is the legendary vice chairman of Loomis, Sayles & Company and manager of the Loomis Sayles Bond Fund, known as "The Warren Buffett of Bonds." The foundation operates as a private, non-operating foundation that makes strategic investments in three premier Boston-area research institutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Tommy Fuss Fund supports three major institutional programs:

1. Tommy Fuss Scholars Program in Precision Psychiatry (Massachusetts General Hospital)

  • Amount: $50,000 for one year (inclusive of indirect costs)
  • Target: Early-career investigators
  • Focus: Therapeutics, big data analytics, precision treatment matching, mobile health technologies, genomics, neuroscience, and clinical trials
  • Application: Annual application cycle (applications typically due in January)

2. Tommy Fuss Center Research Awards (Boston Children's Hospital)

  • Next Generation Awards: Advance research productivity of outstanding scientists building programs in developmental neuropsychiatric disease
  • Innovation Awards: Support pilot studies exploring novel domains to seed mature research
  • Young Investigator Awards: $75,000 for promising young scientists
  • Independent Investigator Awards: Up to $150,000 over two years (inclusive of 15% overhead) for established researchers at assistant, associate, or full professor level
  • Fellowship Program: Training support for clinical and research fellows preparing for careers treating and researching mental illnesses

3. Endowed Chair Support (Massachusetts General Hospital & McLean Hospital)

  • Tommy Fuss Endowed Chair in Precision Psychiatry: Leadership-level researcher position at MGH
  • McLean Hospital Endowed Chair: Multi-year commitment ($168,000 - $250,000 grants observed)

Priority Areas

The foundation exclusively funds research related to:

  • Neuropsychiatric disease research in children and young adults
  • Precision psychiatry approaches using genetics and biological markers
  • Suicide risk identification and prevention
  • Depression research including predictive tools for treatment response and prevention factors
  • Schizophrenia genetic analysis for drug targets
  • AI-enhanced clinical decision-making in mental health
  • Early detection and intervention for psychiatric disorders

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations outside their preselected institutional partners
  • Research unrelated to mental health and neuropsychiatric disease
  • General operating support for organizations
  • Programs not focused on biological/genetic understanding of mental illness
  • Research not based at Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, or McLean Hospital

Governance and Leadership

Founders and Trustees:

  • RoseMary B. Fuss (Co-Founder, Trustee) - Trustee emeritus of Lasell College in Newton, Massachusetts
  • Daniel J. Fuss, CFA, CIC (Co-Founder, Trustee) - Vice Chairman of Loomis, Sayles & Company; legendary bond investor with 67 years of investment industry experience; inducted into Fixed Income Analysts Society Hall of Fame (2000); recipient of Morningstar Outstanding Portfolio Manager Award (2019)

The foundation operates under trustee discretion, with RoseMary and Dan Fuss maintaining direct oversight of grant-making decisions.

Key Quote from RoseMary Fuss: "The one thing I wish we had done was place more emphasis on the genetic factor, because it turns out there is likely mental illness on both sides of our families." This quote reflects the foundation's emphasis on genetic and biological research.

On their impact philosophy: "We can move the needle in this area" through collaborative efforts bringing together researchers to drive breakthrough discoveries.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

At the Foundation Level: The Tommy Fuss Fund does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to their three institutional partners.

At the Program Level: While the foundation itself does not accept direct applications, researchers at qualifying institutions can apply for grants through the specific programs the foundation supports:

For Tommy Fuss Scholars Program (MGH):

  • Applications typically due in January (specific date varies by year)
  • Applicants must be early-career investigators working with Center for Precision Psychiatry faculty
  • Submit through MGH internal application process

For Tommy Fuss Center Research Awards (Boston Children's):

  • Application details available through Boston Children's Hospital Research Administration
  • Eligibility restricted to independent scientists at Boston Children's Hospital
  • Various award categories with different eligibility criteria

Decision Timeline

  • Tommy Fuss Scholars Program: Decisions typically made within 2-3 months of January deadline
  • Tommy Fuss Center Awards: Timeline varies by award type
  • Endowed Chair Grants: Multi-year commitments decided at trustee level

Application Success Factors

Since the Tommy Fuss Fund operates primarily through institutional partnerships, success factors apply at two levels:

For Institutions Seeking Partnership (Not Currently Available): The foundation has established long-term relationships with its three institutional partners and does not appear to be expanding to new institutions at this time.

For Individual Researchers at Partner Institutions:

  1. Align with Precision Psychiatry Approach: The foundation strongly emphasizes genetic and biological markers. RoseMary Fuss's reflection about wishing they had "placed more emphasis on the genetic factor" signals the importance of this approach.

  2. Focus on Early Identification: Research proposals should demonstrate potential for early detection and intervention, applying precision medicine principles to mental health.

  3. Early-Career Advantage: The foundation shows particular interest in supporting young investigators and launching careers, as evidenced by the Scholars Program and Young Investigator Awards.

  4. Innovation in Methodology: Projects incorporating big data analytics, mobile health technologies, AI-enhanced decision-making, and genomics align with stated priorities.

  5. Collaborative Potential: The foundation values bringing together researchers to drive breakthrough discoveries - demonstrate how your work fits into broader collaborative efforts.

  6. Clinical Translation: Research should show clear pathway from basic science to improved diagnosis, treatment, or prevention.

Recent Funded Projects at Partner Institutions:

  • Dissecting Heterogeneity of Depression (MGH, $249,000)
  • Suicide risk identification algorithms
  • Predictive tools for antidepressant response
  • Various young investigator and independent investigator projects at Boston Children's Hospital ($75,000 - $150,000 range)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Direct foundation applications not accepted: This is an invitation-only foundation that works exclusively with three preselected Boston-area institutions. Do not attempt to apply directly to the foundation.

  • Researcher access through institutional programs: If you are affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, or McLean Hospital, investigate the specific grant programs supported by the Tommy Fuss Fund at your institution.

  • Precision psychiatry is the framework: All successful proposals align with precision medicine approaches, emphasizing genetics, biological markers, and data-driven personalized treatment.

  • Early-career focus: The foundation shows strong commitment to launching careers of young researchers - junior investigators should particularly explore these opportunities.

  • Mental health research only: Focus is exclusively on understanding, diagnosing, and treating neuropsychiatric disease - no other health areas or social service programs.

  • Long-term institutional commitment: The foundation makes multi-year commitments including endowed chairs and annual scholar programs, suggesting stability and sustained partnership approach.

  • Personal mission drives focus: The foundation's origin in the Fuss family's personal loss shapes a focused, outcomes-oriented approach centered on preventing future tragedies through better science.

References

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