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Warren Alpert Foundation

Annual Giving
$22.9M
Grant Range
$25K - $5.1M
Decision Time
2mo

Warren Alpert Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $22,893,636 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $406,646,323 (2023)
  • Grant Range: Under $25,000 - $5,100,000
  • Geographic Focus: Priority given to New England area
  • Decision Time: Quarterly board review cycle (approximately 1-3 months)
  • Application Method: Fixed quarterly deadlines

Contact Details

Warren Alpert Foundation 90 Elm Street, Suite 2 Providence, RI 02903 Phone: (401) 383-1331 Website: https://www.warrenalpertfoundation.org

Overview

Established by philanthropist Warren Alpert (1920-2007) and funded solely by the Warren Alpert Estate, the Warren Alpert Foundation is Rhode Island's largest funder of health and medical-related research. Since its inception in 1986, the foundation has committed over $200 million to its core mission of promoting medical science through research and education. The foundation operates several major programs including the prestigious Warren Alpert Foundation Prize (administered in partnership with Harvard Medical School), the Distinguished Scholars Fellowship for neuroscience researchers, and general grant programs supporting medical research, medical education, and select human services projects. The foundation is a private philanthropic entity that does not solicit external funds. Chairman David M. Hirsch leads the foundation's Board of Directors, which includes medical experts and community leaders. The foundation has gained recognition for supporting groundbreaking research; notably, 14 of its prize recipients have gone on to receive Nobel Prizes.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Warren Alpert Foundation Prize - $500,000 annually Awarded to scientist(s) whose achievements have led to prevention, cure, or treatment of human diseases or whose research holds great promise of changing our understanding of disease. Administered in partnership with Harvard Medical School. Nominations only - not open to direct applications.

Distinguished Scholars Fellowship (Neuroscience) - $400,000 over two years Supports postdoctoral researchers (3-6 years post-PhD/MD) in neurosciences transitioning to Assistant Professor level or higher. Awards $200,000 annually for two years covering salary, lab costs, and related expenses. The foundation expects to make 5+ awards annually. Institutional nomination required (one per institution).

General Grants Over $25,000 Requires Letter of Inquiry (LOI) submission. Separate portals for general and research grants. Recent awards range from $250,000 to $5,100,000.

General Grants $25,000 and Under Direct application available. Priority given to New England region.

Recent Major Initiatives:

  • $9.5 million Alliance to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling (supporting 40 students across 5 northeastern U.S. programs)
  • $5.1 million Stanford Computational Biology and AI Scholars Program
  • $4.5 million Utah Program for Pediatric Personalized Medicine
  • $2.2 million Advancing Precision Psychiatry Through Integration of Genetic and Clinical Data

Priority Areas

  • Medical research (basic, translational, and outcomes research)
  • Medical education and training programs
  • Health education initiatives
  • Neuroscience research
  • Diversity and equity in healthcare professions
  • Computational biology and artificial intelligence in medicine
  • RNA research and precision medicine
  • Genetic counseling and genomics
  • Nursing education and workforce development
  • Pediatric and palliative care programs

The foundation has demonstrated particular interest in fundamental research that may yield surprising benefits years down the road, as evidenced by support for mRNA vaccine research, CAR T-cell therapy development, and the Human RNome Project.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publish explicit exclusions. However, based on funding patterns, the foundation focuses exclusively on health and medical sciences, with occasional support for general education and basic human services that align with health outcomes.

Governance and Leadership

David M. Hirsch - Chairman of the Board Managing partner of Providence-based private investment firm Mustang Partners LLC. Previously served as chairperson for the Rhode Island Foundation and the Miriam Hospital Foundation. Assumed chairmanship in January 2022, succeeding Dr. Joseph Martin, former Harvard Medical School dean.

Hirsch has emphasized the foundation's commitment to fundamental research: "The achievements of the scientists behind mRNA vaccines demonstrate the importance of investing in fundamental research—an investment that may yield surprising, at times unexpected, benefits years down the road."

On recent breakthroughs, Hirsch stated: "Lenacapavir isn't just a transformative medicine, it's a game changer. Removing the burden of daily pills, this twice-yearly injection gives us a real shot at stopping HIV transmission and turning the tide on the HIV epidemic."

Board Members:

  • Dr. Barbara J. McNeil - Ridley Watts Professor of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School
  • Keith Blanchette - Partner, Stolberg, Ebbling & Blanchette
  • Dr. Wendy K. Chung - Director of Clinical Genetics, Columbia University
  • Ronald K. Machtley - Bryant University President Emeritus

Prize Administration: Edward Canton serves as primary contact for the Warren Alpert Foundation Prize nominations and symposium inquiries at Harvard Medical School.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Grants Over $25,000: Submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) through the foundation's website. Separate submission portals exist for general grants and research grants. LOI should include:

  • Program title and description
  • Identified need
  • Goals and methodology
  • Budget estimate and timeline
  • Contact information

For Grants $25,000 and Under: Direct application submission available through the website.

For Distinguished Scholars Fellowship: Institutional nomination required. The dean or academic research officer of each U.S. medical school, academic hospital, or research institute may nominate one candidate. All materials must be submitted electronically by November 1 annually.

Candidate requirements:

  • Hold MD, PhD, or both
  • Completed 3-6 years of postdoctoral fellowship by July 1 of award year
  • Commit minimum 75% effort to research
  • Provide three recommendation letters
  • Submit budgets in NIH G300 format

For Warren Alpert Foundation Prize: Nomination-based only. Not open to self-nomination or direct applications.

Decision Timeline

Applications are reviewed quarterly prior to board of directors meetings held in February, May, August, and November.

Submission Deadlines:

  • January 10th (for February meeting)
  • April 10th (for May meeting)
  • July 10th (for August meeting)
  • October 10th (for November meeting)

Distinguished Scholars Timeline:

  • Enrollment period: July to November 1
  • Submission deadline: November 1
  • Awards announced: March of following year

Decision timeframes typically range from 1-3 months depending on quarterly cycle timing.

Success Rates

Distinguished Scholars Fellowship: Highly competitive with only 5-7 awards made annually from national pool. Each institution limited to one nomination.

General Grants: Success rates not publicly disclosed. In 2023, the foundation awarded $22.9 million across multiple grants.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication restrictions published. The foundation reviews applications on merit each cycle.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's funding patterns and leadership statements, successful applications demonstrate:

1. Groundbreaking Scientific Merit The foundation prioritizes "innovative individuals and organizations dedicated to understanding and curing disease through groundbreaking research." Recent awards have supported transformative work in CAR T-cell therapy, mRNA vaccines, HIV treatment, and precision medicine. Chairman Hirsch emphasized: "Their achievements in the lab harnessed genetic engineering and immunology to create a clinical treatment that enables the treatment of disease and improves human life."

2. Emphasis on Fundamental Research with Long-Term Impact The foundation values basic research that may yield unexpected benefits. As Hirsch noted regarding mRNA vaccine research: "The achievements of the scientists behind mRNA vaccines demonstrate the importance of investing in fundamental research—an investment that may yield surprising, at times unexpected, benefits years down the road."

3. Clear Path from Research to Clinical Application Successful projects demonstrate how research will lead to practical treatments and cures. The foundation has supported work that has resulted in FDA-approved treatments like lenacapavir for HIV.

4. Alignment with Current Scientific Priorities Recent grants reveal focus areas including:

  • RNA research and the "Human RNome"
  • Computational biology and AI in medicine
  • Precision psychiatry and personalized medicine
  • Diversity in healthcare professions
  • Neuroscience research
  • Genetic counseling and genomics

5. Strong Institutional Support For Distinguished Scholars: institutions must demonstrate commitment to the candidate's advancement to faculty positions. Selection is based on "scholastic achievements, academic records, scientific proposal and submitted letters of recommendation."

6. Regional Connection (for general grants) "Due to limited availability of these grants, priority consideration will be focused on the general New England area."

7. Collaborative and Systems Approaches Recent multi-million dollar awards support collaborative initiatives spanning multiple institutions (e.g., the $9.5 million Genetic Counseling Diversity Initiative across 5 programs).

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Target fundamental breakthroughs: The foundation seeks research that will lead to prevention, cure, or treatment of disease, not incremental improvements. Emphasize transformative potential.

  • Understand the quarterly cycle: Plan submissions strategically around the four annual deadlines (January 10, April 10, July 10, October 10) to allow adequate time for LOI review and full proposal development.

  • New England priority: For general grants, geographic location matters. Organizations outside New England should have exceptionally strong scientific merit or partnership with New England institutions.

  • Distinguished Scholars are highly competitive: With only 5-7 awards annually and one nomination per institution, internal institutional competition is significant. Build strong case for institutional support early.

  • Emphasize long-term vision: Chairman Hirsch's statements consistently highlight the value of research that may take years to yield practical applications. Don't shy away from ambitious, long-term goals.

  • Demonstrate clinical translation potential: Even basic research should articulate pathway to clinical impact. The foundation celebrates work that "improves human life."

  • Consider diversity and equity angles: Recent major investments in genetic counseling diversity and nursing workforce development indicate openness to programs that address healthcare workforce and access issues alongside pure research.

References

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