The Ambrose Monell Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $22,540,000 (2023)
Success Rate: N/A (invitation only)
Decision Time: Semi-annual board reviews (June and December)
Grant Range: $10,000 - $7,550,000 (most grants under $300,000)
Geographic Focus: National, with concentration in New York, California, and District of Columbia

Contact Details

Address: One Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 301, New York, NY 10020

Phone: Available on website

Email: Available on website

Note: The Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. All grants are initiated internally by the Foundation.

Overview

The Ambrose Monell Foundation was established in 1956 by Maude Monell Vetlesen in honor of her first husband, Ambrose Monell. With assets of approximately $93.3 million, the foundation distributed $22.5 million to 119 organizations in its most recent fiscal year (2023). The foundation has awarded 523 grants totaling $94.7 million since 2020. The foundation serves religious, charitable, scientific, literary, and educational purposes, with a strategic focus on early-stage research and social initiatives that strive to build a more creative, equitable, and innovative society. The foundation's approach emphasizes encouraging strategic risk-taking and rewarding experimentation and new ideas. Approximately 35% of giving supports education, 29% goes to health, and 15% to arts and culture.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Ambrose Monell Foundation does not maintain specific named grant programs but funds projects across several broad categories:

Science and Medical Research: $10,000 - $26,000,000

Disease and medical research
Chemical senses research
Immunotherapy and cancer research
Innovative early-stage scientific investigations

Education: $25,000 - $600,000+

Higher education institutions
Secondary education
Educational access and equity initiatives

Arts and Culture: $200,000 - $500,000

Museums and cultural institutions
Performing arts organizations
Programming and educational activities

Health and Human Services: $25,000 - $1,000,000+

Hospital support
Mental health services
Services for people with disabilities

Application Method: Invitation only (no public application process)

Priority Areas

Based on recent grants and foundation statements, the Ambrose Monell Foundation prioritizes:

Early-Stage Research: The foundation specifically seeks to support innovative research that other funders might consider too risky
Medical and Scientific Innovation: Particular emphasis on groundbreaking medical research, including cancer treatment, immunotherapy, and chemical senses
Cultural Institutions: Major museums, performing arts organizations, and cultural programming
Educational Excellence: Support for both higher education and secondary education institutions
Social Innovation: Initiatives that build a more creative, equitable, and innovative society

What They Don't Fund

Individuals (the foundation does not make grants to individuals)
Organizations with fiscal sponsors
Organizations whose tax-exempt status is pending
Organizations that do not qualify to receive charitable grants under the United States Internal Revenue Code

Governance and Leadership

Ambrose K. Monell - President, Director, and Treasurer Ambrose K. Monell leads the foundation's strategic direction. According to Mr. Monell: "Innovation and the hope for a better tomorrow are our core. We emphasize encouraging strategic risk-taking and rewarding experimentation and new ideas."

Mr. Monell has also noted about the foundation's approach: "One of our Foundation's boldest decisions was to award a grant back in 1967 to establish the Monell Chemical Senses Center."

Maurizio Morello, Esquire - Executive Vice President Mr. Morello is a Partner at Fulton Vittoria LLP and serves as Executive Vice President of both The Ambrose Monell Foundation and The G. Unger Vetlesen Foundation.

The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors that meets twice annually to review proposals.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: As of March 1, 2021, the Foundation no longer accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry (LOI) or proposals. All grants are initiated internally by the Foundation.

Proposals may be submitted only by invitation. Unsolicited proposals will not be reviewed.

For organizations invited to submit proposals:

Eligibility Requirements:

Must be qualified to receive charitable grants under the United States Internal Revenue Code
Cannot be fiscal sponsors or have pending tax-exempt status
Must be invited by the foundation to apply

Proposal Submission: Invited organizations should follow the foundation's specific submission guidelines provided with the invitation.

Decision Timeline

The Board of Directors reviews proposals twice a year:

June Review: Proposals must be received by April 30th
December Review: Proposals must be received by October 31st

Important Note: The Foundation does not provide updates or status reports for applications during the review process.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. Given the invitation-only model, organizations invited to apply likely have a higher success rate than would be typical for an open application process. In 2023, the foundation made 114 grants.

Reapplication Policy

Given the invitation-only model, there is no traditional reapplication process. Organizations interested in continued or future support should maintain their relationship with the foundation and its leadership.

Application Success Factors

Since the Ambrose Monell Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, examining the foundation's funded projects and leadership statements reveals what the foundation values:

Innovation and Risk-Taking: President Ambrose K. Monell has emphasized that "innovation and the hope for a better tomorrow are our core" and that the foundation encourages "strategic risk-taking and rewarding experimentation and new ideas."

Long-Term Impact: The foundation demonstrates sustained commitment to organizations making transformational impact. For example, the Monell Chemical Senses Center has received continuous support since 1968, and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has received more than $6.6 million since 2002.

Early-Stage Research: The foundation specifically seeks to support research and initiatives that other funders might consider too risky or too early in development.

Strategic Flexibility: Recent grants have supported Presidential Initiatives Funds and flexible funding mechanisms that enable institutional leaders to "strategically deploy funds that bolster promising opportunities and meet unexpected needs."

Clear Scientific or Social Merit: Funded projects demonstrate clear potential for advancing knowledge or creating social benefit, whether in medical research (immunotherapy, cancer treatment), cultural enrichment (museums, performing arts), or educational access.

Institutional Excellence: Grant recipients include nationally recognized institutions such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, Mount Sinai Hospital, American Museum of Natural History, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Lincoln Center.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Invitation-Only Model: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. All grants are initiated internally by the foundation's leadership and board.
Build Relationships First: Since you cannot apply directly, focus on building visibility within the sectors the foundation funds (medical research, education, arts and culture) and connections with foundation leadership.
Emphasis on Innovation: The foundation explicitly values "strategic risk-taking" and "experimentation and new ideas." If invited to submit a proposal, emphasize the innovative and potentially transformative aspects of your work.
Think Long-Term: The foundation has demonstrated multi-decade commitments to organizations doing excellent work. A relationship with this funder could mean sustained support over many years.
Focus on Early-Stage Work: The foundation specifically seeks to support early-stage research and initiatives that other funders might consider too risky.
Major Gift Capacity: While the foundation makes grants across a wide range ($10,000 - $7.5 million+), they have demonstrated the capacity and willingness to make transformational multi-million dollar grants to organizations pursuing breakthrough work.
Geographic Consideration: While the foundation funds nationally, there is a concentration of grants in New York, California, and the District of Columbia.

References

All sources accessed December 2025.