Whitehall Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $5,860,999 (2023)
Total Assets: $111,640,964 (2024)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: 2.5-3 months from full application deadline
Grant Range: $30,000 - $300,000 (total award)
Geographic Focus: United States (accredited institutions only)

Contact Details

Website: www.whitehall.org
Phone: (561) 655-4474
Fax: (561) 655-1296
Email: email@whitehall.org
Mailing Address: PO Box 3423, Palm Beach, FL 33480-1623
Corporate Secretary: Ms. Catherine Thomas

Overview

The Whitehall Foundation was founded in 1937 by George Monroe Moffett, a food science researcher at CPC International Inc. With assets exceeding $111 million and annual giving of approximately $5.9 million, the Foundation focuses exclusively on basic research in vertebrate (excluding clinical) and invertebrate neurobiology in the United States. In 2023, the Foundation awarded 118 grants to researchers across the country. The Foundation's mission is to "assist those dynamic areas of basic biological research that are not heavily supported by Federal Agencies or other foundations with specialized missions," with particular emphasis on supporting early-career investigators and scientists transitioning into new fields. The Foundation has been supporting neuroscience research for over 85 years.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Research Grants: $30,000 - $100,000 per year for 2-3 years (total awards up to $300,000)

For established scientists of all ages at accredited U.S. institutions
Requires assistant professor level or higher
Maximum equipment purchase: $30,000
Application method: Three annual cycles with Letter of Intent deadlines

Grants-in-Aid: Up to $30,000 for one year

Specifically designed for assistant professor level researchers
For investigators experiencing difficulty competing for research funds due to being early in their careers
Maximum equipment purchase: $15,000
Applicants reviewed and ranked together with Research Grant applicants

Priority Areas

The Foundation is interested in basic research in neurobiology defined as:

Neural mechanisms involved in sensory, motor, and other complex functions of the whole organism as these relate to behavior
Behavioral neuroscience - research where the overall goal is to better understand behavioral output or brain mechanisms of behavior
Invertebrate neurophysiology - innovative and imaginative projects exploring neural function in invertebrate model systems
Vertebrate neurobiology (excluding clinical applications) - fundamental research on brain function and neural systems
Projects that provide insights into normal neural functioning and behavior

What They Don't Fund

Clinical research - projects focused primarily on disease(s) unless they also provide insights into normal functioning
Investigators with substantial extramural funding - those receiving more than $200,000 per year in total direct funds (excluding PI salary/fringe)
Researchers at non-accredited institutions - only U.S. accredited institutions are eligible
Dependent researchers - applicants must be independent investigators with Principal Investigator status and dedicated lab space (not working under another PI)

Governance and Leadership

Corporate Secretary: Catherine Thomas (Executive Director)
Grants Officer: Jennifer Rapaport
Manager: Lucas Nicolao
Scientific Advisors: The Foundation employs scientific advisors who review letters of intent and applications

Detailed information about the full board of trustees is not publicly available, though the Foundation operates as a private foundation incorporated in New Jersey in 1937 and currently based in Palm Beach, Florida.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Whitehall Foundation uses a two-stage application process:

Stage 1: Letter of Intent (LOI)

Submit to one of three annual deadlines: January 15, April 15, or October 1
Maximum 2 pages (600 words maximum, 11-point font minimum)
Must include technical description of proposed research
Figures are acceptable with legends included in word count
Critical limitation: Only one LOI per investigator per 12-month period
Scientific advisors review and determine which projects advance to full application

Stage 2: Full Application (by invitation only)

Invitation to submit full applications issued after LOI review
Applications judged on scientific merit, innovative aspects, and applicant competence
Minimum 20% time commitment from Principal Investigator required
Budget items must be justified
Equipment purchases limited to $30,000 for Research Grants, $15,000 for Grants-in-Aid

Application Cycles:

LOI Deadline	Application Materials Issued	Application Deadline	Award Notification
January 15	March 15	June 1	August 15
April 15	June 15	September 1	December 1
October 1	December 15	February 15	May 15

Decision Timeline

LOI to invitation decision: Approximately 2 months
Full application to award notification: 2.5-3 months
Total process (if invited to full application): Approximately 5-6 months from initial LOI submission

Success Rates

The Foundation does not publicly disclose specific success rates or acceptance percentages. However, in 2023, the Foundation made 118 awards, indicating a competitive but active grant-making program. The two-stage process means that many applicants are filtered out at the LOI stage before reaching full application review.

Reapplication Policy

One-year waiting period: Investigators may submit only one letter of intent per twelve-month period. This applies regardless of whether the previous application was successful or unsuccessful. If your LOI or application is not successful, you must wait a full year from your last LOI submission date before reapplying.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's guidance and requirements, successful applications demonstrate:

1. Focus on Basic Research in Behavioral Neuroscience The Foundation explicitly states that research should concern "neural mechanisms involved in sensory, motor, and other complex functions of the whole organism as these relate to behavior." The overall goal should be to "better understand behavioral output or brain mechanisms of behavior." This is a critical alignment factor - your research must clearly connect neural mechanisms to behavioral outcomes.

2. Novel and Innovative Approaches The Foundation seeks "innovative and imaginative projects." Applications are judged on "the innovative aspects of the proposal," suggesting that incremental studies or purely confirmatory work are less competitive.

3. Independence and Career Stage Appropriateness For Grants-in-Aid, the Foundation specifically targets researchers who "experience difficulty in competing for research funds because they have not yet become firmly established." For Research Grants, applicants must demonstrate independence with dedicated lab space and PI status. The Foundation is designed to support researchers who fall between being too junior for major NIH grants but not yet having substantial funding.

4. Limited Competing Funding The Foundation excludes researchers with more than $200,000/year in extramural funding. This suggests they prioritize investigators who genuinely need support and aren't already well-funded. Applications should make clear that the investigator needs this funding to conduct their research.

5. Quality and Creativity of Research The Foundation states: "The chief criteria for support are the quality and creativity of the research as well as the commitment of the Principal Investigator." This emphasizes both scientific rigor and originality of approach.

6. Strong Letter of Intent Since the LOI is the gateway to the full application process, it must be compelling. At only 600 words, every word counts. The LOI should clearly articulate the behavioral relevance of the proposed neural mechanisms research and demonstrate innovation.

7. Institutional Support and PI Commitment A minimum 20% time allocation is required, demonstrating that the Foundation expects this to be a significant focus of the investigator's research program, not a side project.

Example of Funded Research: Dr. Cheng Huang at Washington University School of Medicine received a Whitehall Foundation grant to study neural mechanisms of prediction using Drosophila (fruit flies) as a model to understand learning and prediction processes relevant to human brain function.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Target the funding gap: The Foundation specifically seeks researchers who don't have substantial extramural funding (under $200,000/year) and may have difficulty competing for traditional funding - make this clear in your application
Behavioral connection is essential: Your research must explicitly address how neural mechanisms relate to behavior; purely molecular or cellular neuroscience without behavioral relevance won't be competitive
Only one shot per year: With only one LOI allowed per 12-month period, ensure your submission is polished and ready - you cannot quickly revise and resubmit
LOI is critical: The 600-word LOI determines whether you advance to full application - invest significant time crafting a compelling, concise case for your research's innovation and behavioral relevance
Innovation over incrementalism: Emphasize what's novel and imaginative about your approach; the Foundation explicitly values creativity and innovative aspects
Career stage matters: For early-career researchers (assistant professor level), Grants-in-Aid are designed for you - emphasize how this funding will help you establish your research program
Mind the three deadlines: Plan your submission to align with one of the three annual LOI deadlines (January 15, April 15, October 1) and prepare for a 5-6 month timeline to award notification

References

All sources accessed December 2025.