The Pershing Square Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Pershing Square Foundation, based in New York, NY, with a geographic focus of the United States of America, channels its giving through named prizes - the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize, the MIND Prize and the Lotus Award - aimed at early-career cancer scientists, early-to-mid-career investigators into neurodegenerative disease, and investigators working on ovarian cancer or related work, based at academic research institutions in the United States.
- Most grants to organisations fall between $20,000 and $500,000, with a median of $200,000, so a request in that range is realistic for the general run of giving, while the prizes themselves carry stated amounts of $750,000, $250,000 and $750,000.
- For the Cancer Prize, eligible organisations submit a Letter of Intent online and the project is judged on that alone, with no further proposal stage, so applicants should put their strongest case into that document; application method otherwise varies by programme.
- 86% of its grant dollars went to organisations also funded in its two prior filings, so it leans toward continuing relationships with researchers and institutions it already knows, making the Letter of Intent the clear route in for newcomers.
- Note that the MIND Prize does not fund clinical trial or medical device-focused projects, so work of that kind should not be directed at that particular prize.
Overview
The Pershing Square Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, 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 Foundation describes its approach as investing in pioneering individuals, non-profits and mission-driven companies that re-imagine what is possible. Its research programmes support early-career cancer scientists and early-to-mid-career investigators working to advance understanding of neurodegenerative disease; the Lotus Award backs investigators with promising ovarian cancer projects or relevant work in another cancer. It favours radically innovative, scientifically sound, high-risk, high-reward research, values interdisciplinary collaboration, and seeks work with clear potential impact. The cancer and neuroscience prizes are for principal investigators at academic research institutions in the United States, and winners join networks of researchers.
Themes
- Cancer research
- Neurodegenerative diseases
Geographic Focus
United States of America.
What They Don't Fund
- MIND Prize only: Clinical trial or medical device-focused projects
How to apply
For the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Prize, eligible research organisations submit a Letter of Intent online. The project is evaluated solely through the Letter of Intent; there is no full proposal stage.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 86% 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 165 grants to organisations were $200,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Cancer proposals should be radically novel, scientifically sound, high-risk and high-reward, and might pursue work too innovative or speculative for traditional funding.
- Cancer applicants are expected to show creativity, adaptability, strong written communication and an ability to collaborate.
- Cancer proposals with clearly defined importance and potential impact on the cancer field are favoured.
- The MIND Prize prioritises hypothesis-driven research that advances understanding of brain biology and disease mechanisms.
- MIND proposals showing clear relevance and impact for neurodegenerative and neurocognitive disorders, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease and dementias, are favoured.
- MIND selections are based on applicants’ credentials, proposal merits and fit with the Prize’s goals.
- Grantees are required to provide annual progress reports; reports are reviewed to ensure grant purposes are fulfilled.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 6%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 10%
- The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to organisations The Pershing Square Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 10% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Israel).
- 21% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 56 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $250k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard · Research project: "programmable therapeutics: building the foundation for the next wave of medicine"$750,0002024 tax year
- Amchai · General support$500,0002024 tax year
- Rockefeller University · Support for research project entitled, stimulating synaptic protein degradation for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases$300,0002024 tax year
- Cornell University · The mind (maximizing innovation in neuroscience discovery) prize$250,0002024 tax year
- Johns Hopkins University · The mind (maximizing innovation in neuroscience discovery) prize$250,0002024 tax year
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · Pershing square sohn prize for young investigators in cancer research$250,0002024 tax year
- Cornell University · Pershing square sohn prize for young investigators in cancer research$250,0002024 tax year
- Cornell University · The mind (maximizing innovation in neuroscience discovery) prize$250,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Olivia Tournay Flatto — President
- Andrea Markezin — Treasurer
- Neri Oxman — Trustee
- William A Ackman — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $28,156,319 | $15,214,108 | $474,198,583 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $32,804,224 | $21,154,319 | $501,958,084 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $25,697,755 | $10,932,500 | $547,273,777 | 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
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Pershing Square Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
Applying to The Pershing Square Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required