The G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- This foundation funds basic science with translational potential, naming immunology, microbiome research, structural biology, cancer research, genetics, stem cell research and neuroscience as its fields, and its eligible applicants are nonprofit medical research universities and scientific institutions employing their own independent investigators with fully equipped labs, with 501(c)(3) status preferred but not required.
- The process begins with an institutional nomination leading to a Letter of Intent, with formal proposals submitted only by invitation through the online portal, and grant schedules and deadlines are fixed annually, so timing and working through your institution's nomination process matter.
- Grants go up to $700,000, and across recent filings half of its 266 grants to organisations were about $225,000 or less, which gives a sense of a realistic request size.
- A high share, 93%, of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded previously, suggesting continuity with existing grantees is strong, so new applicants should expect the route in to run through institutional nomination rather than a cold approach.
- The foundation explicitly does not fund institutions based outside the United States, institutions that do not employ their own investigators, private foundations or third-party organisations that provide funding to others, grants to individuals, Covid-19, plant biology (including plant microbiome), oceanography, space exploration, global warming, agriculture and herbicide research, clinical trials or drug discovery, vaccine development, ecology, or environment work, and none of these should apply.
Overview
The G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation is a US private foundation based in Rye Brook, 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 supports basic science with translational potential, funding work that can advance scientific understanding and human health. Its named fields include immunology, microbiome, structural biology, cancer, genetics, stem cells and neuroscience. It describes its mission as advancing knowledge in the life sciences through bold basic research with potential to transform human health, and it highlights innovative, high-risk, high-reward projects. Eligible applicants are nonprofit medical research universities and scientific institutions; 501(c)(3) status is preferred but not required. Institutions nominate applicants for Letters of Intent, and formal proposals are by invitation. The work is undertaken by independent investigators with fully equipped labs at institutions that directly support their own investigators.
Themes
- Immunology
- Microbiome research
- Structural biology
- Cancer research
- Genetics
- Stem cell research
- Neuroscience
Geographic Focus
United States.
What They Don't Fund
- Institutions based outside the United States
- Institutions that do not employ their own investigators
- Private Foundations or third-party organizations that provide funding to other organizations
- Grants to individuals
- Covid-19
- Plant Biology (including plant microbiome)
- Oceanography
- Space Exploration
- Global Warming
- Agriculture and Herbicide Research
- Clinical Trials or Drug Discovery
- Vaccine Development
- Ecology
- Environment
How to apply
Institutional nomination is required before a Letter of Intent. The application is a formal two-step process submitted through the online portal; formal proposals are submitted only by invitation.
Deadlines: Grant schedules and submission deadlines are fixed annually.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 93% 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 266 grants to organisations were about $225,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It prefers applicants to hold 501(c)(3) status, but does not require it.
- It favours innovative, high-risk, high-reward projects.
- It has no preference regarding researchers’ experience or seniority, provided they are independent investigators with fully functional, equipped labs.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 10%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 93% of grant dollars went to organisations The G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 103 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $225k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Rockefeller University · Research project$277,2002024 tax year
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Research project$270,0002024 tax year
- Yale University · Research project$268,5342024 tax year
- California Institute of Technology · Research project$264,3982024 tax year
- Leland Stanford Junior University · Research project$259,2002024 tax year
- Children's Hospital Corporation · Research project$256,1842024 tax year
- Children's Hospital Corporation · Research project$253,0002024 tax year
- Vanderbilt University Medical Center · Research project$252,1992024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Scott Handelman — Director
- Zachary Handelman — Treasurer / VP / Director Of Operations
- Howard Chester — Secretary / Director
- Peter Gottlieb — Director
- Judy Herman — Director
- Richard Handelman — President / Director
- David Boyle — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $23,366,307 | $17,144,359 | $348,305,203 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $16,295,854 | $16,465,249 | $363,159,297 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $18,497,648 | $17,273,778 | $392,648,645 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (914) 242-0465
- grants@mathersfoundation.org
- support@mathersfoundation.org
- Rye Brook, NY
- mathersfoundation.org
Applying to The G. Harold & Leila Y. Mathers Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (914) 242-0465
- grants@mathersfoundation.org
- support@mathersfoundation.org
- Rye Brook, NY
- mathersfoundation.org