← Back to US Funders Directory

Huo Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$35.3M
Grant Range
$507K - $1.6M
Decision Time
7mo
Success Rate
15%

Huo Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $35,316,780 (84 grants funded since 2009)
  • Success Rate: Highly competitive (limited awards made annually)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 26 weeks from submission deadline
  • Grant Range: $507,000 - $1,560,000 (over grant lifetime)
  • Geographic Focus: United Kingdom and United States only

Contact Details

Website: https://huofamilyfoundation.org

Grant Portal: https://grants.huofamilyfoundation.org/

Address: C/o Xue Fang Withers LLP, London

Overview

The Huo Family Foundation was established in 2009 by Dr. Yan Huo, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Capula Investment Management LLP, who became a signatory of The Giving Pledge in December 2020. Since its inception, the Foundation has pledged over $75 million to impactful projects across the UK, US, and China. The Foundation's mission is to support education, communities, and the pursuit of knowledge. Its strategic focus areas include education, the arts, and scientific research, particularly neuroscience and the effects of digital technology on children and young people. The Foundation is characterized by the personal connections it cultivates with grant recipients, with Trustees funding projects and initiatives that particularly resonate with their own interests and life experiences. Dr. Huo has stated: "I want to become more effective in my giving and I am delighted to be joining with others in the Giving Pledge so that we can collaborate and learn from each other."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation currently has an open call for research related to digital technology's effects on young people, with a total budget of up to £10M/$13M. Three grant programs are available:

Huo Early-Career Fellowships: £130,000/$169,000 per year for up to 3 years

  • Supports postdoctoral researchers on the path to independence
  • Typically for researchers within 4 years of PhD completion and without their first permanent position
  • Fellows must have a sponsor with a permanent position at the host institution
  • Application via online portal

Junior Faculty Research Grants: £200,000/$260,000 per year for up to 3 years

  • Supports focused research projects led by new lecturers/assistant professors
  • For those who typically took up their first permanent/tenure-track position within the last 2 years
  • UK grants: £200,000 per year for direct costs only
  • US grants: $260,000 per year including up to 12.5% indirects (max $32,500/year)
  • Application via online portal

Special Projects: £300,000/$390,000 per year for up to 4 years

  • Supports larger, multi-disciplinary team research projects
  • Open to researchers at all career stages collaborating with different expertise
  • Teams may be from one institution or multiple institutions in UK/US
  • Application via online portal (limited submission opportunity at many universities)

Priority Areas

Current Research Focus:

  • Effects of usage of and exposure to digital technologies on brain development and function (including physiological responses)
  • Social behaviour and interactions in children and young people
  • Mental health in children and young people

General Strategic Focus:

  • Education and equitable access to education
  • The arts, particularly performing arts
  • Neuroscience and psychology
  • Public policy

What They Don't Fund

  • Grant funds may not be used to support the lead applicant's salary or co-applicants' salaries
  • Projects outside the UK and US
  • Organizations without charitable status or nonprofit 501(c)(3) status

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Dr. Yan Huo (Founder) - Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Capula Investment Management LLP; Trustee of Princeton University, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Fudan University
  • Iris Huo
  • Dr. Sam Lowe
  • Dr. Yu Qiao
  • Ms. Nancy Montmarquet

The Trustees meet regularly to review the impact of existing grants and to consider potential new grants.

Quote from Leadership: Dr. Yan Huo stated regarding arts funding: "The performing arts enrich our lives, so it is sad to see how severely the pandemic has affected the sector. The Foundation is honoured to award these new grants and play a role in supporting education, communities, and the pursuit of knowledge."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Current Digital Technology Research Programs:

Applications must be submitted via the Foundation's grants management system at grants.huofamilyfoundation.org. Paper applications will not be accepted.

Application Requirements:

  • PhD or equivalent degree in a relevant field (neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, epidemiology, public health, computer science, social science, economics, or related fields)
  • Permanent, open-ended or long-term rolling contract, or guarantee of one not predicated on receiving this grant (for Early-Career Fellowships and Junior Faculty Grants)
  • Institutional endorsement/approval from a senior figure (Head of Department/School/Faculty, Administrative Head, Head of Finance or Research Office, etc.)
  • Host institution must have charitable status or nonprofit 501(c)(3) status

For General Grants Outside Open Calls:

The Foundation does not currently accept unsolicited grant requests for projects outside their advertised open calls. The Foundation identifies and approaches organizations directly, or runs targeted open calls for specific research themes.

Decision Timeline

2025 Cycle Timeline:

  • March 24, 2025: Grant system opens for applications
  • May 23, 2025, 23:59 UK time / 18:59 ET / 15:59 PT: Application deadline
  • September 15, 2025: Peer review comments emailed to shortlisted applicants
  • September 29, 2025: Responses to peer review due
  • October 16-17, 2025: Funding committee panel reviews shortlisted applications
  • Week of November 17, 2025: Final funding decisions released
  • December 2025: First annual grant payment for research beginning early 2026

Overall Timeline: Approximately 26 weeks from submission deadline to final decision.

Success Rates

While the Foundation does not publicly disclose success rates, the highly selective nature of the Foundation's approach and limited number of grants awarded annually (typically 5-20 grants per year across all programmes) indicates significant competition. Since inception, the Foundation has funded 84 grants totaling over $35 million.

Reapplication Policy

Information on reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants is not publicly specified. Applicants should contact the Foundation directly for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

The Foundation evaluates applications based on three main criteria explicitly stated in their guidance:

1. The Research Proposal The Foundation states: "To be competitive, your research proposal should be bold, innovative, novel and high quality." They are looking for projects that tackle key questions within their specified research focus area with originality and scientific rigor.

2. Skills and Experience The Foundation considers "your previous research outputs and contributions to the research community, and how you will develop these during the award." Demonstrating a strong track record relative to career stage and a clear trajectory for development is essential.

3. Research Environment The Foundation assesses "how your selected host institution will support you to deliver your research programme and develop as a researcher. This may include how you align to the strategic aims of your organisations, and/or how you contribute to a positive research culture."

Examples of Funded Projects:

  • COVID-19 immunity research at University of Oxford (multi-year grant, part of £3m total to three institutions)
  • COVID-19 research at King's College and Imperial College
  • Arts grants to The Old Vic (£400,000), National Theatre (£400,000), and Donmar Warehouse (£200,000)
  • Education projects including Teach for China and Fudan University
  • Grants to ARK, Policy Exchange, and Tate supporting education and communities

Multi-disciplinary Emphasis: The Foundation explicitly states they are "keen to support multi-disciplinary work" involving teams with different expertise and skills from one or multiple institutions.

External Peer Review: Applications undergo external peer review, and shortlisted candidates have the opportunity to respond to reviewer comments before final decisions—use this opportunity strategically to address any concerns and strengthen your proposal.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Bold and innovative research is essential: The Foundation explicitly seeks "bold, innovative, novel and high quality" proposals—incremental research is unlikely to be competitive
  • Multi-disciplinary approaches are favored: Projects bringing together different expertise and perspectives align with the Foundation's stated preferences
  • Institutional support matters: Strong evidence of institutional commitment and how the environment will support your research development is a key evaluation criterion
  • Respond strategically to peer review: Shortlisted applicants get to respond to reviewer comments in September—this is a critical opportunity to strengthen your application
  • Limited submission at many universities: Special Projects grants are often limited submission opportunities, meaning internal institutional competition precedes the external application
  • Mission alignment beyond research: The Foundation values projects that align with their broader mission to "support education, communities and the pursuit of knowledge"
  • Personal connections matter for non-research grants: Outside the open research calls, the Foundation is "characterised by the personal connections which it cultivates with grant recipients"

References

← Back to US Funders Directory