← Back to US Funders Directory

Wallace H. Coulter Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.6M
Grant Range
$75K - $1.0M
Decision Time
3mo
Success Rate
30%

Wallace H. Coulter Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,584,895 (2023)
  • Success Rate: 30%+ for Translational Partnership projects
  • Decision Time: Varies by program; rolling at partner institutions
  • Grant Range: $75,000 - $1,000,000+ (depending on program)
  • Geographic Focus: National (U.S.), with international reach through biomedical societies
  • Foundation Type: Limited-life foundation

Contact Details

Address:
790 NW 107th Avenue, Suite 215
Miami, Florida 33172-3158

Phone: (305) 559-2991
Fax: (305) 559-5490
Website: www.whcf.org

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications and works exclusively with preselected partner organizations.

Overview

The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation was established in 1998 with the entire proceeds from inventor Wallace H. Coulter's estate, who developed the Coulter Principle for counting blood cells. As a limited-life foundation, it operates with urgency to create impactful grant programs before spending down its endowment. The foundation focuses on three core areas: translational biomedical research, support for biomedical societies and educational institutions with historical connections to Mr. Coulter, and civic engagement programs for Asian American/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native communities. Led by President and CEO Sue Van (who worked with the Coulter Corporation since 1975), the foundation is staffed by professionals from the for-profit sector who bring business expertise to philanthropic work. Since inception, the foundation's translational research programs have achieved remarkable success: by 2013, $70 million in Coulter funding had supported approximately 280 projects, resulting in 31 licenses to established medical companies, 60 start-ups receiving over $900 million in venture capital, and more than $500 million in additional government funding.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Translational Research Partnership Award

  • Grant Amount: $1 million annually for five years to each partner university
  • Purpose: Promotes translational research in biomedical engineering—research directed at transferring promising technologies from university research laboratories toward commercial development and clinical practice
  • Application Method: Invitation-only partnerships; individual faculty at partner institutions apply internally through their university's Coulter Center
  • Partner Universities Include: Boston University, Case Western Reserve University, University of Michigan, Stanford University, Columbia University, Johns Hopkins University, University of Southern California, University of Virginia, Duke University, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Louisville, and others

Individual Project Grants at Partner Universities:

  • Grant Range: $75,000 - $175,000 per project (varies by institution)
  • Example: Stanford provides up to $125,000 direct costs for one year
  • Example: UVA invests approximately $900,000 annually in six to eight projects
  • Application Method: Rolling or annual cycles at each partner institution; collaborative projects between biomedical engineering and clinical departments

2. Biomedical Societies Program

  • Grant Amount: Substantial multi-year grants (example: $1.6 million to International Society for Laboratory Hematology)
  • Purpose: Supports leading medical societies to bring the latest education and standards of care to resource-limited countries
  • Recipients: International Society for Laboratory Hematology, Association of Clinical Chemistry, and other societies with longstanding ties to Wallace Coulter
  • Application Method: Invitation only; preselected organizations

3. Colleges, Universities & Societies Program

  • Grant Amount: Varies; substantial institutional grants
  • Purpose: Supports select institutions and higher education societies that bear a connection to Mr. Coulter or the foundation's guiding principles
  • Recipients: University of Miami, Smith College, City College of New York, Florida International University, Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Application Method: Invitation only

4. Sharing the American Dream Program

  • Focus Areas:
    • Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) civic engagement
    • American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) collaboration and partnerships
  • Recipients: Asian Law Caucus of San Francisco, Asian Americans Advancing Justice of Chicago, Asian American Federation, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, APIAVote (which provides subgrants to Alliance members)
  • Started: 2010
  • Application Method: Invitation only; partners with intermediary organizations

Priority Areas

Translational Research:

  • Biomedical engineering innovations addressing unmet clinical needs
  • Technologies progressing toward commercial development and clinical practice
  • Projects with potential for licensing or startup formation
  • Research that can attract follow-on venture capital and NIH funding

Educational Excellence:

  • Institutions with historical connections to Wallace Coulter
  • Biomedical engineering departments and programs
  • Scientific education in resource-limited countries

Civic Engagement:

  • Asian American immigrant community empowerment
  • Citizenship, education, and democratic participation
  • Health disparities reduction
  • Building collaborative consortia among AAPI and AIAN organizations

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited grant applications from any organization
  • Organizations without preexisting relationships or partnerships
  • Basic research without clear translational pathway
  • Projects outside biomedical engineering, educational support, or civic engagement focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Sue Van - President and CEO
Sue Van is the foundation's only president since inception. She worked for the Coulter Corporation since 1975 and served as Executive Vice President and CFO at the time of the Beckman merger. She is responsible for the vision, strategic plan, and operations of the foundation. Van became a member of the Committee of 100, a leadership organization of prominent Chinese Americans.

Susan Racher - Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Joined the foundation in 1998. She manages the endowment's investment portfolio, including a portfolio of healthcare venture capital investments, and oversees tax, accounting, and compliance while serving on the grant team.

Operational Approach:
The foundation is staffed by professionals from the for-profit sector who bring business-like processes to grant making. This approach emphasizes the "Coulter Commercialization Process," which adapts industry product development practices for academic use, focusing on moving innovations to the point where they can attract follow-on funding and commercial partners.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Wallace H. Coulter Foundation works exclusively with preselected partner organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

How Grants Are Awarded:

  • Translational Research Partnerships: The foundation establishes multi-year partnerships with selected universities, providing $1 million annually for five years. During the partnership term, departments establish oversight committees of stakeholders and collaborate with the foundation to promote, develop, and realize the clinical potential of translational research.
  • Individual Faculty Projects: Faculty members at partner universities can apply through their institution's internal Coulter Center application process
  • Other Programs: Grants go to organizations with longstanding associations with Wallace Coulter or the Coulter Corporation, or organizations aligned with the foundation's specific mission areas

For Researchers at Partner Universities

If you are faculty at one of the Coulter Foundation partner universities, contact your institution's Coulter Center for internal application processes:

Typical Internal Application Requirements:

  • Applications submitted as single PDF, not exceeding five pages (excluding cover page, budget, and two-page CVs)
  • Arial font 11-12 point
  • Cover page with project title, names of co-investigators, amount requested, one-paragraph summary, and department chair approval/signature
  • Collaborative projects involving co-principal investigators from biomedical engineering and clinical departments
  • Focus on addressing unmet clinical needs with potential for commercial development

Decision Timeline at Partner Universities:

  • Varies by institution; some operate on rolling basis, others have annual or biannual cycles
  • UVA example: Spring funding cycle invests approximately $900,000 annually
  • Projects typically receive decisions within the academic year cycle

Success Rates

Translational Partnership Program (Overall):

  • More than 100 projects funded out of over 400 submissions during the first ten-year period
  • Most universities achieved project success rates exceeding 30.7%
  • Geographic location and research budget were not relevant predictors of success
  • Success measured by commercialization outcomes: licenses, startups, VC funding, and follow-on government grants

2023 Foundation-Wide:

  • 29 awards made
  • Average grant size: $86,163

Reapplication Policy

For faculty at partner universities, reapplication policies vary by institution. Contact your university's Coulter Center for specific guidelines. Many partner institutions encourage resubmission of strong projects with revisions based on reviewer feedback.

Application Success Factors

For Researchers at Partner Universities (Translational Research):

  1. Focus on Clear Clinical Need: Projects must address unmet clinical needs with clear pathways to improving healthcare. As the foundation's mission states, research must be "directed at the transfer of promising technologies within the university research laboratory that are progressing towards commercial development and clinical practice."

  2. Demonstrate Commercialization Potential: The foundation uses the "Coulter Commercialization Process," adapted from industry product development practices. Successful projects show clear potential for:

    • Licensing to established medical companies
    • Startup company formation
    • Attracting venture capital investment
    • Securing follow-on NIH or other government funding

  3. Strong Biomedical Engineering-Clinical Collaboration: Projects should involve co-principal investigators from both biomedical engineering and clinical departments. The collaboration brings together technical innovation with clinical expertise and understanding of healthcare needs.

  4. Build on Foundation's Success Model: Study examples of successful Coulter-funded projects that achieved commercialization:

    • Projects that secured licenses (31 licenses achieved from ~280 funded projects by 2013)
    • Startups that attracted VC funding (60 startups received over $900 million)
    • Technologies that reached clinical trials or clinical implementation

  5. Leverage for Additional Funding: The foundation values projects that use Coulter funding as a catalyst. By 2013, Coulter-funded projects had generated over $500 million in additional government funding—an unanticipated but highly valued outcome.

  6. University of Michigan Example: The U-M Coulter program launched 22 pilot projects and catalyzed four BME startups since 2006, with projects leveraging Coulter support to advance toward patient care, resulting in $22.2 million in investments in startups and over $7 million in NIH and other grant funding.

  7. Quality Over Geography: Neither geographic location nor institutional research budget predicted success. The foundation values the quality of the translational approach and commercial potential regardless of university characteristics.

For Organizations Seeking to Get on Their Radar:

Given that the foundation works only with preselected organizations, building relationships with existing grantees and demonstrating alignment with the foundation's specific mission areas (translational biomedical research, biomedical education with Coulter connections, or AAPI/AIAN civic engagement) may be the only pathway to consideration.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation is strictly invitation-only. Do not submit unsolicited proposals—they will not be considered.

  • For Faculty at Partner Universities Only: If you are a biomedical engineering or clinical faculty member at a Coulter partner university, apply through your institution's internal Coulter Center process. Focus on collaborative, translational projects with clear paths to commercialization.

  • Remarkable ROI on Translational Research: The foundation's $70 million investment by 2013 catalyzed over $900 million in venture capital and $500 million in government funding—demonstrating the foundation's effective model and high expectations for leverage.

  • Commercialization is Central: Unlike many research funders, Coulter emphasizes commercial outcomes—licenses, startups, VC funding, clinical implementation. Projects must show clear pathways from lab to marketplace and patient care.

  • Limited-Life Foundation Urgency: As a spend-down foundation, there is institutional urgency to create maximum impact. This may influence partnership decisions and grant timing, though no public dissolution date has been announced.

  • Three Distinct Funding Streams: Translational research partnerships (universities), biomedical societies (international education), and civic engagement (AAPI/AIAN communities) are separate programs with different histories and purposes. Understand which stream aligns with your organization.

  • Network with Existing Partners: For civic organizations focused on Asian American immigrant communities or biomedical societies with international education missions, networking with past grantees may be the only way to get on the foundation's radar, though there are no guarantees.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory