Regenstrief Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $8-10 million
Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
Decision Time: N/A (strategic partnerships)
Grant Range: $100,000 - $5+ million
Geographic Focus: Primarily Indiana

Contact Details

Website: https://www.regfdn.org/
Phone: (317) 848-1400
Email: Not publicly available
Address: 9292 N. Meridian Street, Suite 202, Indianapolis, IN 46260

Overview

Founded in 1967 by industrialist Samuel Nathan Regenstrief and his wife Myrtie, the Regenstrief Foundation Inc is a private foundation with over $139 million in assets dedicated to improving healthcare systems through innovative research. With annual giving of $8-10 million, the foundation focuses on practical research that improves the efficiency, quality, and equity of healthcare delivery. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed over $200 million, primarily supporting long-term strategic partnerships with Indiana-based organizations. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, explicitly stating it "does not accept unsolicited proposals." Its mission centers on bringing modern scientific advances from engineering, business, and social sciences into medical practice, with particular emphasis on health data standardization and addressing health disparities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Strategic Partnership Grants: $1 million - $5+ million (multi-year support for core partners)
Health Disparities Research Pilots: $100,000 each (invitation-only pilot programs)
Healthcare Systems Innovation: Variable amounts for invited research projects

Priority Areas

Health informatics and data standardization (especially LOINC terminology)
Social determinants of health (SDOH) data integration
Healthcare systems engineering and process improvement
Health equity research and interventions
Epidemiological research on health disparities
Practical, implementable healthcare solutions

What They Don't Fund

Unsolicited proposals
Individual patient care or medical services
General operating support for organizations outside their strategic partnerships
Capital campaigns (except for strategic partners)
Basic science research without practical application

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: D. Craig Brater, MD - Also chairs the Regenstrief Institute board. He emphasizes: "The mission of both the Regenstrief Institute and the Regenstrief Foundation is to improve systems of care to address inequities in health. Many scholars have documented these inequities; only a handful have performed research that has resulted in actionable and scalable interventions."

Board Chairman: Daniel Appel

Vice President & Treasurer: Robert Wingerter

Secretary & Director of Administration: Susan Luse

The board includes leaders from healthcare, insurance, academia, and business sectors, ensuring diverse expertise in evaluating strategic healthcare initiatives.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states: "The Regenstrief Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and only invites applications from organizations that clearly align with our priorities." Grants are awarded through strategic invitation to organizations identified by the foundation as aligned with their mission.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation identifies potential grantees through:

Leadership connections in Indiana's healthcare research community
Organizations conducting innovative work in healthcare systems improvement at scale
Institutions with proven ability to implement and disseminate research findings
The foundation particularly values organizations that can demonstrate practical, implementable solutions to healthcare challenges
Organizations working on health data standardization may connect through the Regenstrief Institute's LOINC and HL7 Gravity Project networks
Academic institutions with healthcare engineering or health equity research programs aligned with foundation priorities

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - strategic partnerships are developed over time through relationship building

Success Rates

Not applicable - invitation-only model

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - invitation-only model

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented funding patterns and leadership statements:

The foundation seeks organizations that produce "actionable and scalable interventions" rather than just documenting problems
Dr. Brater emphasizes finding organizations that are "the best of the breed" in their field
Projects must demonstrate clear pathways from research to real-world implementation
The foundation values long-term impact - their Purdue partnership leveraged $53+ million in additional funding
Organizations must show ability to address health inequities through systems-level changes
The foundation particularly values work that standardizes and improves healthcare data systems
Recent focus on social determinants of health suggests alignment with this area is strategic

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is an invitation-only funder - organizations cannot submit unsolicited proposals • The foundation maintains long-term relationships with a small number of strategic partners (3-5 grants annually) • Primary focus is Indiana-based organizations, particularly those affiliated with Regenstrief Institute, Purdue University, or Eskenazi Health • Strong emphasis on practical, implementable research that improves healthcare systems rather than basic science • Social determinants of health and health equity are current strategic priorities • Organizations working in health data standardization or healthcare engineering may have natural connection points • Building visibility in Indiana's healthcare research ecosystem is essential for potential invitation

References

Regenstrief Foundation Official Website. https://www.regfdn.org/ (Accessed January 1, 2026)
Regenstrief Foundation Form 990-PF Filing, Fiscal Year 2024. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/356066023
"Regenstrief Foundation Awards $4.4 Million Grant to Advance Social Determinants of Health Data Standardization." Regenstrief Institute Press Release, 2023
Charity Navigator Profile: Regenstrief Foundation Inc. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/356066023 (Accessed January 1, 2026)
"Regenstrief Foundation Announces Inaugural Health Disparities and Learning Health System Research Pilot Grants." Foundation Announcement, November 2024
Candid Foundation Directory Entry for Regenstrief Foundation Inc. (Accessed January 1, 2026)
Eskenazi Health Foundation. "Beyond Barriers Campaign Announcement." 2023
Purdue University. "Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering Funding Renewal." 2018