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Sontag Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$5.6M
Grant Range
$50K - $0.8M
Decision Time
7mo
Success Rate
10%

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,648,007 (2023)
  • Total Assets: ~$187.6 million
  • Decision Time: Applications due March, awards announced Fall (approximately 6-7 months)
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $750,000
  • Number of Awards: 48 grants in 2023
  • Geographic Focus: United States and Canada
  • Primary Focus: Brain cancer research

Contact Details

Main Office: The Sontag Foundation 816 A1A North, Suite 201 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082

Phone: (904) 273-8755

Website: https://sontagfoundation.org

Distinguished Scientist Award Contact: Shandra Koler, Senior Program Officer Email: skoler@sontagfoundation.org

Innovation Fund Contact: Scott Davis, Ph.D., Managing Director Email: sdavis@sontagfoundation.org

Overview

The Sontag Foundation was established in 2002 by Rick and Susan Sontag after Susan's 1994 diagnosis with an aggressive form of brain cancer. With total assets of approximately $187.6 million and annual giving of $5.6 million, the foundation has become the largest private donor to primary brain cancer research in the United States. The foundation's mission is to advance brain cancer research by investing in brilliant scientists committed to bold, innovative, and transformative ideas. Since inception, the foundation has awarded over $65 million in grants to 60+ scientists at 40 major cancer centers throughout North America. In 2021, the foundation expanded its impact by launching the Sontag Innovation Fund, a strategic venture philanthropy arm that invests in early-stage, high-risk technologies. Susan Sontag miraculously survived 28 years after her initial diagnosis before passing away in 2022, and the foundation continues to honor her legacy through aggressive funding of brain tumor research.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Distinguished Scientist Award (DSA) - Primary Program

  • Amount: $750,000 over five years ($150,000 per year)
  • Target: Outstanding early-career scientists in brain cancer research
  • Eligibility: MD and/or PhD scientists who received their first independent faculty appointment within approximately 5-9 years (specific date range varies by application cycle)
  • Application: Annual competitive process, online portal opens January 12, deadline March 18

AACR-Sontag Foundation Brain Cancer Research Fellowship

  • Amount: $120,000 over two years
  • Target: Investigators showing interest in brain tumor research
  • Application: Through American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

ASCO Conquer Cancer - Sontag Foundation Young Investigator Award

  • Amount: $50,000
  • Target: Investigators interested in brain tumor research
  • Application: Through ASCO Conquer Cancer

Sontag Innovation Fund

  • Structure: Loans and equity investments in for-profit and non-profit entities
  • Focus: Early-stage therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and other technologies
  • Portfolio: 10 companies currently funded
  • Application: Contact Scott Davis, Ph.D., Managing Director

NE Florida Patient Assistance Fund

  • Amount: Varies (over $300,000 distributed since 2009)
  • Target: Non-medical financial needs of brain tumor patients and families in Northeast Florida
  • Note: Regional community support program

Priority Areas

  • Primary brain cancer research (not metastatic brain cancer)
  • Bold, innovative, and transformative research ideas
  • Multi-disciplinary approaches and collaborations
  • Career development for promising early-career scientists
  • Paradigm-shifting approaches with potential for significant advances
  • Early-stage technologies that can accelerate therapeutic development
  • Patient support and navigation services

What They Don't Fund

  • Metastatic brain cancer research (explicitly excluded)
  • Scientists beyond early career stage (DSA has specific appointment date requirements)
  • Institutions outside the United States and Canada (for DSA)
  • Non-brain tumor related research

Governance and Leadership

President & Founder: Frederick B. Sontag (Rick Sontag) Rick established the foundation after his wife Susan's brain cancer diagnosis. His philosophy: "We want to fuel significant advances in brain cancer research, which is why, through a competitive process, we award scientists who demonstrate promise for making scientific and medical breakthroughs in brain cancer research."

Co-Founder: Susan Sontag (1946-2022) Susan survived 28 years after being diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma in 1994, when doctors gave her approximately 3 years to live. The foundation's work embodies the Viktor Frankl quote they embraced: "The Last of Human Freedoms is the Ability to Choose One's Attitude in a Given Set of Circumstances."

Executive Director: Hilary Keeley

Chief Financial Officer & Chief Investment Officer: Bryan Boehling

Founding Director: Cindy Sontag Hudgins (daughter)

Board of Directors includes:

  • Jeffrey E. Bernardo (President & CEO, Augustine Asset Management)
  • Ben Chatraw (Founder, South Rose Capital)
  • Grant Conway (President and COO, Eastern Quality Foods)

Scientific Advisory Board: Comprised of prominent researchers from leading institutions including St. Jude Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and University of California, San Francisco. The board provides independent scientific review of all applications.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Distinguished Scientist Award:

  • Application Portal Opens: January 12
  • Application Deadline: March 18 (11:59pm ET)
  • Awards Announced: Fall (approximately 6-7 months after deadline)

Application Requirements:

  • Online application through foundation's portal at sontagfoundation.org
  • Applicants must carefully read grant information and detailed FAQ document before applying
  • Statement of Personal and Career Goals (critical component)
  • Letters of reference (read thoroughly by every review committee member)
  • Proposed research project details
  • Career trajectory documentation
  • Peer and mentor references

Other Programs:

  • AACR and ASCO fellowships: Apply through respective partner organizations
  • Innovation Fund: Contact Managing Director Scott Davis directly
  • Patient assistance programs: Region-specific, contact foundation

Decision Timeline

  • January 12: Application portal opens
  • March 18: Application deadline (11:59pm ET)
  • Spring/Summer: Review by Scientific Advisory Board and lay committee
  • Summer: Site visits conducted for finalists
  • Fall: Award recipients announced and notified
  • Total Timeline: Approximately 6-7 months from application to notification

Success Rates

  • Annual Awards: 2-6 Distinguished Scientist Awards granted per year (foundation does not limit number)
  • Recent Years: 4 awards in 2024, 6 awards in 2021
  • Total Awards: 48 grants distributed in 2023 across all programs
  • Competitive: Highly selective process with site visits for finalists
  • Specific acceptance rate: Not publicly disclosed

Reapplication Policy

Distinguished Scientist Award: Reapplications in subsequent years of eligibility will be accepted by invitation only. Unsuccessful applicants cannot automatically reapply unless they receive a specific invitation from the foundation to submit another application during their eligibility window.

Application Success Factors

The Sontag Foundation uses a unique dual-review process that assesses both scientific merit and personal potential:

Scientific Review Criteria:

  • Scientific merit of proposed project
  • Innovative and paradigm-shifting approach
  • Potential to make significant advances in brain cancer research
  • Multi-disciplinary collaboration potential
  • Career trajectory and accomplishments

Lay Committee Review: The foundation's lay committee "looks closely at the individual applicant as opposed to the scientific merits of the proposed research." This unique aspect means they are investing in people, not just projects.

Career Development Focus: The Distinguished Scientist Award is characterized as a career development award rather than a research award. The foundation emphasizes: "We are interested in supporting people rather than just specific projects."

What Makes Applications Stand Out:

  1. Personal Story and Career Goals: The Statement of Personal and Career Goals is critically important. The foundation seeks "varied insights into you as an individual and your accomplishments at each stage of your career."

  2. Strong References: Reference letters are "read thoroughly by every member of the review committee" and should speak to the individual's potential as a leader in the field.

  3. Innovative Thinking: The foundation seeks "bold, innovative, and transformative ideas" that can "change the paradigm of brain cancer research."

  4. Site Visit Performance: Finalists undergo an onsite research facility visit, where the Scientific Advisory Board assesses the research environment and the applicant's presentation.

  5. Multi-disciplinary Approach: "The Foundation believes that multi-disciplinary collaborations are critical to advancing research, and researchers from various scientific backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply."

Direct Guidance from the Foundation: "The Sontag Foundation provides mentorship, direct exposure, and access to a cadre of senior and peer mentors that is unattainable in any other setting." This indicates the foundation sees itself as building a community of scientists, not just distributing grants.

Recent Examples of Funded Work (2024 Recipients):

  • Zhao Zhang, PhD (Duke): Advancing glioblastoma treatment
  • Cathryn Cadwell, MD, PhD (UCSF): Studying how brain tumors rewire neural circuits
  • Christina Tringides (Rice): Materials science approaches to brain cancer
  • S. John Liu, MD, PhD (UCSF): Radiation oncology innovations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Career development matters more than project specifics - The foundation invests in promising individuals with long-term potential, not just interesting research projects. Your personal trajectory and career goals are as important as your proposed research.

  • Only apply once unless invited back - The invitation-only reapplication policy means your first application must be strong. Carefully review all FAQs and guidelines before submitting.

  • Prepare for the site visit - Making it to the finalist stage means hosting the Scientific Advisory Board at your institution. Your facility, support infrastructure, and in-person presentation matter.

  • Emphasize innovation and paradigm-shifting approaches - The foundation seeks to "change the paradigm of brain cancer research" through bold ideas. Incremental research is less likely to be competitive.

  • Multi-disciplinary collaboration is valued - Researchers from various scientific backgrounds are explicitly encouraged. Show how your perspective brings fresh insights to brain cancer research.

  • Reference letters are scrutinized - Every review committee member reads every reference letter thoroughly. Choose references who can speak to your individual potential, not just your research accomplishments.

  • Timeline matters for eligibility - The DSA has specific windows for first faculty appointment dates. If you're approaching the edge of eligibility, this may be your only opportunity to apply.

References

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