McKnight Brain Research Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your work is cognitive ageing research or the study of age-related memory loss, the foundation's stated focus fits, and domestic public charities are eligible to propose work.
- Most grants are modest: half of its 19 grants to organisations were about $175,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $17,500 and $1,550,000, so a request in that region is realistic, though its largest grant was about $2,600,000.
- Its grant dollars to organisations in the latest filing all went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so relationships appear to matter, and it may be worth making contact before investing heavily in a proposal.
- No particular application format is required, and the filing gives no deadlines, so ask the foundation about timing before you apply.
- If your proposal focuses solely on a neurodegenerative dementia such as Alzheimer's disease, it falls outside the Clinical Translational Research Scholarship, so do not apply to that programme on that basis.
Overview
McKnight Brain Research Foundation is a US private foundation based in Orlando, FL.
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 cognitive ageing research to improve brain health, with particular attention to understanding and alleviating age-related memory loss. It considers innovative and efficient fundamental brain research into how memories are formed, stored and retrieved, the effects of ageing on those processes, and therapeutic strategies intended principally for clinical application. It also supports seed projects, research by charitable organisations and institutions, and collaborative proposals involving scientists at different institutions. Domestic public charities, universities and colleges are eligible to propose work; individuals may apply with sponsorship from a tax-exempt organisation. Its researcher awards support early-career clinical translational studies and basic biological research, and aim to develop emerging scientific leaders in cognitive ageing and memory loss.
Themes
- Cognitive aging research
- Age-related memory loss
- Fundamental brain research
- Clinical translational research
- Collaborative research
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, Maryland and Minnesota.
What They Don't Fund
- The McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarship in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss only: proposals that focus solely on a neurodegenerative dementia (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease)
How to apply
No particular application format is required.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 100% 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 19 grants to organisations were about $175,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation considers innovative and efficient approaches to fundamental brain research.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 45% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations McKnight Brain Research Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 45% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 6 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $210k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- American Federation for Aging Research · Funding of research$1,543,7002024 tax year
- Foundation for the NIH · Funding of research$1,000,0002024 tax year
- American Brain Foundation · Funding scholarship in cognitive aging and memory loss$247,5002024 tax year
- University of Miami · Funding of research$172,5882024 tax year
- University of Alabama Birmingham · Funding of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute at UAB$94,2702024 tax year
- University of Arizona · Funding of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Arizona$57,0982024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Dr Sharon Brangman — Trustee
- Dr Roy Hamilton — Trustee
- Dr John Brady — Trustee
- Patricia Boyle — Trustee
- Allison Brashear — Trustee
- Truist Bank — Trustee
- Dr Susan Pekarkse — Trustee
- Dr Michael Dockery — Trustee
- Dr J Lee Dockery — Trustee Emeritus
- Dr Madhav Thambisetty — Trustee
- Dr Alice Luo Clayton — CEO (began 4/25)
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,967,372 | $1,681,922 | $58,126,776 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $6,071,805 | $4,443,873 | $61,454,020 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,180,121 | $3,115,156 | $63,168,510 | 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 McKnight Brain Research Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (202) 879-6319
- Orlando, FL
- mcknightbrain.org
Applying to McKnight Brain Research Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (202) 879-6319
- Orlando, FL
- mcknightbrain.org