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Robert A. Welch Foundation

Annual Giving
$40.5M
Grant Range
$40K - $5.0M
Decision Time
5mo

Robert A. Welch Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $40.5 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Reviewed annually; decisions announced approximately mid-year
  • Grant Range: $40,000 - $5,000,000 (varies by program)
  • Geographic Focus: Texas only
  • Total Assets: $619 million (2024)

Contact Details

Address: 5555 San Felipe Street, Suite 1900, Houston, TX 77056-2730
Mailing Address: PO Box 27944, Houston, TX 77227
Phone: 713-961-9884
Email: info@welch1.org
Website: https://welch1.org

Overview

The Robert A. Welch Foundation was established in 1954 as a legacy from Robert Alonzo Welch, a self-made industrialist with a deep respect for chemistry and love for Texas. With total assets of over $618 million, it is one of the nation's oldest and largest private funding sources for fundamental chemical research. Since its founding, the foundation has contributed over $1.1 billion to the advancement of chemistry through research grants, departmental grants, endowed chairs, and special projects at educational institutions exclusively within Texas. The foundation's mission is to support basic chemical research across all sub-disciplines of chemistry, without bias toward particular institutions or fields. In recent years, the foundation has expanded its programs to include postdoctoral fellowships, equipment grants, and large-scale catalyst grants for transformative research.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Research Grants ($117,000/year for 3 years) Individual grants to tenure or tenure-track faculty members at Texas institutions for fundamental chemical research. Applications submitted through proposalCentral by January 31 annually for grant years beginning June 1.

Departmental Grants (Amounts vary) Ongoing support to chemistry departments at Texas educational institutions for equipment, chemicals, travel, and undergraduate research scholarships. Enhances departmental research capabilities and student training.

Equipment Grants (Up to $75,000 with institutional matching) Supplemental funding to institutions with Departmental Grants for acquiring research equipment. By invitation only; applications submitted January 1 - February 28. Institutions typically match 33-36% of grant amounts.

Catalyst for Discovery Grants (Up to $5 million each) Two highly competitive grants awarded annually to support transformative fundamental chemical research. Applications by invitation to Texas institutions with substantial chemical research programs, issued in January.

WelchX Pilot Grants (Amounts vary) Support for innovative collaborative research projects that bring together chemists and researchers from other disciplines.

Postdoctoral Fellows Program (3-year fellowships) Three-year fellowships for recent PhD graduates from around the world to develop chemical research careers in Texas. Applications handled through the Life Sciences Research Foundation (LSRF).

Endowed Chairs ($2-3 million with institutional matching) For institutions with PhD programs in chemistry. Institutions historically match endowment funds dollar-for-dollar. Proposals accepted throughout the year; no required application form.

Priority Areas

The foundation funds all branches of fundamental chemical research without preference for specific sub-disciplines. Recent awards have supported:

  • Sustainable energy solutions and carbon dioxide electrochemistry
  • Chemical biology and drug discovery
  • Materials science and quantum chemistry
  • Synthetic organic chemistry
  • Computational chemistry
  • Catalysis research
  • Environmental chemistry

What They Don't Fund

  • Research outside the state of Texas
  • Applied research without fundamental chemical science components
  • Projects that substantially overlap with externally funded work
  • Research by investigators who are not full-time tenure or tenure-track faculty (for Research Grants)
  • Institutions not listed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

  • Frederick W. Brazelton, Chair and Director
  • Gina A. Luna, Vice Chair and Director
  • Carolyn C. Sabat, Secretary and Director
  • Carin M. Barth, Treasurer and Director
  • Douglas L. Foshee, Director

President: Adam Kuspa, PhD (appointed September 2019)

Scientific Advisory Board: An external panel of eminent scientists from outside Texas who review all grant proposals and provide recommendations. Top-scoring Catalyst Grant proposals undergo additional videoconference review.

Dr. Kuspa succeeded Norbert Dittrich, who retired in 2019 after leading the foundation through significant growth and program expansion.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Research Grants: Applications must be submitted through proposalCentral by noon on the last business day of January each year. Proposals should describe work encompassing a three-year period with no scientific overlap with current externally funded projects. Only one proposal per year per principal investigator.

Departmental Grants: Contact the foundation directly for information about eligibility and application procedures.

Equipment Grants: By invitation only to institutions currently receiving Departmental Grant funding. Submissions through proposalCentral between January 1 and noon on February 28.

Catalyst Grants: By invitation only. Invitations issued in January to Texas institutions with substantial chemical research programs.

Endowed Chairs: No required application form. Proposals accepted throughout the grant year; contact the foundation for guidance.

Postdoctoral Fellows: Applications handled through the Life Sciences Research Foundation (LSRF), not directly to the Welch Foundation.

Decision Timeline

Applications submitted by the end of January are reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Board in the following months. Funding announcements typically occur in mid-year, with grant years beginning June 1. The foundation announced 2024 grants in early 2024 and 2025 grants in early 2025, suggesting a consistent annual cycle.

Success Rates

The foundation does not publicly disclose application numbers or acceptance rates. However, the grants are described as "highly competitive." In 2024, 95 Research Grants were awarded across 19 institutions, and in 2025, 94 grants were awarded across 16 institutions, suggesting selective funding of top-quality proposals.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly disclosed. Applicants should contact the foundation directly for guidance on resubmission.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and program structure:

Focus on Fundamental Research: The foundation emphasizes basic chemical research rather than applied work. Successful proposals should clearly articulate fundamental scientific questions and their importance to the field of chemistry.

No Overlap with External Funding: Research grant proposals must have no scientific overlap with any current externally funded projects. This is explicitly stated in the foundation's guidelines and ensures Welch funding supports genuinely new research directions.

Student Training Component: The foundation values research that provides excellent training opportunities for students. Departmental grants specifically support undergraduate research scholarships, and research grants should demonstrate how they will contribute to student development.

External Review by Top Scientists: All proposals are reviewed by the Scientific Advisory Board, consisting of eminent scientists from outside Texas. Proposals should be written to clearly communicate significance and innovation to expert reviewers who may not be specialists in the specific sub-field.

No Bias by Institution or Sub-discipline: The foundation explicitly states it does not favor particular institutions or chemistry sub-disciplines. Smaller institutions and emerging fields have equal opportunity if the science is compelling.

Three-Year Vision: Research grant proposals should describe work encompassing a three-year period, suggesting reviewers look for sustained research programs rather than isolated projects.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Texas-only funding: All applicants and research must be based at Texas educational institutions recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

  • Emphasize fundamental science: Clearly articulate the basic chemical research questions and avoid overemphasizing applications; the foundation prioritizes fundamental discovery.

  • Avoid external funding overlap: Ensure proposed work is distinct from any current external grants to meet eligibility requirements for Research Grants.

  • Demonstrate student impact: Highlight how the research will provide training opportunities for graduate and/or undergraduate students in chemistry.

  • Know your deadline: January 31 is the critical deadline for Research Grant applications; Equipment Grants are due February 28 (by invitation).

  • Consider the full portfolio: If you don't qualify for Research Grants, explore Departmental Grants, Endowed Chairs, or encourage postdocs to apply through LSRF.

  • Plan for the long term: With three-year grant cycles and June 1 start dates, plan research timelines accordingly and consider how Welch funding fits with other support.

References

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