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The Kavli Foundation

Annual Giving
$35.0M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.0M
Decision Time
6mo

The Kavli Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $35 million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-based programs)
  • Decision Time: Several months (varies by program)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $1,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: International (primarily US universities with 20 institutes across US, Asia, and Europe)
  • Total Assets: Over $600 million

Contact Details

For program-specific inquiries, contact the relevant program officers listed on the staff page.

Overview

The Kavli Foundation was established in 2000 by Norwegian-American physicist and business leader Fred Kavli. Following Kavli's death in 2013, his estate tripled the foundation's assets to over $600 million, more than doubling annual giving to approximately $35 million. The foundation's mission is to stimulate basic research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics; strengthen the relationship between science and society; and honor scientific discoveries with The Kavli Prize.

The foundation operates through a strategic mix of grantmaking and partnerships, including 20 endowed Kavli Institutes across the globe (13 in the United States, 4 in Europe, and 3 in Asia) at leading universities. In 2021, under President and CEO Dr. Cynthia M. Friend, the foundation shifted from establishing new institutes toward funding cutting-edge programs that might be too experimental for other funders, particularly early-stage, high-risk work with potential to transform science. The Kavli Prize, awarded biennially in partnership with The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, recognizes breakthrough discoveries with $1 million prizes in each of the three core scientific fields.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Kavli Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals but occasionally issues open calls for specific programs:

Kavli Institute Collaboration Kickstarter (KICK) Grants

  • Amount: Varies
  • Eligibility: Open to Kavli Institute members
  • Purpose: Establish new collaborative projects between scientists at different Kavli Institutes
  • Deadline: Annual (typically February 28)
  • Application Method: Online portal (rolling review in early Fall, awards issued following calendar year)

Neurobiology in Changing Ecosystems (NiCE) Program

  • Amount: Varies
  • Partner: Joint program with U.S. National Science Foundation
  • Purpose: Research bridging neuroscience and ecology
  • Application Method: Fixed deadlines through NSF

NeuroDataReHack Project Grants

  • Amount: One-year grants
  • Eligibility: Open only to attendees of 2024 or 2025 NeuroDataReHack workshop
  • Purpose: Generate new discoveries from reanalysis of data sets in NWB format
  • Application Method: Invitation-only following workshop attendance

Instrumentation for Astrophysics

  • Amount: Up to $1.6 million per project (recent awards averaged $1.6 million)
  • Purpose: Construction of new instrumentation for existing mid-sized ground-based telescopes
  • Application Method: Fixed deadlines through open calls

Science and Society Grants

  • Amount: Varies
  • Purpose: Deepen awareness of how society connects to scientists and support public engagement with science
  • Application Method: Invitation and targeted open calls

Innovative Research Grants (at individual Kavli Institutes)

  • Amount: Varies by institute (sometimes $2 million+ annually per institute)
  • Eligibility: Typically limited to researchers affiliated with specific Kavli Institutes
  • Purpose: Support high-risk, high-impact exploratory research

The Kavli Prize

  • Amount: $1 million per field (plus scroll and medal)
  • Fields: Astrophysics, Nanoscience, Neuroscience
  • Frequency: Awarded biennially (every two years since 2008)
  • Method: Nomination-based

Priority Areas

Field-Specific Focus:

  • Astrophysics: Fundamental questions about the universe, instrumentation development, observational astronomy
  • Nanoscience: Nanomedicine, nanoscale materials, biomedical applications of nanotechnology
  • Neuroscience: Brain mechanisms, neural systems, neurobiology in environmental contexts
  • Theoretical Physics: Fundamental physics questions
  • Science and Society: Public engagement, science communication, building connections between scientists and society

Strategic Themes (as of 2021):

  • New Frontiers: Catalyzing and innovating
  • Accelerate Discovery: Developing and advancing impactful research at faster scales
  • Community: Building and supporting accessible, diverse, equitable, and durable connections

Research Characteristics Sought:

  • Basic science (not applied or translational)
  • Early-stage, high-risk/high-impact projects
  • Innovative work that traditional funders might consider "too experimental"
  • Interdisciplinary collaborations
  • Projects with potential to secure future federal or private funding if successful

What They Don't Fund

  • Research outside core fields: No funding for fields beyond astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics
  • Clinical or translational applications: Focus exclusively on basic science
  • Program extensions: Preference for new projects over extensions of ongoing research
  • Individual student support: Funding typically flows through institutions rather than directly to students
  • New research institutes: Not currently deploying endowment funding for new institutes (shifted strategy in 2021)
  • Unsolicited proposals: Only accepts applications through announced open calls or by invitation

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership

Cynthia M. Friend, Ph.D. – President and CEO (assumed office January 1, 2021)

  • First female president of the Kavli Foundation
  • Former Harvard University faculty member since 1982
  • First female Chair of Harvard's Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology
  • First female tenured professor in chemistry at Harvard
  • Member of the National Academy of Sciences

Dr. Friend has emphasized the foundation's role in funding early-stage ideas: "If someone has an idea that is in its early stages that might seem a little out there, and you're not sure if it's going to work or not — that's the kind of thing that I think philanthropy should fund."

Rockell N. Hankin – Chairman of the Board

Board Structure

The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors including one Kavli family member and seven leaders from science, higher education, and business. The foundation president serves as an ex-officio member.

Known Board Members:

  • Rockell N. Hankin (Chairman)
  • Thomas E. Everhart (President Emeritus, California Institute of Technology)
  • Gunnar K. Nilsen (Business advisor and member of founder's extended family)
  • Cynthia M. Friend (ex-officio as President)

Trustees (Kavli Charitable Trust):

  • President of California Institute of Technology
  • President of Stanford University

Key Staff

Science Leadership:

  • Amy Bernard – Vice President, Science
  • Stephanie Albin – Senior Program Officer, Neuroscience
  • Gregory Mack – Science Program Officer, Astrophysics
  • Jeff Miller – Science Program Officer, Nanoscience
  • Angie Michaiel – Associate Program Officer, Neuroscience

Science and Society:

  • Brooke Smith – Senior Director, Science and Society
  • Petra Hand – Associate Director, The Kavli Prize

Operations:

  • Mark Chancellor – Chief Operations Officer
  • Pauline Poompan – Director, Finance
  • Rachel Wiegardt-Egel – Grants and Contracts Manager

Previous Presidents

  • David Auston (2002–2009): Former president of Case Western Reserve University and Bell Labs scientist
  • Robert W. Conn (2009–2021)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: The Kavli Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Applications are only accepted through specific open calls announced on their website.

Application Steps:

  1. Monitor the Funding Opportunities page for open calls
  2. Create an account at kavlifoundation.smapply.org (powered by SurveyMonkey Apply)
  3. For programs requiring it, contact the foundation in advance to verify eligibility
  4. For Kavli Institute programs, inform institute directors before submitting
  5. Submit applications through the online portal by the specified deadline

Two-Stage Process (for some programs):

  • Letters of intent are reviewed first
  • Compelling proposals meeting eligibility criteria are invited to submit full applications

Contact Before Applying: Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the foundation with questions or to verify eligibility before submission.

Decision Timeline

Typical Timeline:

  • KICK Grants: Annual deadline (February 28); review in early Fall; awards issued in following calendar year (approximately 6-9 months)
  • Partnership Programs: Varies significantly by program and partnership structure
  • General: Successful applicants typically contacted within several months after deadline
  • NSF Joint Programs: Follow NSF timeline structures

Notification: Awards announced through the foundation's website and direct contact with applicants.

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. The foundation's invitation-only approach and targeted open calls make traditional success rate metrics inapplicable to most programs.

What This Means:

  • Programs are highly competitive but strategically targeted
  • The foundation is selective about who receives funds
  • Those awarded often enjoy significant freedom and may receive long-term support
  • High-risk nature means many funded projects may fail (which is expected and acceptable)

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication restrictions are publicly documented. Given the invitation-based and open call structure, unsuccessful applicants should:

  • Monitor for future open calls in their area
  • Maintain connections with Kavli Institutes if affiliated
  • Consider eligibility for different program streams

Application Success Factors

Foundation-Specific Priorities

High-Risk, High-Impact Focus: The foundation explicitly seeks "innovative, high risk/high impact projects." As stated in their guidance: "We expect many IRG projects to fail because they should be high risk, but are interested in proposals which could have significant payoff in advancing knowledge." This distinguishes Kavli from more conservative funders.

President Friend's Philosophy: Dr. Cynthia Friend has stated the foundation should fund ideas "in early stages that might seem a little out there, and you're not sure if it's going to work or not." Applicants should emphasize the exploratory, groundbreaking nature of proposed work rather than downplaying uncertainty.

Pathway to Future Funding: The foundation values projects that "have the potential, if the initial work is successful, in enabling subsequent extramural funding from federal and/or private sponsors." Demonstrate how initial Kavli support could catalyze larger research programs.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Programs like KICK explicitly require collaboration between different Kavli Institutes. Even for other programs, proposals bridging disciplines or bringing together diverse perspectives are valued.

Basic Science Only: The foundation explicitly excludes translational or clinical applications. Emphasize fundamental scientific questions and basic research aims. Avoid language suggesting immediate applications or product development.

Partnership and Collaboration Mindset: Since 2021, the foundation has prioritized "building collaborations for risky projects." As Dr. Friend stated, the foundation's priorities are "to back early-stage, high-risk work with the potential to change the future of science and technology" and "to work together, to maximize investment returns."

Recent Funding Examples

2024 Kavli Prize Laureates (examples of the type of transformative work Kavli values):

  • Neuroscience: Nancy Kanwisher, Doris Tsao, and Winrich Freiwald for discovering specialized brain systems to recognize faces
  • Nanoscience: Robert S. Langer, Armand Paul Alivisatos, and Chad A. Mirkin for revolutionizing nanomedicine
  • Astrophysics: David Charbonneau and Sara Seager for exoplanet research

Recent Grant Programs:

  • Neurobiology in Changing Ecosystems (bridging neuroscience and ecology)
  • Instrumentation for mid-sized telescopes ($4.8 million in recent awards)
  • NeuroDataReHack projects (data reanalysis and sharing)
  • Sculpted Light in the Brain (photonic technologies)

Process Considerations

Institute Directors (if applicable): For Kavli Institute-affiliated researchers, inform institute directors prior to submission—this demonstrates respect for institutional relationships.

Early Contact: The foundation encourages contacting them to verify eligibility or ask questions before applying, signaling openness to dialogue.

Failure is Expected: Unlike most funders, Kavli explicitly states they expect many projects to fail. Don't oversell certainty or minimize risks—be honest about challenges.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Target high-risk, exploratory ideas that traditional funders might consider too speculative—this is Kavli's sweet spot since their 2021 strategic shift
  • Emphasize basic science fundamentals and avoid any language suggesting applied, translational, or clinical work, which is explicitly excluded
  • No unsolicited proposals accepted—success requires monitoring their website for open calls or having Kavli Institute affiliation for programs like KICK
  • Demonstrate interdisciplinary collaboration potential and show how your work could bridge fields or institutions, particularly connecting different Kavli Institutes
  • Frame projects as catalysts for future funding by showing how initial Kavli support could enable subsequent federal or private grants
  • Be honest about uncertainty and risks—Kavli expects many funded projects to fail and values ambitious "out there" ideas over safe bets
  • Contact program officers early to verify eligibility and discuss fit before investing time in a full proposal—the foundation welcomes these conversations

References

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