Blavatnik Family Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $69,425,051 (2023)
Total Assets: $98,929,513
Grant Range: $130 - $18,575,000
Number of Grants: 130 awards (2023)
Geographic Focus: United States, United Kingdom, Israel (primarily)
Application Method: No public application process - invitation/relationship-based

Contact Details

Website: blavatnikfoundation.org
Address: 40 West 57th St., 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 247-6400
Press Inquiries: BFF@HawthornAdvisors.com
Blavatnik Awards Contact: Dr. Sonya Dougal, Senior Vice President, Scientific Programs & Awards at The New York Academy of Sciences, +1 212-298-8683 or sdougal@nyas.org

Overview

The Blavatnik Family Foundation (BFF) was established in 2018 as a 501(c)(3) private foundation led by Sir Leonard Blavatnik, founder and chairman of Access Industries, a privately-held global investment group with a portfolio exceeding $35 billion. The foundation is exclusively self-funded and has contributed more than $1.3 billion to over 250 world-class institutions and charitable organizations over the past decade.

Sir Leonard Blavatnik was born in Odessa, Ukraine, emigrated to the United States in 1978, and holds degrees from Columbia University (M.S. Computer Science, 1981) and Harvard Business School (MBA, 1989). He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017 for his services to philanthropy and received the Chevalier of the French Legion d'Honneur in 2013.

The foundation advances "innovation, discovery, and creativity to benefit the whole of society," with a strategic focus on prestigious institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, and Israel. In 2023, the foundation distributed $69,425,051 across 130 grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists (via New York Academy of Sciences)

National Laureates: $250,000 unrestricted prize (one per category)
National Finalists: $15,000 unrestricted prize
Categories: Life Sciences, Physical Sciences & Engineering, Chemical Sciences
Additional regional awards in the U.S., U.K., and Israel ($100,000 for Israel laureates)
Described as "the largest unrestricted prize ever created for early-career scientists"

Institutional Research Partnerships

Major multi-million dollar grants to elite universities
Example: $40 million additional grant to Yale Innovation Fund (total $56.3 million since 2017)
Example: $10 million to Columbia Engineering for health innovation research
Example: $16 million to Tel Aviv University
Example: $6 million to Brandeis University for graduate research fellowships

Warner Music Group/BFF Social Justice Fund

10-year, $100 million fund (established 2020)
More than $35 million committed to date
Grants range from organizational support to multi-million dollar commitments

Priority Areas

Scientific Research & Discovery: Biomedical research, health sciences, life sciences, biotechnology, engineering innovations
Higher Education: Elite universities, graduate fellowships, research accelerators, innovation funds
Arts & Culture: World-class museums, performing arts organizations, cultural preservation (over $175 million to date)
Jewish Causes: Holocaust remembrance, Jewish heritage, institutions in Israel
Social Justice: Racial equity, criminal justice reform, education (via Social Justice Fund)
Humanitarian Relief: Emergency response and charitable causes

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals
Does not typically fund smaller or grassroots organizations
Focus is exclusively on "large, prestigious institutions"
Does not fund individuals directly (except through institutional award programs)

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership

Sir Leonard Blavatnik - Founder

Founder and Chairman, Access Industries
Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2017
Member of Board of Trustees at Carnegie Hall
Board member at 92NY and Center for Jewish History
Trustee of the Tate Gallery

Lady Emily Blavatnik - Co-Chair

Lifelong patron of the arts
Focus on world-class cultural institutions and children's charities
Supports NYC Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Carnegie Hall
B.A. in Art History from NYU

Alex Blavatnik - Senior Advisor

Oversees the Blavatnik Archive (20th-century Jewish and world history)
Led major institutional projects including Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford and Tate Blavatnik Building
Former Vice-Chairman of the Council of King's College, London

Sir Michael Pakenham - Senior Advisor

Former British diplomat

Peter L. Thorén - Executive Vice President, Access Industries; Head of Family Office

Manages day-to-day foundation operations
Director of Access Industries

Lisa Shields - Executive Vice President

Strategic communications leadership

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states on its IRS Form 990 that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are typically awarded through:

Pre-existing institutional relationships with elite universities and cultural organizations
Trustee and board member connections
Strategic partnerships (such as the Warner Music Group collaboration)
Nominations for the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists (institutional nominations only)

Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists - Nomination Process

This is the only program with a structured nomination process:

Who Can Nominate: Institutional officials (Presidents, Provosts, Directors, or official designees) from eligible U.S. research institutions
Limit: Each institution may submit up to 3 nominations (one per disciplinary category)
Self-Nominations: Not permitted
Eligibility: Faculty born in 1984 or later, holding a doctorate and tenured/tenure-track position
Timeline: Nominations typically open in October and close in early December
Decision Period: Laureates announced at ceremony in New York City

Reapplication Policy

For the Blavatnik Awards, non-winning nominees from prior cycles may be re-nominated by their institutions if they still meet eligibility requirements. Previous Finalists may be re-nominated with pre-approval.

Application Success Factors

For the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists:

Must be nominated by an institution's official designee (no self-nominations)
Outstanding early-career researchers with exceptional promise
The program has honored 158 women scientists (approximately 30% of all awards) since inception in 2007
Approximately 60% of honorees are immigrants to their country of recognition
Must be available to attend the ceremony in New York City and participate in media activities

For General Foundation Grants: Given the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, organizations successfully funded typically share these characteristics:

Elite, world-renowned institutions (top-tier universities, major museums, renowned performing arts organizations)
Established relationships with the Blavatnik family or Access Industries network
Alignment with the foundation's five core priority areas
Capacity for transformative, large-scale impact
Track record of innovation and excellence

Recent Funded Examples:

Yale University: Blavatnik Fund for Innovation supporting biomedical commercialization
Brown University: Doctoral fellowships in life sciences
Brandeis University: $6 million for graduate research fellowships
National Gallery, Tate Modern, Victoria and Albert Museum, Courtauld Institute (UK)
NYC Ballet, Alvin Ailey Dance Company, Carnegie Hall, National Theatre London

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No Public Application Process: The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals - funding is directed to preselected organizations through relationships and strategic initiatives.
Institutional Prestige Required: The foundation "mainly reserves its funding for large, prestigious institutions in the U.S., the U.K. and Israel." Smaller organizations are unlikely to receive direct funding.
Blavatnik Awards - Only Structured Opportunity: The Young Scientists awards are the only program with a formal nomination process, and nominations must come from institutional officials, not individuals.
Social Justice Fund Alternative: Organizations working on racial justice, criminal justice reform, or arts/education may have opportunities through the Warner Music Group/BFF Social Justice Fund, though this also does not appear to have an open application.
Significant Grant Sizes: When the foundation does fund, grants are substantial - ranging from $130 to $18.5 million, with most major grants in the multi-million dollar range.
Relationship-Driven: Building connections through board and trustee networks (Carnegie Hall, Tate Gallery, major universities) is the primary path to funding consideration.
Geographic Focus: Strong concentration on U.S., U.K., and Israel - organizations outside these regions face additional barriers.

References

Accessed December 2025