The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- This foundation funds medical research within California, with particular attention to programmes run through the University of California, focused on diabetes and metabolic syndrome and on ageing brain and vision disorders; it does not fund cancer, cardiovascular, or joint/bone degenerative disease research, and Start-Up and Fellowship Grants will not cover supply costs.
- Its geographic focus is the State of California, so applicants should be based there.
- Grant sizes vary widely, from $5,000 to $300,000, with about eight in ten of its 141 grants falling in that range and a median grant of $25,000, so a modest request is realistic, though specific programmes allow more: a Network Grant up to $600,000, a Start-Up Grant up to $120,000, and a Fellowship Grant up to $100,000.
- The application method varies by programme; for Start-Up and Fellowship Grants, applicants sign in or create an account and submit the full application through an online grant management system.
- More than half of its grant dollars go to organisations it has funded before, suggesting some relationship-building value, though the stated online process remains open to new applicants.
Overview
The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation is a US private foundation based in Sonoma, CA.
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 medical research within California, with particular attention to programmes conducted by the University of California. It supports basic scientific research, clinical research, and research related to patient self-care and management. Its areas of concern are diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome, including their complications, and age-related chronic or degenerative disorders of the brain or vision, including healthy ageing. The work is directed towards prevention, diagnosis, treatment or cure, using fundamental and translational research approaches. The foundation may fund any organisation recognised by the IRS as a public charity, while its primary funding focus is medical research under its grant criteria. Its programmes support researchers undertaking post-doctoral training or starting independent research careers through qualified institutions.
Themes
- Diabetes and metabolic syndrome
- Ageing brain and vision
Geographic Focus
State of California.
What They Don't Fund
- Cancer research
- Cardiovascular research
- Joint/bone degenerative disease research
- Start-Up Grant only: supply costs
- Fellowship Grant only: supply costs
How to apply
For Start-Up and Fellowship Grants, applicants sign in or create an account and submit the full application through the online grant management system.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 63% 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 141 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Start-Up applicants are assessed on strong performance during training and readiness to move into independent investigation.
- The Start-Up research plan should be distinct from the mentor’s programme, important and achievable.
- The Foundation prefers Start-Up applicants able to devote at least 80% of their research effort to the proposed project in the first grant year.
- Fellowship applicants should show promise through prior training and demonstrated research productivity.
- Preference is given to Fellowship applicants who have not undertaken a fellowship before.
- The Foundation considers the research careers of prior fellows in a mentor’s laboratory when selecting Fellowship applicants.
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 24% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 63% of grant dollars went to organisations The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 47 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $24,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of California, San Francisco · General support$1,860,0002024 tax year
- University of California, San Diego · General support$1,545,0002024 tax year
- Salk Institute · General support$600,0002024 tax year
- Buck Institute · General support$545,0002024 tax year
- Stanford University · General support$370,0002024 tax year
- Spirit Horse Connections · General support$277,8022024 tax year
- Scripps Research Institute · General support$190,0002024 tax year
- Gladstone Institutes · General support$170,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Ingrid Hermreck — Director
- Paul Kimoto — Director
- Stephen Schwartz — Director
- Lew Reid — Director
- Ida O'Brien — Director
- Janice Quistad — Director
- Joseph Waechter — Chairman (As Of 10/24)
- Grant Anderson — Vice President
- Dave Pier — Executive Director (As Of 10/24)
- Pete Donnici — President / CEO
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $7,165,619 | $6,970,533 | $131,781,102 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $9,620,676 | $6,277,914 | $147,169,346 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $11,136,762 | $6,852,302 | $152,507,931 | 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 The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- sonoma@llhf.org
- Sonoma, CA
- llhf.org
Applying to The Larry L. Hillblom Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- sonoma@llhf.org
- Sonoma, CA
- llhf.org