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The Larry Ellison Foundation

Annual Giving
$53.9M
Grant Range
$400K - $18.0M

The Larry Ellison Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $53,874,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly by project
  • Geographic Focus: United States institutions
  • Total Assets: $192.2 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 101 Ygnacio Valley Rd Ste 320, Walnut Creek, CA 94596-7026

Telephone: 925-977-9060

Email: lefoundation@outlook.com

Website: www.ellisonfoundation.org

Note: The foundation explicitly states on their website that they may not respond to all inquiries.

Overview

Founded in 1997 by Lawrence J. Ellison, co-founder and former CEO of Oracle Corporation, The Larry Ellison Foundation is a private foundation that supports basic biomedical research with a particular focus on understanding how humans and other organisms age and on defining the fundamental biological mechanisms that prevent age-related diseases and disabilities. With total assets of $192.2 million and annual giving of approximately $53.9 million (2023), the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation particularly seeks to stimulate new, creative research that might not be funded by traditional sources or that is often under-funded in the United States. Lawrence Ellison is a signatory of The Giving Pledge, demonstrating his commitment to significant philanthropic contributions.

Funding Priorities

Historical Grant Programs

The foundation historically operated through the Ellison Medical Foundation (established 1997), which awarded nearly $430 million over 15 years. Previous programs included:

  • Senior Scholar Awards: Provided $150,000 per year for four years ($600,000 total per scholar) to established investigators conducting research in basic biological and clinical sciences relevant to understanding aging processes
  • New Scholars Award: Provided $100,000 per year for four years ($400,000 total per scholar) to new investigators of outstanding promise in basic biological sciences relevant to understanding aging

At its peak, the foundation gave $40 million per year to support 25 Senior Scholars and 25 New Scholars annually, helping establish aging as a critical area for medical research and supporting over 600 leading-edge scientific programs over 20 years.

Important Note: In late summer/early fall 2013, the foundation announced it would no longer accept new applications for New Scholar and Senior Scholar awards in Aging, Neuroscience, or other biomedical research topics, though existing awards continued to be funded through completion.

Current Funding Activity

According to recent IRS Form 990-PF filings:

  • 2023: 3 grants awarded totaling $53,874,000
  • 2022: 3 grants awarded
  • 2021: 4 grants awarded

The foundation continues to support biomedical research institutions and universities on behalf of investigators studying the basic biology of aging.

Priority Areas

  • Basic biomedical research on aging and lifespan development processes
  • Age-related diseases and disabilities
  • Research that might not be funded by traditional sources or is under-funded in the U.S.
  • Creative, innovative approaches to understanding aging mechanisms
  • Institutional training programs through universities, professional societies, government institutions, or other non-profit organizations (by invitation only)

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited proposals from organizations or individuals
  • Infrastructure awards (the foundation is not currently accepting unsolicited proposals for infrastructure awards to maximize research grants to individual investigators)
  • Organizations outside their preselected network
  • Projects unrelated to biomedical research on aging

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is led by founder Lawrence J. Ellison, who established both The Larry Ellison Foundation and the Ellison Medical Foundation. Ellison has business collaborations with prominent medical professionals including Dr. David Agus, with whom he co-founded Project Ronin and launched Sensei, a hydroponic food-growing company, in March 2018.

Detailed current board composition information is available through the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings accessible via ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer and other nonprofit databases.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation's website explicitly states: "The Foundation cannot accept unsolicited requests for funding."

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. All historically open application programs (New Scholar and Senior Scholar awards) were closed to new applicants in 2013, though existing commitments have been honored.

Organizations interested in the foundation's work may contact lefoundation@outlook.com for inquiries, but should note that the foundation states it "may not respond to all inquiries."

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Given the invitation-only nature and small number of annual grants (3 awards in 2023), decisions are likely made through trustee discretion rather than standard review cycles.

Success Rates

Historical data from the open application period is not publicly available. Current grants are made by invitation only to preselected organizations, making traditional success rate metrics not applicable.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis without public applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on the foundation's documented priorities and historical funding patterns:

What the Foundation Has Valued Historically

  • Innovative approaches: The foundation explicitly states it wishes to "stimulate new, creative research that might not be funded by traditional sources or that is often under-funded in the U.S."
  • Aging research focus: All funding has centered on understanding lifespan development processes, age-related diseases, and disabilities
  • Established and emerging talent: Through Senior Scholar and New Scholar programs, the foundation supported both established investigators and new investigators of outstanding promise
  • Institutional partnerships: The foundation works through U.S. nonprofit institutions and universities rather than funding individual researchers directly

Historical Funding Pattern

Over 20 years through the Ellison Medical Foundation, the foundation:

  • Supported over 600 scientific programs
  • Awarded nearly $430 million to aging research
  • Provided substantial multi-year commitments ($400,000-$600,000 per scholar over four years)
  • Focused exclusively on basic biological and clinical sciences relevant to aging

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This foundation operates exclusively on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited funding requests
  • Highly focused mission: Biomedical research on aging remains the core focus, with particular interest in innovative approaches to understanding aging mechanisms
  • Significant grant sizes: Historical awards ranged from $400,000 to $600,000 over four years per scholar; recent annual giving of $53.9 million divided among just 3 grants suggests very large individual awards
  • Long-term funder commitment: The foundation has demonstrated sustained commitment to aging research since 1997, though it has shifted from open applications to invitation-only funding
  • Relationship-based: With only 3 grants awarded annually from a foundation with nearly $200 million in assets, grants are highly selective and likely based on pre-existing relationships and strategic priorities
  • Limited accessibility: The foundation explicitly states it may not respond to inquiries, indicating a closed operational approach
  • U.S. institutional focus: Funding is directed to U.S. nonprofit institutions and universities

References

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