Kissick Family Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $4,739,800 (2023)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: 5-6 months for FTD research grants
Grant Range: $10,000 - $500,000
Geographic Focus: International for FTD research; Los Angeles area for local grants
Total Awards: 42 grants (2023)

Contact Details

Website: https://kissickfamilyfoundation.org

Phone: 310-201-4139

Address: 15260 Ventura Blvd Ste 1910, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403-5349

For FTD Research Grants: ftdgrants@milkeninstitute.org

Overview

Founded in 1994 by John Kissick (1942-2024), co-founder of Apollo Management and Ares Management, the Kissick Family Foundation operates with total annual giving of approximately $4.7 million. The foundation was established on the principle of running philanthropy "nimbly and creatively, no differently from how a business is run" with a goal to "unite our family and future generations around philanthropy." Following John Kissick's diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the foundation has become a significant supporter of FTD research. The foundation is now led by co-presidents Kasey Kissick Duarte and Ryan Kissick, along with Vice President & Treasurer Kathy Kissick. The foundation's approach focuses on "solutions currently overlooked by most funding and policymaking" and seeks to "take risks where others may not."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) Research Grant Program (Administered by Milken Institute)

Amount: Up to $500,000 over two years (inclusive of indirect costs)
Focus: Basic or early-stage translational research on sporadic (non-genetic) FTD
Eligibility: Nonprofit academic/research institutions worldwide; PhD, MD, or related doctoral degree holders; new and early-stage investigators encouraged
Application Method: Annual cycle with Letter of Intent (750 words max) followed by full proposal (6 pages max)
Total Program Funding: $2.5-3 million per cycle, supporting 3-6 research teams

Ocean-Based Climate Solutions

No public application process
Recent grantees include Coral Gardeners, The Nature Conservancy, Arête Glacier Initiative, and Spark Climate Solutions
Focuses on innovative, transformative ideas with potential to mitigate and reverse environmental damage

Local Los Angeles Grants

Amount: Typically $10,000 - $25,000
No public application process; organizations are preselected
Supports education, healthcare, Jewish causes, and arts organizations
Examples: LA's Promise, Friends of Foshay Robotics, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Saint John's Health Center, Geffen Playhouse

Priority Areas

Neurodegenerative Diseases: Cutting-edge scientific research and awareness building for frontotemporal dementia (FTD), including support for organizations like Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), Beyond Memory, and The 10,000 Brains Project
Climate Solutions: Ocean-based solutions addressing climate change, including coral reef preservation, glacier research, and marine ecosystem restoration
Education: Supporting disadvantaged youth in Los Angeles, particularly programs focused on high school graduation and STEM learning
Healthcare: Large, well-established hospitals and health organizations in Los Angeles area

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the foundation states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" for most of its funding (except the FTD research program).

Governance and Leadership

Co-Presidents: Kasey Kissick Duarte and Ryan Kissick

Vice President & Treasurer: Kathy Kissick

Founder: John Kissick (1942-2024), finance executive who co-founded Apollo Management and Ares Management

Philanthropic Approach: Kasey Kissick Duarte describes her approach: "As a next-generation philanthropist, I approach each day with curiosity, humility, collaboration, and thoughtful risk-taking as means to drive meaningful impact." The foundation aims to catalyze change through "bold and dynamic philanthropy" and provides "critical early support for the leaders, researchers, and entrepreneurs who are finding cures, repairing catastrophic damage, and changing entire fields of study."

Key Team Members: The foundation works with philanthropic advisors and directors specializing in impact and climate, including Oliver Sabot who shapes the climate portfolio.

Quote from Foundation Leadership: "We continue his [John Kissick's] legacy through our work and are optimistic that significant breakthroughs are on the horizon."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For FTD Research Grants (PUBLIC APPLICATION PROCESS):

Application Portal: Through Milken Institute SPARC program at https://milkeninstitute.org
Process: Two-stage application
1. Letter of Intent (LOI): 750 words maximum, submitted by early November
2. Full Proposal: 6 pages maximum, invited applicants submit by early February
Required Materials: LOI, full proposal, detailed budget, research team description, institutional commitment letter
Application Cycle: Annual with specific deadlines (typically November for LOI, February for full proposals)

For Climate/Ocean Grants and Local Los Angeles Grants (NO PUBLIC APPLICATION PROCESS): This funder does not have a public application process for climate, ocean, or local Los Angeles grants. The foundation states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds" for these areas. Grants are awarded through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships.

Decision Timeline

FTD Research Grants:

November (early): Letter of Intent due
February (early): Full proposals due (invited applicants only)
May-June: Awardees notified (approximately 5-6 months from LOI submission)
Projects typically begin in summer/fall

Other Grants: Timeline not publicly disclosed as grants are by invitation/preselection only

Success Rates

Success rates are not publicly disclosed for any programs. For the FTD research grant program, the foundation awards 3-6 grants per cycle out of an undisclosed number of applications.

Reapplication Policy

FTD Research Grants: The foundation runs annual cycles and welcomes applications from new applicants each year. Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly documented.

Other Grants: Not applicable as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

For FTD Research Grant Applicants

Research Focus: The foundation prioritizes sporadic (non-genetic) FTD research. Example priority areas from recent RFPs include:

Microglia and non-neuronal cells in FTD
Clinical biomarkers for early detection
Synaptic dysfunction mechanisms
Computational approaches to understanding disease progression
Neuroimaging techniques for diagnosis and monitoring

Successful Project Examples (2024 Awardees):

Structural insights into TDP-43 protein aggregation and lysosomal dysfunction (University of Michigan)
Systematic analysis of genetic risk variants for sporadic FTD (UC San Francisco)
Spatial transcriptomics for cryptic exon biomarker discovery (Johns Hopkins)
Open network for frontotemporal dementia inflammation research (University of Cambridge)
Impact of TMEM106B fibrils on disease pathogenesis (Mayo Clinic/NIH)
Oligonucleotide therapeutics to reverse TDP-43 proteinopathy (University of Pennsylvania)

Evaluation Criteria:

Scientific and technical merit
Significance and potential impact on FTD understanding
Innovation and novel approaches
Research team capabilities and qualifications
Cost realism and budget justification

Foundation Priorities:

Early-stage investigators and researchers from non-traditional backgrounds are encouraged
Multidisciplinary collaborations are welcomed
Open data sharing is required
Publication in open-access journals is supported

Key Quote from Dr. Cara Altimus (Milken Institute): "Basic research to understand the brain is so critical"

For All Applicants

The foundation values "thoughtful risk-taking," innovation, and supporting "catalytic ideas" that are "currently overlooked by most funding." They seek to "bet on talent" and invest in "the underserved." The foundation's approach emphasizes nimble, creative philanthropy that can move quickly and take chances where traditional funders may not.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

FTD researchers: This is one of the few dedicated funding opportunities for sporadic FTD research; applications through Milken Institute SPARC program are welcomed annually
Early-stage investigators encouraged: The foundation explicitly welcomes new researchers and non-traditional backgrounds for FTD grants
Innovation over incremental: Focus on novel approaches and transformative ideas rather than incremental improvements
Open science commitment: Be prepared to commit to data sharing and open-access publication
Climate/ocean organizations: No public application process; focus on building relationships and visibility in the ocean conservation and climate solution space
Los Angeles nonprofits: The foundation supports local education, health, and arts organizations but only through preselection; grants typically range $10,000-$25,000
Risk-taking welcomed: The foundation explicitly states they "take risks where others may not" - bold, innovative proposals are valued

References

Kissick Family Foundation Official Website - About Page. https://kissickfamilyfoundation.org/about/ (Accessed January 2026)
Milken Institute. "Request for Proposals: Kissick Family Foundation Frontotemporal Dementia Grant Program (2025-2026)." https://milkeninstitute.org/content-hub/rfps/request-proposals-kissick-family-foundation-frontotemporal-dementia-grant-program-2025-2026 (Accessed January 2026)
Milken Institute. "Kissick Family Foundation, Milken Institute Announce $3 Million in Funding for Frontotemporal Dementia Research." September 25, 2024. https://milkeninstitute.org/content-hub/news-releases/kissick-family-foundation-frontotemporal-dementia-ftd-funding (Accessed January 2026)
Milken Institute. "Inaugural Kissick Family Foundation FTD Grant Program Awardees and Projects." https://milkeninstitute.org/content-hub/collections/articles/inaugural-kissick-family-foundation-ftd-grant-awardees (Accessed January 2026)
Inside Philanthropy. "How the Kissick Family Foundation Gives in Los Angeles." March 2021. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2021/3/1/how-the-kissick-family-foundation-gives-in-los-angeles (Accessed January 2026)
Foundation Directory (Candid). "Kissick Family Foundation Profile." https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=KISS003 (Accessed January 2026)
Instrumentl. "Kissick Family Foundation | Sherman Oaks, CA | 990 Report." https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/kissick-family-foundation (Accessed January 2026)
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Kissick Family Foundation - Form 990 Filings." https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/954443453 (Accessed January 2026)