OVERVIEW: The Rita Allen Foundation works in the areas of biomedical research and civic engagement. Its scholars program supports early-career researchers with three- and five-year grants, and its civic engagement program works to improve civic engagement against a landscape of changing media and technology.
IP TAKE: Although highly competitive, the Rita Allen Foundation is accessible and accepts letters of inquiry for its two main grantmaking programs. Grants support biomedical researchers at top U.S. universities, as well as smaller community- and university-based civic engagement initiatives across the U.S. This is an equal opportunity funder that spreads its funding around. An accessible funder, the Rita Allen Foundation accepts LOIs and contact, so don’t hesitate to reach out here with questions before applying.
PROFILE: The Rita Allen Foundation was established in 1953 by the late theatrical producer Rita Allen Cassel and her husband, Milton Cassel. It is based in Princeton, New Jersey. The foundation’s mission is to invest “in transformative ideas in their earliest stages to leverage their growth and promote breakthrough solutions to significant problems. It runs two grantmaking programs: the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program and a Civic Science initiative. For more than four decades, the foundation’s Scholars Program has been an important source of funding for early-career researchers in biomedical sciences. The Civic Science program promotes “new ideas and approaches” to involve citizens community problem solving.
Grants for Science, Neuroscience and Democracy
The Rita Allen Foundation currently runs three grantmaking programs for science research and outreach.
- The Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program awards research grants to early-career scientists who have “bold approaches” to solving important scientific problems of global concern. Scientists who demonstrate the potential for leadership, collaboration and multidisciplinary research are prioritized.
- Past grantees have gone on to win prestigious awards including the Nobel Prizes in Physiology and Medicine, the Wolf Prize in Medicine and the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences.
- Grantees generally use funding to seed their own laboratories and research agendas at top universities in the U.S. and abroad. Recent areas of interest have included neonatal health and behavior and gene origination.
- As part of its scholars program, the foundation awards the Rita Allen Foundation Award in Pain, with the aim of “uncovering new pathways to improve the treatment of chronic pain.”
- This award also prioritizes early-career investigators, “with appointment at the faculty level, but prior to achieving tenure.” Funding for this program is limited to the U.S. and Canada.
- Recent grantees have produced research on the involvement of brain systems in chronic pain, synaptic plasticity, neuromodulation and how the brain controls perceptions of pain.
- The Rita Allen Foundation collaborates with Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Packard Foundation and others to run the Civic Science program. This fellowship program aims to create a “network of leaders working to advance change across sectors—so people from all backgrounds shape science and benefit from its power and promise.”
- Civic Science Fellows are early-career practitioners from “diverse demographic, cultural, and professional backgrounds” who work together “to create the conditions for more inclusive and holistic problem-solving to broaden the benefits of science.”
- Civic Science Associates represent organizational partners and work directly on initiatives that “foster inclusive, engaged research and practice and bridge gaps between science and the public.”
- See profiles of participating organizations on the program page.
- At this writing, the Civic Science program does not accept applications for participation. However, interested parties may sign up for the program’s newsletter here or email civicscience@ritaallen.org with inquiries.
Important Grant Details:
The Rita Allen Foundation’s grants are awarded in amounts specified by each program. Scholars Program awards are generally granted in the amount $110,000 a year for a maximum of five years, while the Rita Allen Award in Pain is awarded for $50,000 a year for three years. Stipends related to the Civic Science program appear to range from about $25,000 to $150,000.
- The Rita Allen Foundation accepts letters of inquiry for the Scholars Program and Pain Awards. Letters are accepted between January and March. See the How to Apply page for detailed guidelines
- Information about past recipients is available at each program page.
- Contact the Rita Allen Foundation via email at info@ritaallen.org or by telephone at (609) 683-8010.
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