The Rita Allen Foundation currently makes grants in three primary domains:

• Discovery Science: The Foundation supports pioneering biomedical research with the potential to transform challenging health problems, primarily through investing in early-career Scholars.
• Civic Science: The Foundation invests in collaborative efforts to advance inclusive engagement with science, communities, and civic life to address challenging problems, primarily through the Civic Science Fellows program.
• Philanthropic Lab and Future Exploration: The Foundation invests in strengthening philanthropic practice and exploratory grantmaking with the opportunity to build learning and collaboration to inform future work.

Within these domains, the Foundation identifies organizations for funding based on its goals and strategies. The Foundation makes grants through the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program, including the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Award in Pain, and the Civic Science Fellows Program.

The Foundation periodically hosts open Letters of Inquiry (LOI) processes to source and support innovative ideas in specific topic areas. As opportunities are announced, details will be posted on our website and LinkedIn.

Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program

The Foundation supports pioneering biomedical research with the potential to transform challenging health problems through the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars program. Since 1976, the Rita Allen Foundation has invested in more than 200 biomedical scientists at the early stages of their careers, enabling them to pursue research with above-average risk and promise. Today, Rita Allen Foundation Scholars receive up to $110,000 per year for a maximum of five years. Please see FAQs about our Scholars program for more information about the application process. If you are preparing an application from an institution eligible to nominate candidates for the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars program (the list of eligible institutions is available here), please follow the instructions in the materials sent to your institution. If you have questions, please contact ritaallenscholars@ritaallen.org.

Since 2009, the Rita Allen Foundation Award in Pain has been awarded annually by the Foundation, recognizing emerging leaders in basic pain research whose work holds high potential for uncovering new pathways to improve the treatment of chronic pain. Pain Scholars receive grants of $50,000 annually for a period of up to three years to pursue innovative research that focuses on basic science mechanisms of pain.

More information about eligibility, the application process, and application deadlines can be found on the Scholars Award in Pain page. If you have questions, please contact ritaallenscholars@ritaallen.org.

Civic Science Fellows Program

The Civic Science Fellows program is building a network of leaders working to advance change across sectors—so people from all backgrounds can help shape science, and expand science’s benefits and horizons. The program brings together an interdisciplinary network of journalists, bench and social scientists, community-facing practitioners, content creators, public-interest organizations, and funders to develop evidence-based, human-centered approaches to build meaningful collaboration between science and diverse communities.

 Civic science goes beyond science outreach, building a culture in which science is strengthened through evidence-based engagement with people across diverse issues and experiences, and scientists are equipped to anticipate and engage around the civic context of their work. The program is supported by a growing community of leaders and organizations who recognize that a culture of civic science will be key to solving the grand challenges of today and tomorrow.

Designed as a Civic Science Lab, the program was established in 2020, with initial support from the Rita Allen Foundation, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, The Kavli Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and David and Lucile Packard Foundation. In 2021, a second cohort launched with support from 35 funding and host partners, and in 2024 a third cohort launched with more than 40 new and returning partner organizations.

For network news and information about future opportunities to engage, we invite you to sign up for the monthly Civic Science Series newsletter at civicsciencefellows.org.

For further information about the program, please reach out to civicscience@ritaallen.org.