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  • Our Priorities

  • Contact Us

    Contact Us 737 North Michigan AvenueSuite 1850Chicago, Illinois 60611P 312.799.4500 brinsonfoundation.orgmail@brinsonfoundation.org Click on the above map to obtain a general area Google map.Click this Detailed Local Map link for a map in PDF format.

  • Investments

    The assets of the Foundation must be considered a scarce resource with an investment objective of moderate risk that should satisfy the goal of earning a 4.0% to 4.5% real (inflation adjusted) return over time. Objectives The objectives of the Foundation’s investment portfolio are to produce a long-term rate of return that provides sufficient funds to meet the Foundation’s required grantmaking target, cover all reasonable and necessary expenses, and compensate for inflation. The assets are invested in a well-diversified global investment portfolio that accepts reasonable risk consistent with desired return. Benchmark The Foundation has adopted a globally diversified benchmark, the Global […]

  • Grantseekers – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Click on each of the following for answers to commonly asked questions.

  • Grantseekers – Process and Timeline

    If the Foundation’s initial review of the Grantseeker Information Form (GIF) indicates there might be a strong match, a program officer will contact the grantseeker to learn more about the organization and its programs. If a grantseeker remains under consideration after this conversation, the Foundation’s spring and fall grantmaking cycles proceed as follows. The timeline for each stage of the grantmaking cycle is as follows. Due DiligenceDiscussion ApplicationDue Board MeetingReview GrantDisbursement Spring Cycle January toMarch Mid- to LateFebruary Mid- to LateMay May toJune Fall Cycle July toSeptember Mid- to LateAugust Late October toEarly November November toDecember Current Grantees: Current grantees have a simplified application […]

  • Grantseekers – Inquiries

    Grantseekers should review the Foundation’s mission, vision, beliefs, priorities, and focus areas, as well as all grantmaking guidelines before submitting an inquiry. The Foundation does not accept grantseeker inquiries in its Endorsement, Scientific Research, Board Special Interest, nor Catalyst areas. Consideration for funding that falls within these areas is by invitation only. If a grantseeker believes a request meets the Foundation’s criteria, an inquiry can be made by completing a Grantseeker Information Form (GIF). Inquiries are accepted throughout the year. The Grantseeker Information Form (GIF) is not an application. It simply provides preliminary information about the grantseeker’s organization and the proposed grant request. […]

  • Grantseekers – Limitations and Other Considerations

    The Foundation will not consider grant inquiries from organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. The Foundation also will not consider grant inquiries from organizations that request funding for: In addition, the Foundation discourages grant inquiries from organizations that request funding for capital improvements, endowments, or fundraising events.

  • Grantseekers – Geographic Considerations

    Education Programs The Foundation’s education grants are generally made to organizations that serve individuals and communities in the greater Chicago area. Leading U.S.-based programs that reach broader populations across the U.S. or internationally, or that have the potential to have a meaningful impact on best practices at the national or international level, are considered for funding by invitation only. Organizations that do not serve populations in the greater Chicago area or do not meet the foregoing standards are rarely considered by the Board. Scientific Research Programs The Foundation’s scientific research grants are made to leading organizations across the United States. In […]

  • Grantseekers – Legal Requirements

    Grantmaking within the United States The Foundation will consider grant inquiries from organizations based in the United States that have been determined by the Internal Revenue Service to be exempt from tax, under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and to be public charities, as described in Section 509(a)(1), (2), or (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (“501(c)(3) Public Charities”). 501(c)(3) Public Charities classified under Section 509(a)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code may be required to submit additional information. International Grantmaking In general, the Foundation’s international grantmaking is conducted exclusively through 501(c)(3) Public Charities. In extraordinary circumstances identified by the […]

  • Grantseekers

    The Foundation prioritizes two grantmaking areas: Education and Scientific Research. The Foundation only accepts inquiries that fall under our Education Priority focus areas. Grantseekers should review the guidelines and frequently asked questions on these pages for a more comprehensive understanding of the Foundation’s grantmaking decisions. Grantseekers are welcome to submit a Grantseeker Information Form (GIF) at any time, and they should contact the Foundation if they have questions as to whether their organization or program qualifies for consideration.

Fellows

  • Jiaxuan Li

    Jiaxuan Li studies the smallest galaxies in the nearby universe to understand how dark matter and galaxy formation operate on the smallest cosmic scales. During his Ph.D. at Princeton University, he pioneered new techniques to measure distances to faint galaxies using subtle surface-brightness fluctuations in imaging data, enabling large surveys of dwarf galaxies that were previously impossible. He leads the ELVES-Dwarf survey, which produced the first statistical census of satellite systems around dwarf galaxies and revealed systems that challenge theoretical predictions. As a Brinson Prize Fellow at Stanford University, he will use next-generation sky surveys, including the Rubin Observatory, NASA’s Roman […]

  • Alexa Gordon

    Alexa Gordon’s research uses the host galaxy environments of fast radio bursts (FRBs) as a lens to understand their origins and formation channels. Despite thousands of detections since their discovery nearly two decades ago, fundamental questions remain on what produces FRBs, how they form, and what powers them. Gordon uses telescopes all across (and above) the globe to follow-up new FRBs and pinpoint them back to their host environments. While FRBs associated to their hosts are currently rare, FRB detectors will soon increase rates from a few hosts per month to several per day. As a Brinson Prize Fellow at Caltech, […]

  • Yukei Murakami

    Yukei Murakami studies the expansion history of the universe using Type Ia supernovae (SNeIa), a type of exploding star that provides a powerful tool for measuring distances in the universe. SNe Ia exhibit a well-defined luminosity–color–duration relationship, allowing them to function as standardizable candles and enabling precise measurements of cosmic distances across billions of years of cosmic history. However, remaining variations in the observed post-standardization luminosities of SNe Ia are the dominant source of systematic uncertainty in modern cosmology, limiting the potential of next-generation surveys such as the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space […]

  • David Zemmour

    David Zemmour’s research focuses on directly measuring cellular interactions in human tissues to better understand immune responses. He does this by studying T cells and Regulatory T cells known as Tregs. The immune system consists of millions of cells spread throughout the body, working together to respond to injuries, and Tregs play a unique and crucial role in preventing autoimmune diseases, as was celebrated with the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Dr. Zemmour is currently investigating the role that Tregs play in the onset of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) colitis, which is a significant autoimmunity side effect of cancer […]

  • Ryan Kahn

    Ryan Kahn studies how circadian rhythms, the body’s internal 24-hour biological clock, regulate skeletal muscle force production and repair. Specifically, his research focuses on circadian rhythms produced by muscle stem cells (MuSCs). MuSCs are responsible for facilitating muscle repair and adaptation following exercise/rehabilitation sessions and aligning these sessions to specific times of day when MuSCs repair-capacity may be enhanced holds great promise for improving musculoskeletal rehab outcomes. Using preclinical models, Kahn has shown that muscle force production and susceptibility to damage vary by time of day, driven by molecular “clocks” within muscle stem cells. These findings suggest that rehabilitation effectiveness may […]

  • Hannah Barbian

    Hannah Barbian’s scientific training and interest are in molecular virology and pathogen genomics. She received her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania with research focused on the fate of viruses upon transmission, immune pressure, and chronic infection. Barbian came to Rush University Medical Center as a postdoctoral researcher in 2018 with research focusing on latent viral infections. She joined the Regional Innovative Public Health Laboratory (RIPHL) at RUSH in 2021 as a genomic epidemiologist, performing genomic surveillance of pathogens of public health importance, including outbreak investigations and monitoring emerging pathogens. As an Assistant Professor, her current research is focused on understanding […]

  • Ellis Kim

    Ellis Kim’s research focuses on characterizing the role of how immune cells affect heart function. Heart Failure can occur in the setting of relatively normal appearing heart function (called heart failure with preserved function). Chronic inflammation is thought to be one of the main drivers underlying this type of heart failure. Learning the exact mechanism through which immune cells mediate development this form of heart failure would enlighten additional treatment for a disease that has limited treatment options at this time. During her PhD, Kim worked on the defining molecular differences in subtypes of myotonic dystrophies using human stem cell models […]

  • Cheng Mei

    Cheng Mei’s research focuses on earthquake physics, induced seismicity, fault mechanics, and rock friction. His work integrates theoretical analysis, numerical modeling, and laboratory experiments to investigate fault mechanics and hydrothermal effects on both natural earthquakes and induced seismicity associated with engineering activities such as wastewater disposal, enhanced geothermal systems, and carbon storage. Injection-induced seismicity has become a significant concern in areas with active subsurface fluid injection, where wastewater disposal from oil and gas operations has led to a substantial increase in earthquake activity. While much of the attention has centered on the western and central U.S., particularly California and Oklahoma, rising […]

  • Eric Beaucé

  • Maude Gull

    Maude Gull studies metal-poor massive stars in nearby galaxies. Metal-poor massive stars are at least eight times as heavy as our Sun and have a metallicity (a metal to an astronomer, is any element on the periodic table that is not Hydrogen or Helium) similar to that of the early universe. Across most of the universe, these stars dominate the light of star-forming galaxies and are progenitors to energetic and exotic astrophysical phenomena. Yet our knowledge of the life and death of these stars has been limited due to their rarity in the nearby universe. As a Ph.D. student at UC […]