W. M. Keck Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The W. M. Keck Foundation supports research in the fields of medicine, science and engineering and prioritizes innovation and interdisciplinary work. It also funds various efforts related to education, community, health care and the arts in Southern California.
IP TAKE: Keck is an important source of funding for projects that are not eligible for public funds. While funding is highly competitive, this is an accessible funder that runs an open application process for eligible projects in its areas of interest. The foundation is also approachable, so don’t hesitate to contact them with questions and ideas. However, this is a regionally specific foundation, so make sure your organization is based in or services SoCal.
PROFILE: Created in 1954, the W.M. Keck Foundation was established by William Myron Keck, founder of Superior Oil. The Los Angeles-based foundation seeks “to generate far-reaching benefits for humanity by supporting pioneering discoveries in science, engineering and medicine, and organizations that enrich the lives of children, youth and families.” Keck states that it is one of the country’s largest foundations with over $1 billion in assets. Its funding priorities focus on medical and science research and Southern California. It also runs a special projects program for “high impact” projects that fall outside of its established initiatives.
Grants for Science Research, Diseases and Public Health
Keck’s research program awards grants in the two fields of medical research and science and engineering, emphasizing research that is “distinctive and novel” in approach and with “the potential to break open new territory.” The foundation prioritizes innovative methodologies and interdisciplinary studies. Keck does not fund “clinical or translational research, treatment trials or research for the sole purpose of drug development,” and it tends not to fund studies for which public monies are available. Past medical research topics include autoimmune diseases, fetal alcohol syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Science and engineering topics include bond-specific control of chemical reactions and gravitational wave astronomy. Keck also made about $10 million in grants for COVID-19 research and emergency relief efforts. Recent grantees of the research program include researchers and teams at New York University, the Seattle Children’s Hospital, Rutgers University, Ohio State University and Emory University.
Grants for Los Angeles and Southern California
The Keck Foundation’s Southern California program area broadly funds issues of concern to Los Angeles and the Southern California region, including the arts, community development, human services, education and health care. It prioritizes “projects that focus on children and youth from low-income families and special needs populations.” It especially looks to fund collaborative initiatives by groups with a strong record of leadership. Recent grants have supported Los Angeles’s Special Needs Network, Child Lane, Venice Arts and CASA of Los Angeles.
Important Grant Details:
Research grants range from $500,000 to $5 million, with most grants remaining under $2 million, while its grants for Southern California range from $100,000 to $500,000. Most grants are directed toward teams of researchers at top U.S. universities and research institutes. Abstracts of past grants are available via the foundation’s research and Southern California program pages.
Keck recommends grantseekers contact staff to set up initial consultation between January 1 and February 15, or between July 1 to August 15, depending on the program. Applications submitted by May 1 are reviewed for the December grant cycle and those sent in by November 1 are considered for the June cycle. Detailed guidelines are available at the foundation’s research application or Southern California application pages.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
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