Brain Research Foundation
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Brain Research Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brain Research Foundation
- Legal name
- Brain Research Foundation
- Website
- https://thebrf.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Brain Research Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Research Funding
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)
Keywords
Where Brain Research Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Brain Research Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: BRF operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that generates revenue through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donors contribute to support neuroscience research grants and programs. Donation amounts listed on website range from $25 to $250 and above.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation-based funding model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels9 records
Brain Research Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Brain Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds innovative neuroscience research through Seed Grants ($40,000–$50,000) and Scientific Innovations Awards (SIA) supporting bold, high-risk projects. Donor contributions are pooled and disbursed to academic researchers via a peer-reviewed application process administered by the Scientific Review Committee.
Product overview
Brain Research Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides funding for neuroscience research through two primary grant programs: Seed Grants (start-up funds of approximately $40,000-$50,000 for researchers) and the Scientific Innovations Award (supporting bold, transformative research). Beyond grantmaking, BRF offers educational resources through its Education & News channel covering neurological conditions, hosts regular Lunch & Learn webinars with neuroscientists, and organizes flagship events including the annual Discovery Dinner and Neuroscience Day. The organization does not offer a technology product but rather serves as a philanthropic funding mechanism connecting donors with researchers pursuing brain research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Seed Grants Start-up funding for academic researchers to conduct new research projects in critical areas of neuroscience, with grants typically ranging from $40,000 to $50,000.
- Scientific Innovations Award (SIA) Funding award supporting bold, transformative neuroscience research projects for which there is no precedent, enabling high-risk, high-reward investigations.
- Education & News Educational content including articles and insights bridging neuroscience and education, covering topics such as dementia, depression, Alzheimer's disease, autism, and other neurological disorders.
Quantifiable outcome
- For every dollar BRF awards, grantees secure $32 in future funding on average
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Brain Research Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Brain Research Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Brain Research Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Allen Institute for Brain ScienceminorThe Allen Institute for Brain Science partnered with BRF for the 2022 Discovery Event and has collaborated on symposiums such as 'Mapping the Brain: A Path to curing Neurological Disease' held at the Union League Club of Chicago.
- Dementia Society of AmericacoreBRF and Dementia Society of America partnered to jointly support brain health research. The collaboration aims to advance research understanding and provide more accessible information about dementia to families and individuals affected by neurological disorders.
- Society for NeurosciencecoreSociety for Neuroscience sponsors Brain Awareness Week along with BRF and over 1,200 other health and advocacy groups. This is an annual educational initiative with activities conducted across North America.
- Dana Alliance for Brain InitiativescoreThe Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives co-sponsors Brain Awareness Week with Society for Neuroscience, BRF, and over 1,200 other organizations to promote brain education across North America.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Brain Research Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Alzheimer's Association: The Alzheimer's Association funds neuroscience research focused on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias through its research grants program — a much larger incumbent in brain research philanthropy with disease-specific focus and significantly greater resources.
- The Kavli Foundation: The Kavli Foundation supports basic scientific research including neuroscience through Kavli Institutes at major universities, with significantly larger endowment and broader science scope — a broader incumbent in the neuroscience research funding space.
- Simons Foundation: The Simons Foundation's Simons Collaboration on the Global Brain funds large-scale neuroscience research with substantially greater resources than BRF — a broad incumbent in brain research philanthropy with overlapping research funding priorities.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) - NINDS: NINDS, the largest U.S. funder of neuroscience research, issues billions in annual grants across the full spectrum of brain disorders — a dominant incumbent that shapes the entire neuroscience research funding ecosystem BRF operates within.
Direct peers
- Dana Foundation: The Dana Foundation supports brain research and neuroscience education through grants, public outreach, and partnerships — a co-sponsor of Brain Awareness Week with BRF. Directly comparable as a brain-focused grantmaking foundation with similar education and outreach programming.
- Brain & Behavior Research Foundation: Formerly NARSAD, the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation is one of the largest U.S. nonprofit funders of brain and behavior research, awarding grants to scientists studying psychiatric and neurological disorders — the most direct peer to BRF in mission and grantmaking approach.
- Grass Foundation: The Grass Foundation supports neuroscience research through research grants and the Grass Fellowship Program at the Marine Biological Laboratory — a similarly-sized private foundation funding innovative neuroscience research comparable to BRF.
- McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience: The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience supports innovative neuroscience research through grants and the McKnight Scholar Awards, Memory and Cognitive Disorders Awards, and Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Awards — directly comparable to BRF's Seed Grants and Scientific Innovations Awards.
- Whitehall Foundation: The Whitehall Foundation funds basic research in neuroscience through research grants and grants-in-aid for early-career investigators — closely comparable to BRF in scope, focus on innovative basic research, and grant size tier.
Regional players
- Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research: The Michael J. Fox Foundation is the largest U.S. nonprofit funder of Parkinson's disease research, awarding grants to academic and industry researchers — comparable grantmaking mechanism but disease-focused rather than BRF's all-brain approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Brain Research Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceBrain Research Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brain Research Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Brain Research Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Brain Research Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brain Research Foundation
What does Brain Research Foundation do?
Brain Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds innovative neuroscience research through Seed Grants ($40,000–$50,000) and Scientific Innovations Awards (SIA) supporting bold, high-risk projects. Donor contributions are pooled and disbursed to academic researchers via a peer-reviewed application process administered by the Scientific Review Committee.
Is Brain Research Foundation a public or private company?
Brain Research Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Brain Research Foundation founded?
Brain Research Foundation was founded in 1953. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Brain Research Foundation based?
Brain Research Foundation is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Brain Research Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Brain Research Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Alzheimer's Association, The Kavli Foundation, Simons Foundation and National Institutes of Health (NIH) - NINDS. Direct peers are Dana Foundation, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, Grass Foundation, McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience and Whitehall Foundation. Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research is listed as a regional player.
Does Brain Research Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brain Research Foundation.
What industry is Brain Research Foundation in?
Brain Research Foundation's product category is Nonprofit Research Funding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGACAA, Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS). Its NAICS code is 813211.