Apply for a Grant

The Rita Allen Foundation currently makes grants for charitable purposes in two primary domains:

Within these domains, the Foundation identifies organizations for funding based on its goals and strategies. The majority of our grant making is conducted through the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program, including the Rita Allen Foundation Award in Pain, and through the Foundation’s research and consultation with sector experts in areas related to civic science, communication and engagement, and effective philanthropy. The Foundation also accepts Letters of Inquiry that fit with our guidelines during specific review periods.

Open Letter of Inquiry Process

The Foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) that fit with our guidelines during specific review periods. While the majority of our grant making is conducted through the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program, including the Rita Allen Foundation Award in Pain, and through the Foundation’s research and consultation with sector experts in areas related to civic science, communication and engagement, and effective philanthropy, our open LOI process welcomes a diverse pool of organizations.

Please visit the Other Opportunities page for additional information about the Foundation’s periodic open submission periods.  

Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program

The Foundation’s primary support for biomedical research is granted through the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars program. 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 Nancy Kovacevich, Grants Administration.

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 Award in Pain page. If you have questions, please contact apply@ritaallen.org.

Civic Engagement

The Rita Allen Foundation seeds new ideas and approaches in the field of civic engagement, believing that aware, informed, and engaged citizens are our greatest assets for solving the most critical problems in our communities. Our investments include innovative approaches to strengthening civic engagement in the United States through new technology, information, and tools. Our grant making in civic engagement is conducted through research and consultation with sector experts, as well as through our open Letter of Inquiry process.

Read more about our work in civic engagement here.

Civic Science

At the intersection of science and civic engagement, the Rita Allen Foundation seeks to foster a culture of civic science, in which broad engagement with science and evidence helps to inform solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Recognizing that making progress toward this goal requires building new knowledge and collaborations across many sectors, the Rita Allen Foundation is joining with partners to co-create a number of efforts, including the Civic Science Fellows program.

Read more about our work in civic science here.