FUNDING MEMO
Title: Mathers Foundation Grants - Fall 2025 Cycle - Limited Opportunity - 3 Submissions
Funding Agency: The G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation
Internal Deadline: 08/06/2025 05:00 PM PDT
External Deadline(s):
09/05/2025 05:00 PM PDT (Institutional Nomination)
09/19/2025 05:00 PM PDT (Portal Registration)
10/03/2025 05:00 PM PDT (LOI)
12/12/2025 05:00 PM PST (Full Proposal)
Cognizant Office: Office of Sponsored Research/Office of Foundation Relations
Description:
The Mathers Foundation supports basic research with translational potential in areas such as immunology, microbiome, structural biology, cancer, genetics, stem cells, and neuroscience. They fund work that can lead to major advances in scientific understanding and human health.
The Foundation reviews applications twice per year. This is a limited opportunity - Caltech is eligible to submit up to three applications for this cycle.
Frequency: Typically offered multiple times per year
Total Award: $600,000 to $700,000
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The total project budget cannot exceed $600,000-700,000, inclusive of indirect costs.
- Student tuition and/or fees will not be funded. Benefits and fringe rates, including health insurance, may be approved on a case-by-case basis, regardless of agreements with other agencies (e.g., DHHS).
- Requests for equipment costs over $5,000 will not be approved.
Indirect Costs: 10% of Direct Costs
- Caltech’s minimum overhead rate is based on the award’s annual gross funding. Please refer to the FY25 Annual Rate Memo for applicable minimum overhead requirements. Applicants must work within their division to account for the required overhead via an approved MORA form.
Duration: 3 years
- Grant duration must be three years.
Discipline(s): Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science; Geological and Planetary Sciences; Humanities and Social Sciences; Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy
Eligibility: Research Faculty, Tenure-Track Faculty, Tenured Faculty
- U.S. Medical research universities and scientific institutions that are 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to apply.
- The Foundation supports all levels of researchers, including early, mid-career, and senior researchers. Applicants must have their own independent and fully equipped labs.
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- Caltech researchers other than tenure-track faculty will need to obtain approval from the Division Chair and Vice Provost for Research prior to submitting an application.
- Projects may include collaborations with other U.S.-based organizations.
- Resubmitting declined applications is strongly discouraged.
- Research projects that are currently or have previously been supported with federal funds may receive lower priority for funding.
Research Areas of Interest:
- Immunology
- Microbiome
- Structural Biology
- Cellular Physiology
- Cancer Biology
- Genetics
- Genomics
- Microbiology & Infectious Diseases
- Stem Cell Biology
- Neuroscience
Research Exclusions:
- Covid-19
- Plant Biology (including plant microbiome)
- Oceanography
- Space Exploration
- Global Warming
- Agriculture and Herbicide Research
- Clinical Trials or Drug Discovery
- Vaccine Development
- Ecology
- Environment
- Progress and financial reports are due annually on the anniversary of your grant start date and at the end of your grant. Payments are contingent upon receipt of reports.
Recent Caltech Recipients:
- Michael Elowitz (2022)
- Frances Arnold (2022)
- Pamela Bjorkman (2021)
- Bil Clemons (2021)
- Thanos Siapas (2016)
- Thanos Siapas and Michael Roukes (2013)
- Christof Koch (2010, 2007)
Guidelines & Other Information:
Guidelines: https://mathersfoundation.org/how-to-apply/
FAQ: https://mathersfoundation.org/faq/
Featured Prior Recipients: https://mathersfoundation.org/success-stories/
Pre-Proposal Requirements:
This is a limited opportunity – Caltech may submit up to three applications. Pre-proposals should be approximately 1 page in length (2 pages maximum), describe the project to be undertaken, and include a basic preliminary budget or other relevant information including the names of all PIs and collaborators. Please send pre-proposals in PDF format to the Office of the Provost at [email protected] by 5:00 pm on August 6, 2025.
Submissions for this program will be processed through the Office of Foundation Relations. Please reach out to us if you anticipate making a submission, have any questions, or would like a content review of your proposal. OFR is available to help ensure that Caltech’s proposals are competitive and can assist with proposal development and advise you on the routing of your paperwork. Interested researchers should work with their division grant manager to prepare the budget, the MORA form, and the Division Approval Form (DAF). If awarded, this grant will be processed and managed through the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR).
Opportunity ID: 2354