The Simons Foundation Incorporated
The Simons Foundation is a New York–based philanthropic organization that funds research in mathematics, the basic sciences, life sciences and autism/neuroscience. The official site publishes funding opportunities, policies and application instructions (Simons Award Manager), news and event updates, and organizational leadership pages.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Research institutions, university departments or labs, collaborative research consortia, and investigator-level researchers working in mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences, computational science, or autism/neuroscience.
Good Fit
- • Clear alignment with basic research in mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences, or autism/neuroscience.
- • Strong investigator track record or institutional research capacity (universities, research institutes, labs).
- • Projects sized for multi-year research funding or fellowships and collaborations across institutions.
- • Willingness to apply through posted program processes or participate in competitive fellowship/award calls.
Geography
Observed grants in the latest year reached recipients across 50 states, showing a national geographic footprint even though New York accounts for a large share (about 36%) of dollars.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows a large and diverse portfolio: over 1,500 grants to 322 distinct recipients across many program types, with hundreds of different named projects and awards.
New Applicants
There is a public application infrastructure and 134 new recipients in the latest year, but many programs are run by preselection or invitation; direct evidence shows new entrants are possible but selection is selective and program-dependent.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
