About
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (BBRF) is a New York-based nonprofit committed to alleviating the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding grants that lead to advances and breakthroughs in scientific research. Since 1987 it has awarded more than $487 million to fund more than 7,062 grants to more than 5,902 scientists at more than 613 institutions around the world, and it describes itself — citing the Rand Corporation — as the nation's top non-governmental funder of mental health research grants.
Mission
BBRF's mission is to alleviate the suffering caused by mental illness by awarding grants that will lead to advances and breakthroughs in scientific research. Its vision is "to dramatically improve the lives of those with mental illness and ultimately enable people to live full, happy, and productive lives."
What they do
- Awards research grants in neuroscience and psychiatry across conditions including addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, depression, eating disorders, OCD, PTSD, schizophrenia, and suicide prevention
- Funds only research reviewed and recommended by its all-volunteer Scientific Council, which includes Nobel Prize winners and chairs of psychiatric departments and represents every major discipline in brain and behavior research
- Supports bottom-up, investigator-generated ideas, providing seed money for "out of the box" research that government and other funders are often unwilling to back
BBRF states that 100% of every dollar donated for research is invested in its research grants, with operating expenses covered by separate foundation grants.
History
The Foundation was established in 1987 and was formerly known as NARSAD (the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression), which remains its legal name; it does business as the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation. Breakthroughs that received initial key support from BBRF grants include optogenetics, deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and rapid-acting antidepressants.
Scale and impact
Beyond the more than $487 million in direct grants awarded since 1987, BBRF reports that its grants have resulted in over $4.6 billion in additional research funding for the scientists it has supported.
Financials
According to IRS filings compiled by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression Inc, EIN 31-1020010), the Foundation reported total revenue of about $21.7 million and total expenses of about $14.5 million in fiscal year 2023, with year-end total assets of about $53.1 million.
Governance
BBRF is governed by a Board of Directors and guided by its all-volunteer, world-renowned Scientific Council, which reviews and recommends all research it funds.