| Category | Amount | Net Investment Income | Adjusted Net Income | Disbursements for Charitable Purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Fees | 8,630 | 8,630 |
| Identifier | Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| ANNUAL CONFERENCE | Form 990-PF, Part IX, Line 1 | The 2020 McKnight Conference on Neuroscience was initially scheduled for June 12-15, 2020. Due to the COVID 19 Pandemic it was postponed to October 30-November 2, 2020. Unfortunately, the Pandemic did not subside and the McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience (MEFN) board of directors decided to cancel the 2020 conference. The next McKnight Conference on Neuroscience was initially scheduled to be held June 11-14, 2021 in Aspen, CO. Due to the continuing COVID 19 Pandemic, the MEFN board decided to postpone the conference until October 29-November 1, 2021. The speakers are all tentatively confirmed; nine recent recipients of a McKnight award; three former recipients of a McKnight award; and four guest speakers will present the findings of their brain research projects. |
| AWARDS | Form 990-PF, Part XV, Line 2b | The McKnight Endowment Fund for Neuroscience is an independent charitable organization established by The McKnight Foundation to carry out the intention of its founder, William L. McKnight (1887-1979). Mr. McKnight, who led the 3M company for three decades, had a personal interest in memory and its diseases and set aside part of his legacy to bring hope to those suffering from brain injury or disease and cognitive impairment. The Endowment Fund fulfills this mission by supporting innovative research in neuroscience through three competitive annual awards. The awards complement each other to support both young and established neuroscientists and to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration. Each in a different way, the three programs seek out investigators whose research shows promise in bringing society closer to preventions, treatments, and cures for many devastating diseases. Research supported by the Endowment Fund has furthered understanding of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, and many other cognitive impairments. The Endowment Fund is led by a board of eminent neuroscientists, with administrative support from The McKnight Foundation. Each award has its own selection committee, also made up of prominent scientists. The commitee recommends awardees, and the board has the final approval. McKnight Scholar Awards The McKnight Scholar Awards encourage neuroscientists in the early stages of their careers to focus on disorders of learning and memory. These awards support young scientists who hold the M.D. and/or Ph.D. degree, who have completed formal postdoctoral training and who demonstrate a commitment to neuroscience. The Endowment Fund especially seeks applicants working on problems that, if solved at the basic level, would have significant impact on clinically relevant issues, especially those related to deficits of memory and cognition. For descriptions of previous awards, please go to the Endowment Fund website. Each year up to six Scholars are selected to receive three years of support at $75,000 per year. Funds may be used in any way that will facilitate development of the Scholar's research program, but not for indirect costs. Scholars must have authorization from the home institution to work in the U.S. and must hold full time appointments at the rank of assistant professor at their sponsoring institution; scientists holding other titles such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor or instructor are not eligible. Employees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute or scientists within the intramural program of the National Institutes of Health are not eligible. Application materials are due in early January and can be uploaded by accessing the online URL set up for this purpose. Each applicant must ensure that four letters of reference are submitted to an email account; these letters are an integral part of the application. Awards are announced in May and begin on July 1. McKnight Technological Innovations in Neuroscience Awards These awards encourage and support scientists working on the development of novel and creative approaches to understanding brain function. The Endowment Fund is interested in how a new technology may be used to monitor, manipulate, analyze, or model brain function at any level, from the molecular to the entire organism. The technology may take any form, from biochemical tools to instruments to software and mathematical approaches. Because the program seeks to advance and enlarge the range of technologies available to the neurosciences, research based primarily on existing techniques will not be considered. For descriptions of previous awards, please go to the Endowment Fund website. The first step is to submit a two-page letter of intent describing the project and how the technology involved will enrich the neurosciences and become accessible to other research in the field. Investigators must have authorization from the home institution to work in the U.S. and must hold full time appoitnments at the rank of assistant professor or higher at the sponsoring institution; scientists holding other titles such as research professor, adjunct professor, professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible. Funds may be used toward a variety of research activities, but not the recipient's salary. Employees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute or scientists within the intramural program of the National Institutes of Health are not eligible. The selection committee will invite a few applicants to send detailed proposals, from which up to three awards will be made. Each award provides $100,000 annually for two years. Letters of intent are due in early December and can be uploaded by accessing the online URL set up for this purpose. Awards are announced in late June and begin on August 1. McKnight Memory and Cognitive Disorders Awards The Memory and Cognitive Disorders Awards support neuroscientists who are working to apply the knowledge achieved through basic or clincial research to human brain disorders that affect memory or cognition. They are designed to stimulate innovative approaches that might lead to therapies and cures. Competitive projects would include those that address memory or cognition under normal and pathological conditions, including proposals that address the mechanisms of memory or cognition at the synaptic, cellular, molecular, genetic or behavioral level in animals, including humans. We are particularly interested in proposals that incorporate fundamentally new approaches, as well as those that involve human experimentation. Collaborative and cross-disciplinary applications are encouraged. For descriptions of previous awards, please go to the Endowment Fund website. The first step is to submit a two-page letter of intent describing the project and how the research will be applied to improving the understanding of a brain disorder or disease, especially diseases related to memory or cognitive disorders. The letter should clearly describe how the proposed research will uncover mechanisms of brain injury or disease and how it could translate to diagnosis, prevention, treatment, or cure. Investigators must have authorization from the home institution to work in the U.S. and must hold full time appoitnments at the rank of assistant professor or higher at the sponsoring institution; scientists holding other titles such as research professor, adjunct professor, professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible. Funds may be used toward a variety of research activities, but not the recipient's salary. Employees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute or scientists within the intramural program of the National Institutes of Health are not eligible. The selection committee will invite a few applicants to submit detailed proposals, from which up to four awards will be selected. Each provides $100,000 annually for three years. Letters of intent are due in late March/early April and can be uploaded by accessing the online URL set up for this purpose. Awards are announced in December and begin February 1 of the following year. |
| Description | Revenue and Expenses per Books | Net Investment Income | Adjusted Net Income | Disbursements for Charitable Purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postage and Shipping | 912 | 912 | ||
| Communication Expense | 5,000 | 5,000 | ||
| Miscellaneous | 396 | 396 | ||
| Computer Services | 8,991 | 8,991 |
| Category | Amount | Net Investment Income | Adjusted Net Income | Disbursements for Charitable Purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE FEES | 100,000 | 100,000 | ||
| COMMITTEE FEES | 54,000 | 54,000 |