Purjes Foundation
The Purjes Foundation is a private charitable trust (501(c)(3)) founded by Dan and Edna Purjes that funds public awareness and research on whole-food, plant-based lifestyles aimed at reversing and preventing chronic disease. The site includes mission and trustees pages, funded research studies and publications (Journal of Disease Reversal & Prevention), press releases, and a contact form.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Organizations working on health education or research related to plant-based nutrition, especially established health-education groups or research partners that match the foundation’s disease-reversal and nutrition focus.
Good Fit
- • Primary program focus on nutrition, chronic disease prevention, or health education.
- • Organizational profile similar to large health-education charities (capacity to manage sizeable grants).
- • Existing relationship, referral, or history of collaboration with the foundation or its major grantee network.
- • Geographic or program alignment with the foundation’s major funded projects (notably New York-based initiatives).
Geography
Grants in 2024 reached recipients in eight states by count, but financial giving was extremely concentrated: about 93% of 2024 dollars went to New York, indicating a geographically narrow dollar footprint.
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded a substantial number of distinct recipients each year (19 in 2024, 32 in 2023, 25 in 2022), showing a broad recipient set by count even though a single grantee dominated dollar volume in 2024.
New Applicants
The foundation’s materials state it funds only preselected applicants, and while the observed history shows some new recipients (8 new in 2024 and 18 new in 2023), there is no public open-application route, so unfamiliar applicants are unlikely to gain entry without direct outreach or referral.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
