The Foundation

The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation honors and encourages educational excellence, social justice and scientific achievements that better the human condition.

The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation is a private, United States-based philanthropic organization established in 1993 under the 501(c)(3) section of U.S. Corporate Law. It is funded entirely by Peter and Patricia Gruber, who serve as its Chairman and President, respectively. The Foundation is headquartered in St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, and maintains a small branch office in New York City.

A major focus of the Foundation's philanthropy is its International Prize Program, created to recognize excellence in science and humanities by highlighting five fields that create a better world: Cosmology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Justice, and Women's Rights. Each Prize is given annually, and carries an unrestricted cash award of $500,000 and a gold medal. To further support Cosmology, Genetics and Neuroscience, the Gruber Foundation has affiliated with preeminent science organizations to award fellowships to promising young scientists in those fields.

The Foundation's philanthropy in the Virgin Islands, the community of its headquarters, is focused on funding local schools, public and private, supporting local social service organizations, as well as supporting cultural initiatives that enrich the community. Based on a program developed by the Templeton Foundation, in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands and local education officials, the Foundation designed the Virgin Islands' Laws of Life Essay Contest to be presented through English classes at the territory's four public high schools.