In its first decade of giving—2003 to 2013—the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation committed to almost $100 million in grants and pledges. In 2014, the Foundation committed over $26 million in new grants, and expects to maintain or surpass this level of giving in future years.

Following the vision and values of Craig Neilsen, the Foundation focuses the majority of its grantmaking on furthering the promising advances in the field of spinal cord injury research. It supports research in areas of investigation relevant to improving recovery and works to coordinate its efforts with those of other federal and private funders.

The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation research funding is directed across a broad spectrum, including mechanistic, translational, clinical and psychosocial research, with a goal of opening innovative areas of inquiry and emphasizing progress across the entire translational spectrum. Another main funding priority is Quality of Life programs that assist individuals affected by spinal cord injury today and build stronger community and rehabilitative support.