Albert Ellis Institute

The Albert Ellis Institute (AEI) is best understood not as a traditional grantmaking foundation but as a private operating foundation — one that deploys its $18.7M in assets to fund its own programs rather than issuing grants to external organizations. Founded April 2, 1959 as the Institute for Rational Living and renamed in 1996 to honor its creator, AEI's core purpose is the promotion of emotional and behavioral health through research, clinical service delivery, and training of mental health professionals in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).

This structural distinction matters enormously for grant seekers. AEI's 990 filings show $0 in grants paid to external organizations across every year on record — all of its $1.4–1.5M in annual expenditure flows into its own program operations: clinical services, fellowship training, and REBT/CBT research. AEI explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." This is not a closed cycle with a future opening — there simply is no open grant cycle.

For organizations, the pathway to AEI is relationship-first: attending AEI's professional events (Friday Night Live, workshops, annual trainings), publishing research that cites and engages with REBT/CBT frameworks, and proposing service partnerships — co-training agreements, referral networks, or joint community programs — rather than grant applications. The most productive entry point for individuals is AEI's structured training pipeline: externships, internships, and postdoctoral fellowships place trainees inside AEI's clinical and research operations and represent the most tangible funded opportunity the Institute offers.

All contacts should be directed to Dr. Kristene A. Doyle, Executive Director, at krisdoyle@albertellis.org. She is the operational center of gravity at AEI, having held the role across multiple board transitions with compensation rising from $173,706 to $233,493 between 2021 and 2022 — reflecting her indispensability. Any approach must lead with demonstrated REBT/CBT alignment, evidence-based outcomes data, and a clear connection to underserved populations, particularly youth and families, which align with AEI's current #NOSTIGMA campaign priorities.

AEI's financial profile reveals an endowment-driven operating foundation with consistent programmatic expenditure and no documented external grant-making activity. Total assets stand at $18,735,078 as of fiscal year 2024, up from $17,254,786 in 2021 — a stable, modestly growing endowment.

Annual program expenditure (recorded as "total giving" in 990 filings) has run between $1.41M and $1.53M over the documented period: - FY2021: $1,411,380 - FY2022: $1,507,820 - FY2023: $1,533,957

Critically, grants paid to external organizations = $0 in all three years. Every dollar of expenditure is programmatic — running the clinical training center, delivering psychotherapy services to clients, and conducting REBT/CBT research.

Revenue composition reveals AEI's funding engine: net investment income was $365,910 in FY2023 and $357,792 in FY2022, meaning the endowment — not fundraising — sustains operations. Contributions received were nominal: $585 in 2023 and $14,758 in 2022. The 2024 data from ProPublica confirms this pattern: total revenue of $1,479,730, with 39.5% from dividends ($583,976) and 41.1% from other income ($608,564). Contributions accounted for just 0.2% ($2,300).

Program expense breakdown from the 2022 990 identifies two buckets: - Advanced professional training to mental health professionals: $799,982 (dominant program) - General promotion of REBT/CBT research, practice, and clinical services: $230,509

Officer compensation is a meaningful line item: Executive Director Kristene Doyle received $233,493 in 2022 (approximately 15% of total program expenditure). No other officers are compensated — the full board is volunteer-only.

For grant seekers, the practical implication is unambiguous: there is no external grant program. AEI's funding of individuals flows exclusively through its training fellowship pipeline (no public stipend figures are disclosed) and subsidized clinical service delivery. The preselected charitable contribution category carries no documented recipients and no application process.

The following table compares AEI to four asset-comparable peer organizations in the health sector, all with assets in the $17–22M range:

AEI is the only confirmed private operating foundation in this peer group — the others appear to be more conventional health grantmakers that distribute funds to third parties, whereas AEI deploys resources entirely through its own programs. This distinction renders asset-based comparisons somewhat misleading: AEI's $18.7M endowment funds clinical and training operations, not a grant portfolio.

AEI's most meaningful peer comparison is not by asset size but by mission specificity. Organizations like the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy (Philadelphia, PA) operate on a similar model — endowment-supported, training-centered, and mission-specific to a particular evidence-based framework. For mental health professionals, AEI's position as the institutional home of REBT gives it a unique identity that general health foundations in this asset range cannot replicate.

AEI's most significant recent activity centers on its annual training program cycle and a board-level leadership transition. The 2025-2026 training cohort application window — pre-doctoral externs and interns accepted December 1, 2025 through January 23, 2026 — follows the Institute's established annual rhythm, with programs launching mid-July. Postdoctoral and graduate fellow applications accepted on a rolling basis.

A meaningful board transition has occurred: Dr. Steven A. Johnson, a CIU assistant professor of Ministry Care, was appointed Board President. Shannon Brome-Ward, who had served as President, moved to Vice President. Kristene A. Doyle remains the operational constant as Executive Director — her compensation grew from $173,706 in 2021 to $233,493 in 2022 and an estimated $227,393 in 2024, reflecting sustained organizational reliance on her leadership.

The #NOSTIGMA fundraising campaign is AEI's most visible public-facing initiative, positioning the Institute as a stigma-reduction advocate with particular emphasis on children and families impacted by COVID-19. This marks a visible evolution in AEI's public messaging beyond its professional-training identity.

Financially, AEI has remained stable: total assets grew from $17.25M (2021) to $18.74M (2024), while annual program expenditure held between $1.41M and $1.53M. No major capital campaigns, endowment gifts, or new program launches were documented in public sources for 2025-2026. AEI maintains active social media presence on Facebook, where it announces upcoming trainings and workshop events to its professional community.

Because AEI operates as a preselected-only funder with no open grant application process, strategic advice diverges sharply from standard grant-seeking guidance. The approach varies significantly by whether you are an individual clinician or an organization.

For mental health professionals seeking training support: Externships, internships, and fellowships are the primary funded pathway. Pre-doctoral applications follow the December 1 – January 23 annual window; postdoctoral applications are rolling. Eligibility requires a doctorate in psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.), M.S.W., R.N., or M.D. — or near-completion of a Ph.D. thesis for pre-doctoral positions. Address all application materials directly to Dr. Kristene Doyle (krisdoyle@albertellis.org). Highlight any existing REBT or CBT training background prominently; applicants from other therapeutic traditions must explicitly frame their interest in terms of REBT/CBT integration. Plan for mid-July program start with a commitment of 9+ clinical hours per week plus a fixed Wednesday afternoon supervision block (11:30am–3:30pm).

For organizations seeking partnership: Cold grant applications will be declined without exception. Instead: (1) Send staff to AEI public workshops and Friday Night Live events to establish professional visibility before outreach; (2) Propose a training partnership — hosting AEI-trained clinicians, co-sponsoring a workshop, or creating a referral pipeline — rather than requesting funds; (3) Time outreach for Q3 (July–September), when the next training cycle is being planned and institutional bandwidth exists for new partnership discussions. Avoid December–January, AEI's peak training application season.

Alignment language that resonates: Use "evidence-based," "rational-emotive," "cognitive-behavioral," "short-term therapy with long-term outcomes," "emotional resilience," and "dismantling stigma." Lead with youth and family mental health outcomes data if seeking partnership, as this mirrors the #NOSTIGMA campaign framing.

Common mistakes to avoid: Treating AEI as a general health funder when it is a specialized therapeutic-framework institution. Assuming its $18.7M asset base signals an open grant portfolio. Framing alternative modalities without explicitly connecting them to CBT/REBT. Any of these missteps signal misalignment and will end the conversation.