The Curci Foundation annually provides grants through a competitive process that involves evaluating proposals submitted by nominees from the following institutions: California Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of California Berkeley, and University of California San Francisco. The mission of the Foundation is to advance basic science in service to humanity. The grants are awarded to research proposals with an emphasis on fostering a sustainable future for humankind, focusing on projects with far-reaching and lasting implications.

The Shurl and Kay Curci Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant requests.