Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation
The Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Established in 2005, the foundation is the largest non-government organization supporter of brain tumor research in the world. The foundation was founded by Catherine Ivy and her late husband Ben following Ben's diagnosis with glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of brain cancer, which led Catherine to dedicate the foundation to advancing research and treatment for brain tumors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$299.8M
+2.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$14.5M
-3.8% YoY
Grant Count
46
+64.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$314K
-41.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The mission of the Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation is to improve the quality of life and increase the life expectancy of people diagnosed with brain tumors. The foundation funds promising research on brain cancer in order to develop diagnostics and treatments that lead to long-term survival and a high quality of life for patients.
Primary Focus: The foundation's giving primarily supports patient-focused gliomas research and the development of better diagnostics and treatments that offer long-term survival and high-quality of life for patients with brain tumors. The foundation has committed over $132 million to brain tumor research and has funded clinical and basic science investigational efforts across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Core Values: The foundation operates according to eight guiding values:
- Innovation
- Efficiency
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Excellence
- Collaboration
- Integrity
- Flexibility
Grantmaking
The foundation offers multiple grant programs:
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
Average Grant
amount: approximately $150,000 to $5,970,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds initiatives across numerous U.S. cities and states, including Albuquerque, Ann Arbor, Atlanta, and New York. Geographic focus areas include Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2023-2024):
- Total assets (2023): $293 million
- Total assets (2024): $299.8 million
- Total revenue (2023): $13.5 million
- Total revenue (2024): $23 million
- Total expenses (2023): $16.6 million
- Total expenses (2024): $16.3 million
- Total liabilities (2023): $11,700
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $299,789,615 | $293,276,902 | $296,393,021 |
| Revenue | $23,008,132 | $13,515,379 | $10,801,831 |
| Expenses | $16,330,216 | $16,610,755 | $17,812,441 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $15,456,321 | $15,815,372 | $16,911,722 |
| Net Investment Income | $22,294,096 | $12,869,664 | $10,174,905 |
| Distributable Amount | $17,126,318 | $15,482,251 | $15,678,442 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
144 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Catherine E. Ivy – President, works 60 hours per week with compensation of $383,403
- Megan Edwards – Treasurer, works 1 hour per week without compensation
- Stephanie McRae, Esq. – Secretary, works 1 hour per week without compensation
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHERINE E IVY | President | 60 | $403,495 |
| MEGAN EDWARDS | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| STEPHANIE MCRAE ESQ | Secretary | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to advance brain tumor research through its partnership with the Ivy Brain Tumor Center. A significant initiative is the Ivy Phase 0 Clinical Trials program, the largest of its kind in the world, which enables personalized care in a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional drug development. This program resulted from a $50 million investment made in coordination with the Barrow Neurological Foundation.
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation helps advance glioblastoma research - ImpactThe foundation has announced its 2025 grant cycle, with applications accepted no earlier than January 1, 2025. The foundation has indicated it will not be accepting grant proposals in 2026.
Ivy Foundation - FacebookSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Running River School Inc
SEDONA, AZ
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Revelation Wellness Foundation
PHOENIX, AZ
Assets
$1.3M
Grants
3
Total Given
$40K
Dennis Evans Charitable Foundation
SCOTTSDALE, AZ
Assets
$33K
Grants
4
Total Given
$4K
Along Side Ministries Inc
PHOENIX, AZ
Assets
$1.2M
Grants
1
Total Given
$6K
Arizona Western College Foundation
YUMA, AZ
Assets
$8.0M
Grants
1
Total Given
$25K
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric
WILLCOX, AZ
Assets
$5.7M
Grants
105
Total Given
$610K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities