Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation
The Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation is a private foundation based in Scottsdale, Arizona. It funds research on brain cancer, with an emphasis on patient-focused research in gliomas to improve diagnostics and treatments and support longer survival and quality of life for people with brain tumors.
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation at a glance
In short: Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation gave $16.5M across 35 grants in 2025 (avg $471K), mostly in Arizona. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $16,497,054
- +14.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 35
- -23.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $471,344
- +49.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $250,000
- Total assets
- $315,443,984
- +5.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (5 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (75% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website provides for request-for-proposals opportunities; consult the current program guidelines for procedures. It does not fund general operational support, fundraising events, conferences, publications, educational events, or individuals.
- Contact
Application contact: Httpwwwivyfoundationorg
Mailing address: 6720 North Scottsdale Road 110, Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Phone: (480) 659-9621
Website: https://www.ivyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation
Who Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Neuro Trials LLC ($9.2M across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $14.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($300,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
164 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 82 grants of 164 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 75% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona, followed by California (7%), Maryland (5%), Washington (3%), and Michigan (2%). Listed recipients also included organizations in Massachusetts, Texas, and Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 27 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $153K; repeat grants $715K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $300K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $14.5M (2024) to $16.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 35 grants totaling $16.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Neuro Trials LLC Phoenix, AZ | Special grant - funding for employment and special needs. | $4,300,000 |
| Neuro Trials LLC Phoenix, AZ | 8TH Installment Payment for Theivy Brain Tumor Center. | $2,755,000 |
| Neurotrials LLC Phoenix, AZ | Building Expansion - Payment #5 | $2,295,000 |
| Neuro Trials LLC Phoenix, AZ | Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis. | $1,575,000 |
| St Joseph's Foundation Phoenix, AZ | supports patient care, medical education, research and community outreach at St. Joseph Hospital. | $368,660 |
| Regents of University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Dr. Wahl - translational adult giloma award (1st payment) | $300,000 |
| Translational Genomics Research TGE Phoenix, AZ | Dr. Mike berens - translational adult giloma award (1st payment). | $300,000 |
| City of Hope Medical Center Duarte, CA | Dr. Brown - translational adult glioma award. (2nd payment) | $300,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $300,000 |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | Dr. Calin - translational adult glioma award. (2nd payment) | $300,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $315,443,984 | $34,204,116 | $18,444,963 | $16,497,054 | 35 | $17,446,311 | $33,303,293 | $18,403,143 |
| 2024 | $299,789,615 | $23,008,132 | $16,330,216 | $14,463,834 | 46 | $15,456,321 | $22,294,096 | $17,126,318 |
| 2023 | $293,276,902 | $13,515,379 | $16,610,755 | $15,042,795 | 28 | $15,815,372 | $12,869,664 | $15,482,251 |
| 2022 | $296,393,021 | $10,801,831 | $17,812,441 | $16,271,518 | 30 | $16,911,722 | $10,174,905 | $15,678,442 |
| 2021 | $303,153,961 | $22,449,371 | $16,910,983 | $16,396,129 | 25 | $16,059,519 | $21,862,523 | $17,684,182 |
| 2020 | $297,606,150 | $11,276,504 | $16,120,907 | $15,413,783 | 15 | — | $10,585,898 | $15,556,091 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18.4M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life and increase the life expectancy of people diagnosed with brain tumors. It funds promising, patient-focused research in gliomas, aiming to develop diagnostics and treatments that can lead to long-term survival and a high quality of life. Its stated research areas include phase 0 clinical trials, biomarkers, genomics, imaging, immunotherapy, stem cells, vaccines, and development of possible new drugs.
The foundation says it does not provide charitable donations for general operational support, fundraising events, conferences, publications, educational events, or individuals. Among its 2025 grants were awards for glioma research, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and Ivy Brain Tumor Center installments. It also gave to St. Joseph’s Foundation; that grantee describes its work as supporting patient care, medical education, community outreach, research, and care for people in need at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 35 grants totaling $16,497,054. Grants ranged from $250 to $4.3 million, with a median of $250,000. The largest listed grants included $4.3 million and $2.755 million to Neuro Trials LLC for employment and special needs funding and an Ivy Brain Tumor Center installment, respectively; $2.295 million to NeuroTrials LLC for a building expansion installment; and $1.575 million to Neuro Trials LLC for cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Other listed grants included $368,660 to St. Joseph’s Foundation and several $300,000 translational adult glioma awards to institutions including the University of Michigan, Translational Genomics Research, City of Hope, an individual recipient, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, and the Regents of the University of California.
The foundation’s website describes an Emerging Leader Award for early-to-mid-career investigators conducting translational glioblastoma research, and a Translational Adult Glioma Award for high-impact translational research intended to identify therapies that affect patient survival. The website states that requests for proposals are posted in January and accepted after January 1. It also states that the foundation will not accept grant proposals in 2026. Grants are reviewed anonymously by independent consultants and peers, and the foundation uses scientific advisors’ feedback to review existing and proposed projects.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Catherine E. Ivy as president, Megan Edwards as treasurer, and Stephanie McRae, Esq., as secretary.
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation is led by Catherine E. Ivy, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine E. Ivy
President
On filings since 2020
60 hrs/week
$327K (2020) → $455K (2025)
Megan Edwards
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie McRae Esq.
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $455K, to Catherine E Ivy (President).
Frequently asked questions about Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation
How much does Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation give each year?
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation gave $16.5M across 35 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $14.5M across 46 grants.
What is Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation's typical grant size?
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $250,000, and its average grant was $471,344, across 35 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation that year got $153K on average.
Where does Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation give grants?
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation gives mostly in Arizona: 75% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (7%) and Maryland (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Phoenix, AZ (12 grants), Baltimore, MD (3 grants), Seattle, WA (3 grants) and Stanford, CA (2 grants).
Does Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 35 grants with a stated purpose on Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation's largest grantees?
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Neuro Trials LLC ($9,180,000 across 5 grants), Neurotrials LLC ($2,295,000) and Johns Hopkins Hospital ($848,575 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($300,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation?
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation reported $315.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $18.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life and increase the life expectancy of people diagnosed with brain tumors. It funds promising, patient-focused research in gliomas, aiming to develop diagnostics and treatments that can lead to long-term survival and a high quality of life. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation's EIN?
Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-3322123. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ben-and-catherine-ivy-foundation-morg_488ccea3af3f48898a08c165cabf40a6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_273322123_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ben-and-catherine-ivy-foundation-morg_488ccea3af3f48898a08c165cabf40a6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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