Colorectal Cancer Alliance
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance is a Washington, DC-based public charity founded in 1999. It works to end colorectal cancer through prevention and screening, research toward cures, and support services for patients, families, and caregivers.
Colorectal Cancer Alliance at a glance
In short: Colorectal Cancer Alliance gave $3.7M across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $169K), top state California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,715,837
- +28.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $168,902
- +28.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $90,000
- Total assets
- $14,642,547
- -10.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (26% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Colorectal Cancer Alliance
- How to Apply
-
The Alliance says the Research Grant Program is temporarily suspended; it does not provide a current application process for that program.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1156 15Th Street Nw 600, Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 628-0123
Website: https://colorectalcancer.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Chris4Life Research Program - Prevention Research Grant
Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Amount
$150,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Chris4Life Research Program - Rectal Cancer Research Grant
Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Amount
$250,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Chris4Life Research Program - Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Research Grants
Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Amount
Up to $125,000 per grant (up to 3 grants available)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Colorectal Cancer Alliance funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ($521K). Together the top 10 received $3.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
69 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 69 (49%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were California (26%), Texas (16%), Pennsylvania (14%), Maryland (13%), and Indiana (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Colorectal Cancer Alliance gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $241K (2022) to $3.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | Research Grants | $521,106 |
| The Trustees of University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Community Grants/ Research Grants | $513,333 |
| Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Research Grants | $487,500 |
| City of Hope Duarte, CA | Research Grants | $480,000 |
| The J David Gladstone Institutes San Francisco, CA | Research Grants | $320,000 |
| Indiana University Bloomington, IN | Research Grants | $280,000 |
| The General Hospital Corporation Boston, MA | Research Grants | $180,000 |
| Georgetown University Washington, DC | Research Grants | $90,000 |
| Regents of the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Research Grants | $90,000 |
| The Regents of the University of California Los Angeles, CA | Research Grants | $90,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Colorectal Cancer Alliance?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $14,642,547 | $17,407,429 | $22,776,232 | $3,715,837 | 22 | $1,004,688 |
| 2024 | $16,350,846 | $20,736,119 | $17,779,693 | $2,883,333 | 22 | $453,764 |
| 2023 | $16,811,784 | $20,743,740 | $16,935,687 | $1,224,233 | 15 | $238,785 |
| 2022 | $12,894,997 | $11,554,543 | $13,820,518 | $240,500 | 5 | $110,995 |
| 2021 | $11,286,875 | $14,624,041 | $11,603,132 | $375,000 | 5 | $597,732 |
| 2020 | $9,934,202 | $10,313,667 | $9,175,740 | $480,000 | 9 | $554,571 |
| 2019 | $9,130,437 | $10,879,446 | $10,070,606 | $555,072 | 15 | $410,054 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Alliance’s stated mission is to end colon and rectal cancer and support people affected by the disease through preventive measures, research toward cures, and care support services. Its filing describes work in research, screening awareness and navigation, grassroots community engagement and advocacy, and cancer care, including education and patient and family navigation.
Project Cure CRC has prioritized high-risk, high-reward research intended to accelerate therapies and technologies from bench to bedside. Its stated research areas have included immunotherapy and cellular therapy, antibody-drug conjugates, vaccines, targeted therapies, and AI and machine learning for precision medicine. The Alliance’s 2025 RFP also encouraged collaborations and public-private partnerships.
In 2025, the Alliance’s grants included research awards to universities, cancer centers, and research institutes. For example, the University of Pennsylvania describes its mission as combining education, research, and patient care; Johns Hopkins University describes itself as conducting research across multiple disciplines; and City of Hope states that its mission is to serve people affected by cancer and diabetes.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Alliance reported 22 grants totaling $3,715,837. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $521,106, with a median of $90,000. The largest awards included $521,106 to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for research grants; $513,333 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for community and research grants; $487,500 to Johns Hopkins University for research grants; and $480,000 to City of Hope for research grants.
The Alliance’s website says its Research Grant Program RFP is temporarily suspended as resources are focused on establishing Project Cure CRC’s adaptive clinical trial platform. The website also says future research funding will depend on available resources and alignment with that strategic priority. The 2025 RFP cycle is past.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Woerner as chair, Avi Benaim as vice chair, and Joe Whalen as treasurer. John Marshall and Jana Babatunde-Bey, Kay Chandler, Yekaterina Chudnovsky, Lee Dranikoff, Charles Guevara, and Alisa Lessing are listed as directors.
Colorectal Cancer Alliance is led by Michael Sapienza, Chief Executive Officer since 2024 (on filings since 2019); 12 of 25 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael Sapienza
Chief Executive Officer
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$265K (2019) → $391K (2025)
John Woerner
Chair
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Marshall
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$83K (2024) → $109K (2025)
David Fenstermacher
Sen. Director of Research & Med Affairs
Senior Director of Research & Medical Affairs → Sen. Director of Research & Med Affairs, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$156K (2024) → $157K (2025)
Emily Blasi
Sen. Director of Comms & Pub Relations
Senior Director of Committee & Pub Rel → Sen. Director of Comms & Pub Relations, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$145K (2024) → $151K (2025)
David Schoeman
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lee Dranikoff
Director
Chairman → Chair, 2021
Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig Melvin
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jana Babatunde-Bey
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kay Chandler
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Soussa
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Redmond
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yekaterina Chudnovsky
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alisa Lessing
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles Guevara
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Lynch
Chief People Officer
Director → Cpo, 2022
Cpo → Chief People Officer, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$210K (2022) → $284K (2025)
Amy Ganderson
Vice President of Marketing & Digital Strategy
Senior Director of Dig Stra → Senior Director of Digital Strategy, 2024
Senior Director of Digital Strategy → Vice President of Marketing & Digital Strategy, 2025
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$119K (2020) → $170K (2025)
Brian Cowart
Chief Development Officer
Chief Devt Officer → Chief Development Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$92K (2024) → $256K (2025)
Tina Zeff
Chief Operating Officer
COO → Chief Operating Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$130K (2024) → $262K (2025)
Angie Lawry
Chief Markting & Comms Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$243K (2025)
Heidi Jaafar
Vice President of Finance & Operations
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$153K (2025)
Marc Mason
Chief Data & Analytics Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$234K (2025)
Marianne Pearson
Vice President of Cancer Care
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$154K (2025)
Avi Benaim
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2021
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Whalen
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (32)
- Former: Frank L. Sapienza (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Patrick Jackson (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Regan Huneycutt (2019–2024) — Chief Devt Officer
- Former: Angeline Lawry (2020–2024) — Chief Mrktg & Committee Officer
- Former: Charlie Guevara (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Jerry Tillery (2023–2024) — Chief Impact Officer
- Former: Angele Russell (2024) — Senior Director of Partnerships & Health Equity
- Former: Tashma Green (2024) — Director of It
- Former: Carmen Marc Valvo (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Edith Mitchell MD (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Marcie Klein (2021–2023) — Senior Vice President of Prevention
- Former: Amy Low (2023) — Director
- Former: Katie Chudnovsky (2023) — Director
- Former: Lisa Hall (2023) — Senior Director Screening
- Former: Mark Koczka (2023) — Senior Director Corp Brand
- Former: John Backus (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Kevin Lewis (2019–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Lou Digioia (2019–2022) — COO
- Former: Andrea Goodman (2020–2022) — Senior Vice President Patientsupport
- Former: Samuel Harper (2021–2022) — Vice President Di & Tech
- Former: Clay Scheetz (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Julie Clowes (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Brooks Bell (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Adina Frazier (2019–2020) — Director of Spec Events
- Former: Joshua Darrin (2019–2020) — Vice President of Data Tech
- Former: Michael O'Neil (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Mike Aquilino (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Sharon Seto (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Matthew Algee (2019) — Controller
- Former: Paul Leleck (2019) — Director
- Former: Ronit Yarden (2019) — Director of Med Affairs
- Former: Wendy Nickel (2019) — Vice President of Prevention
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $391K, to Michael Sapienza (Chief Executive Officer). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Colorectal Cancer Alliance
How much does Colorectal Cancer Alliance give each year?
Colorectal Cancer Alliance gave $3.7M across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.9M across 22 grants.
What is Colorectal Cancer Alliance's typical grant size?
Colorectal Cancer Alliance's median grant in 2025 was $90,000, and its average grant was $168,902, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Colorectal Cancer Alliance give grants?
Colorectal Cancer Alliance's top state is California, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Texas (16%) and Pennsylvania (14%).
Does Colorectal Cancer Alliance give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Colorectal Cancer Alliance's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research Grants" (20 grants).
Who are Colorectal Cancer Alliance's largest grantees?
Colorectal Cancer Alliance's largest 2025 grantees include The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center ($521,106), The Trustees of University of Pennsylvania ($513,333) and Johns Hopkins University ($487,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Colorectal Cancer Alliance?
Colorectal Cancer Alliance reported $14.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.4M.
What does Colorectal Cancer Alliance fund?
The Alliance’s stated mission is to end colon and rectal cancer and support people affected by the disease through preventive measures, research toward cures, and care support services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Colorectal Cancer Alliance?
The Alliance says the Research Grant Program is temporarily suspended; it does not provide a current application process for that program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Colorectal Cancer Alliance's EIN?
Colorectal Cancer Alliance's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0947831. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 7, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 4, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 18, 2021)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 19, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Colorectal Cancer Alliance funds
Health Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Colorectal Cancer Alliance's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Colorectal Cancer Alliance funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/colorectal-cancer-alliance-morg_8cf16111443e4c2fbadd4b02abc9bab9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_860947831_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Colorectal Cancer Alliance funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/colorectal-cancer-alliance-morg_8cf16111443e4c2fbadd4b02abc9bab9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Colorectal Cancer Alliance'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.
Colorectal Cancer Alliance down — hundreds of funders to go?