Cancer Research Foundations & Grantmakers
631 grantmakers in this list reported grants on their latest 990s. The 210 that made at least 5 grants gave $1.0B. The largest by giving are UPMC Group, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Giving at a glance
Active grantmakers
631
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$1.0B
from the 210 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$47K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$217K
per grantmaker
Top 10 funders by annual giving
| # | Funder | Location | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UPMC Group | Pittsburgh, PA | $189.8M | 395 |
| 2 | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center | Seattle, WA | $122.1M | 299 |
| 3 | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | Seatle, WA | $88.2M | 139 |
| 4 | Stanford Health Care | Stanford, CA | $85.8M | 27 |
| 5 | Gray Foundation | Albany, NY | $64.2M | 132 |
| 6 | Eli Lilly and Company Foundation | Indianapolis, IN | $29.1M | 95 |
| 7 | Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation | Rahway, NJ | $29.1M | 74 |
| 8 | Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | $27.0M | 50 |
| 9 | The Pfizer Foundation Inc | New York, NY | $23.2M | 9,306 |
| 10 | American Cancer Society Inc | Atlanta, GA | $23.1M | 509 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 13 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines 108 · 45%
- Medical Research 78 · 33%
- Health 35 · 15%
- Education 9 · 4%
- Human Services 6 · 3%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 1 · 0%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (47% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Where these funders are based
- New York 63 · $121.1M
- California 63 · $119.3M
- Florida 55 · $28.4M
- Illinois 39 · $38.2M
- Pennsylvania 37 · $228.3M
- Texas 37 · $63.9M
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Showing 210 grantmakers with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
UPMC Group
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$14.5B
Grants
395
Total Given
$189.8M
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Seattle, WA
Assets
—
Grants
299
Total Given
$122.1M
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seatle, WA
Assets
$3.6B
Grants
139
Total Given
$88.2M
Stanford Health Care
Stanford, CA
Assets
$13.6B
Grants
27
Total Given
$85.8M
Gray Foundation
Albany, NY
Assets
$82.5M
Grants
132
Total Given
$64.2M
Eli Lilly and Company Foundation
Indianapolis, IN
Assets
$13.8M
Grants
95
Total Given
$29.1M
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
Rahway, NJ
Assets
$337.9M
Grants
74
Total Given
$29.1M
Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$95.8M
Grants
50
Total Given
$27.0M
The Pfizer Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$255.3M
Grants
9,306
Total Given
$23.2M
American Cancer Society Inc
Atlanta, GA
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
509
Total Given
$23.1M
Petco Love
San Antonio, TX
Assets
$25.1M
Grants
784
Total Given
$21.2M
Renown Health Foundation
Reno, NV
Assets
$60.4M
Grants
6
Total Given
$17.4M
The Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Inc
Dallas, TX
Assets
$178.9M
Grants
61
Total Given
$16.1M
The Kenneth T and Eileen L Norris
Torrance, CA
Assets
$127.4M
Grants
159
Total Given
$13.9M
American Lung Association
Chicago, IL
Assets
$225.7M
Grants
51
Total Given
$13.5M
Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation
Bolingbrook, IL
Assets
$2.0M
Grants
20
Total Given
$12.3M
W W Smith Charitable Trust
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$243.2M
Grants
251
Total Given
$12.1M
Nonna's Garden
Orlando, FL
Assets
$72.8M
Grants
24
Total Given
$11.2M
Community Health Network Foundation Inc
Indianapolis, IN
Assets
$112.1M
Grants
6
Total Given
$10.5M
Major League Baseball Charities Inc
New York, NY
Assets
$5.7M
Grants
128
Total Given
$9.1M
Swim Across America Inc
Charlotte, NC
Assets
$7.4M
Grants
33
Total Given
$8.9M
Hillcrest Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$145.2M
Grants
84
Total Given
$8.0M
The Peterson Family Foundation Inc
Fairfax, VA
Assets
$2.4M
Grants
116
Total Given
$6.3M
MD Anderson Foundation
Houston, TX
Assets
$107.0M
Grants
75
Total Given
$6.2M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Frequently asked questions
Which funders in this list give the most?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are UPMC Group ($189.8M across 395 grants), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center ($122.1M) and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center ($88.2M). Together the top 10 account for 66% of the $1.0B given by the 210 grantmakers in this list that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical grant from these funders?
The typical grant is about $47K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $217K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Where are these funders based?
Most are in New York (63), California (63) and Florida (55). Many foundations only fund near where they are based, so check each funder's giving geography before you apply.
How do I find which of these funders accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations like these from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.