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 all 704 foundations and grantmakers
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Assets
$25.3B
Grants
813
Total Given
$594.1M
University of Wisconsin Foundation
Madison, WI
Assets
$6.3B
Grants
5
Total Given
$548.8M
Indiana University Foundation
Bloomington, IN
Assets
$4.7B
Grants
4
Total Given
$403.6M
Seattle Children's Foundation
Seattle, WA
Assets
$2.7M
Grants
2
Total Given
$210.0M
UPMC Group
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$14.5B
Grants
395
Total Given
$189.8M
Yale University
New Haven, CT
Assets
$58.9B
Grants
364
Total Given
$168.2M
State University of Iowa Foundation
Iowa City, IA
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
1
Total Given
$162.7M
Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
Assets
$20.8B
Grants
383
Total Given
$133.4M
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Seattle, WA
Assets
—
Grants
299
Total Given
$122.1M
Washington University
Saint Louis, MO
Assets
$22.3B
Grants
359
Total Given
$120.7M
Augusta University Research Institute Inc
Augusta, GA
Assets
$29.5M
Grants
1
Total Given
$98.5M
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
University of Louisville Foundation Inc
Louisville, KY
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
2
Total Given
$67.5M
Gray Foundation
Albany, NY
Assets
$82.5M
Grants
132
Total Given
$64.2M
Medical University of South Carolina Foundation
Charleston, SC
Assets
$944.2M
Grants
2
Total Given
$54.5M
Mary Bridge Children's Foundation
Tacoma, WA
Assets
$208.6M
Grants
1
Total Given
$54.4M
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation
Pittsburgh, PA
Assets
$428.2M
Grants
1
Total Given
$53.9M
Sanford Group Return
Sioux Falls, SD
Assets
$4.3B
Grants
171
Total Given
$45.3M
American Friends of Tel Aviv Univ
New York, NY
Assets
$114.3M
Grants
0
Total Given
$45.2M
Bronson Methodist Hospital
Kalamazoo, MI
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
1
Total Given
$43.3M
UNC Health Foundation Inc
Chapel Hill, NC
Assets
$687.7M
Grants
2
Total Given
$43.3M
Baylor Health Care System Foundation
Dallas, TX
Assets
$524.4M
Grants
17
Total Given
$43.2M
Southern Baptist Hospital of Florida Inc
Jacksonville, FL
Assets
$5.2B
Grants
52
Total Given
$38.8M
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.