Gateway for Cancer Research
Gateway for Cancer Research is a public charity based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1991, it funds early-phase, patient-centered Phase I and Phase II clinical trials for cancers of all types and patients of all ages.
Gateway for Cancer Research at a glance
In short: Gateway for Cancer Research gave $5.8M across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $323K), top state Texas. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,812,284
- -8.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -5.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $322,905
- -3.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $279,165
- Total assets
- $20,272,224
- -3.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (2 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (25% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Gateway for Cancer Research
- How to Apply
-
Gateway provides an online grant application and submission process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1449 S Michigan Ave 13128, Chicago, IL 60605
Phone: (888) 221-2873
Website: https://gatewaycr.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Gateway for Cancer Research
Decentralized Clinical Trial Initiative (DCTI)
Gateway for Cancer Research
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Gateway Traditional Grant Program
Gateway for Cancer Research
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Integrative Research Joint Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) Program
Gateway for Cancer Research
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Gateway for Cancer Research funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center ($750K). Together the top 10 received $4.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
93 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 40 grants of 93 (43%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Gateway describes its funded trials as taking place at research institutions around the world. Its 2025 grants were distributed across multiple states; the largest shares of grant dollars went to Texas (25%), California (17%), New York (16%), Massachusetts (11%), and Missouri (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gateway for Cancer Research open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 18 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $231K; repeat grants $334K. How we count
Medians: $231K first-time, $323K repeat.
- 61% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−17%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 $2.7M (2019) to $7.0M (2022). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $5.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas, TX | Cancer Research | $750,000 |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | Cancer Research | $723,465 |
| Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | Cancer Research | $470,067 |
| Washington University St Louis St. Louis, MO | Cancer Research | $421,954 |
| Be the Match Foundation Minneapolis, MN | Cancer Research | $400,000 |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY | Cancer Research | $378,993 |
| The Regents of the University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA | Cancer Research | $368,841 |
| The John Hopkins University Baltimore, MD | Cancer Research | $364,322 |
| George Mason University Fairfax, VA | Cancer Research | $282,500 |
| Columbia University Irving Medical Center New York, NY | Cancer Research | $275,830 |
Ready to take the next step with Gateway for Cancer Research?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
In its 2024 filing narrative, Gateway stated that a private entity underwrites administrative and fundraising costs and that 100% of public contributions are applied directly to cancer research.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $20,272,224 | $9,653,289 | $11,190,912 | $5,812,284 | 18 | $967,331 |
| 2024 | $21,075,932 | $9,383,526 | $8,628,310 | $6,361,861 | 19 | $451,037 |
| 2023 | $20,261,940 | $10,470,741 | $9,525,588 | $6,657,488 | 17 | $-65,189 |
| 2022 | $17,585,556 | $8,777,254 | $8,649,106 | $7,029,891 | 19 | $303,152 |
| 2021 | $18,916,146 | $4,888,015 | $7,879,868 | $6,940,231 | 20 | $1,203,977 |
| 2019 | $15,896,617 | $5,581,854 | $3,170,033 | $2,669,665 | 10 | $400,872 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Gateway’s stated mission is “to accelerate practice-changing discoveries in cancer care by harnessing the unrelenting passion of the research community and empowering patients to triumph over their disease.”
Its programs support Phase I and II patient-centered cancer clinical trials, including studies of new investigational therapies and indications, treatment de-escalation, mitigation of treatment toxicity, predictive biomarkers with a therapeutic component, and integrative medicine. Research areas include biomarkers, gene therapy, basket trials, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies. Gateway says it seeks studies with patient advocates involved in trial design, patient-reported outcomes and quality-of-life measures, and patient advocates on study review committees.
Recipients in the 2025 filing include universities, cancer centers, hospitals, and a foundation. The George Mason University Instructional Foundation, Inc. describes its mission as operating under licenses to transmit broadband service in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area; The Ohio State University describes its mission as providing camping and recreational facilities for children and adults associated with 4-H and other educational groups.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Gateway reported 18 grants totaling $5,812,284. Grant amounts ranged from $21,694 to $750,000, with a median of $279,165.
The largest reported grants included $750,000 to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, $723,465 to MD Anderson Cancer Center, $470,067 to Massachusetts General Hospital, $421,954 to Washington University in St. Louis, and $400,000 to Be The Match Foundation. Each was reported for cancer research.
Gateway lists three currently open programs: the Traditional Grant Program; a joint program with NCI/SPORE/P20 initiatives; and an integrative research joint program with the Society for Integrative Oncology. The latter emphasizes integrative medicine. Gateway’s website says grant proposals are reviewed by its Research and Grants Committee for scientific merit, fiscal prudence, and alignment with its mission. Its researcher portal provides grant applications and submission management.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Richard J. Stephenson as chairman and Stacie J. Stephenson as vice chair. Other listed officers and directors are Fred DeGrandis, secretary; Timothy Flanigan, assistant secretary; Tony Festa, treasurer; Emanuel Petricoin, PhD; Satish Tadikonda, PhD; Mary Lou Smith; Deniz Razon; and Joe Caltabiano.
Gateway for Cancer Research is led by Natalie Stewart, President & CEO on every filing since 2023; 6 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Natalie Stewart
President & CEO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$203K (2023) → $281K (2025)
Michael Jessup
Interim CEO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard J. Stephenson
Chairman
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hunter Patton-Gentert
Director Clinical Science
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$139K (2025)
Kari Watts
Director of Marketing
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$105K (2025)
Maria Consuelo Aroz
Creative Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$108K (2025)
Deniz Razon
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edwin Roberson
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joe Caltabiano
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Lou Smith
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Satish Tadikonda PhD
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emanuel Petricoin PhD
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tawnya Bond
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Delora Senft
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$116K (2023) → $160K (2025)
Natalia Mihilli
Vice President of Development
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$169K (2024) → $150K (2025)
Fred Degrandis
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacie J. Stephenson
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2021
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tony Festa
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Flanigan
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (19)
- Former: Mallory Middleton (2024) — Director of Advancement
- Former: Jake Goldstein (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Michael Burton (2019–2023) — President
- Former: Jessica Cestone (2023) — Executive Director & Concierge
- Former: Amy Belew (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Chris Doleman (2019) — Director
- Former: Christopher Surdenik (2019) — Director
- Former: Dan Garms (2019) — Director
- Former: Harlan Teller (2019) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Heather Kane (2019) — Director
- Former: J. Terry Simmons (2019) — Director
- Former: Janice Anderson (2019) — Treasurer
- Former: Jennifer Stephenson Keller (2019) — Director
- Former: Kenneth Monarrez (2019) — Director
- Former: Margaret Lamanna (2019) — Director
- Former: Rhonda Kokot (2019) — Secretary
- Former: Steven Delco (2019) — Director
- Former: Teresa Hall Bartels (2019) — Ex-Officio & President
- Former: Virginia Aherin (2019) — Director
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 $281K, to Natalie Stewart (President & CEO (Through May 2025)). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Gateway for Cancer Research
How much does Gateway for Cancer Research give each year?
Gateway for Cancer Research gave $5.8M across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $6.4M across 19 grants.
What is Gateway for Cancer Research's typical grant size?
Gateway for Cancer Research's median grant in 2025 was $279,165, and its average grant was $322,905, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gateway for Cancer Research that year got $231K on average.
Where does Gateway for Cancer Research give grants?
Gateway for Cancer Research's top state is Texas, with 25% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (17%) and New York (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Gateway for Cancer Research give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Gateway for Cancer Research's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Cancer Research" (18 grants).
Who are Gateway for Cancer Research's largest grantees?
Gateway for Cancer Research's largest 2025 grantees include University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center ($750,000), MD Anderson Cancer Center ($723,465) and Massachusetts General Hospital ($470,067), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gateway for Cancer Research?
Gateway for Cancer Research reported $20.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $9.7M.
What does Gateway for Cancer Research fund?
Gateway’s stated mission is “to accelerate practice-changing discoveries in cancer care by harnessing the unrelenting passion of the research community and empowering patients to triumph over their disease.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gateway for Cancer Research?
Gateway provides an online grant application and submission process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gateway for Cancer Research's EIN?
Gateway for Cancer Research's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 73-1386920. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 1, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Gateway for Cancer Research funds
Medical Research Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gateway for Cancer Research's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gateway for Cancer Research funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gateway-for-cancer-research-morg_fb10ae0bccdc4c91bb10411b63536682
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_731386920_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gateway for Cancer Research funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gateway-for-cancer-research-morg_fb10ae0bccdc4c91bb10411b63536682},
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 Gateway for Cancer Research'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.
Gateway for Cancer Research down — hundreds of funders to go?