Melanoma Research Foundation
The Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) is a Washington, DC–based public charity that supports melanoma research and works to educate and advocate for the melanoma community. Founded in 1996, it describes its mission as eradicating melanoma by accelerating medical research while educating and advocating for the community.
Melanoma Research Foundation at a glance
In short: Melanoma Research Foundation gave $1.6M across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $111K), top state Pennsylvania. 64% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,551,865
- -14.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +40.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $110,848
- -38.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $8,283,039
- +13.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 64% first-time grantees (9 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (42% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Melanoma Research Foundation
- Next open deadline
- November 13, 2026 (Melanoma Career Development Award (CDA)- New Application Grant)
- Contact
Mailing address: 1420 K Street Nw 7Th Floor, Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 347-9675
Website: https://melanoma.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 Melanoma Research Foundation
Breakthrough Consortium (MRFBC) Pilot Awards Grant
Melanoma Research Foundation
Amount
US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Melanoma Career Development Award (CDA)- New Application Grant
Melanoma Research Foundation
Amount
Up to US $50,000
Deadline
Expected ~November
Based on past cycles
Melanoma Established Investigator Award Grant
Melanoma Research Foundation
Amount
Up to US $125,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Melanoma Research Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania ($300K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 35 grants of 58 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The MRF’s Career Development Award requirements specify that proposed research must be conducted at a U.S. nonprofit research organization, medical or educational institution. The resident and fellowship grant listing also specifies research at a U.S. institution, and the MRFBC team award listing specifies U.S.-based researchers from MRFBC institutions.
For 2025 grant dollars, the largest recipient-state shares were Pennsylvania (42%), New York (30%), Texas (7%), California (7%), and Illinois (6%). These figures describe the locations of reported recipients, not an exclusive geographic funding restriction.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Melanoma Research Foundation open to new grantees?
64%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 14 grantees (64%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $87K; repeat grants $153K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $110K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2022) to $1.9M (2023). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $300,000 |
| Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, NY | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $250,000 |
| The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology Philadelphia, PA | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $250,000 |
| The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $110,000 |
| New York University New York, NY | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $109,828 |
| The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois Chicago, IL | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $100,000 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $100,000 |
| Emory University Atlanta, GA | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $100,000 |
| Institute for Cancer Research DBA the Research Institute of Fox Chase Cance Philadelphia, PA | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $100,000 |
| The Regents of the University California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | To Support Melanoma Cancer Research | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Melanoma Research Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,283,039 | $7,413,825 | $6,905,774 | $1,551,865 | 14 | $118,973 |
| 2024 | $7,270,872 | $7,774,562 | $6,697,219 | $1,810,000 | 10 | $242,977 |
| 2023 | $6,173,374 | $6,578,223 | $6,478,760 | $1,859,002 | 14 | $56,224 |
| 2022 | $5,064,088 | $6,918,058 | $5,575,310 | $1,115,916 | 9 | $21,447 |
| 2021 | $4,048,990 | $5,128,245 | $4,808,451 | $1,235,000 | 11 | $5,925 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The MRF’s mission is to eradicate melanoma by accelerating medical research while educating and advocating for the melanoma community. Its stated research agenda includes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, across cutaneous, ocular, mucosal, pediatric, and other rare melanoma types. Its programs also address patient and physician education, public awareness, and advocacy related to access, prevention, education, and federal research funding.
The foundation’s grants support research at universities, medical schools, cancer centers, and research institutes. Examples of grantees’ own stated missions illustrate this range: the University of Pennsylvania describes a public-service mission that includes research and patient care; the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai describes advancing science, medicine, and health care; and the Wistar Institute describes biomedical collaboration focused on cancer and immunology. These are the grantees’ missions, not the MRF’s.
Grantmaking
The MRF reports that its peer-reviewed research grant program has operated since 1998. Its website describes awards for investigators at different career stages, including medical-student, resident/fellow, career-development, established-investigator, pilot, and team awards. Award amounts and durations vary by program. For example, the website describes career-development awards of up to $50,000 per year for two years for eligible junior investigators. A separate grant listing describes a resident and fellowship award of up to $10,000 for a one-year clinical or laboratory research project, and an MRF Breakthrough Consortium young-investigator team award of up to $150,000 per year for two years. The provided program listings were last updated in January 2026.
In filing year 2025, the MRF reported 14 grants totaling $1,551,865. Grant amounts ranged from $5,873 to $300,000, with a median of $100,000. Among the largest reported awards were $300,000 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, $250,000 each to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Wistar Institute, and $110,000 to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The stated purpose for these grants was to support melanoma cancer research.
The MRF describes its research grants as competitive and peer-reviewed, for investigator-initiated research under the purview of its Scientific Advisory Committee. For Career Development Awards, applicants must hold a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent and meet stated career-stage and funding criteria. The proposed research must take place at a U.S. nonprofit research organization, medical institution, or educational institution and comply with applicable NIH animal- and human-welfare guidelines. That program requires financial and scientific progress reporting.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kyleigh Lipira as CEO, Douglas Brodman as chair, Thomas Westdyk as secretary and governance officer, and Jill Wrobel as treasurer. It also lists Michael B. Atkins, MD, as SAC co-chair, and Elise Barish, Kristina Gargiulo, and Rebecca Hartman, MD, as board members. The filing identifies Stan Adler and Laura Ferris, MD, as board members until December 2024, and Rebecca Hartman, MD, as a board member as of January 2025.
Melanoma Research Foundation is led by Kyleigh Lipira, CEO on every filing since 2021; 4 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kyleigh Lipira
CEO
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$266K (2021) → $340K (2025)
Douglas Brodman
Chair
Secretary → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Allison
Director of Corporate Relations
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$115K (2024) → $117K (2025)
James Merrick
Chief Communications Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$145K (2023) → $159K (2025)
Elizabeth Reilly Sr Devel
Officer - Endowment & Planned Giving
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$121K (2025)
Jill Wrobel
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer -, 2022
Treasurer - → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael B. Atkins MD
Sac Co-Chair
Board Member → Sac Co-Chair, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stan Adler
Board Member -
Board Member → Board Member -, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elise Barish
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Ferris MD
Board Member -
Board Member → Board Member -, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashani Weeraratna MD
Sac Co-Chair
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Giulia Newton
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristina Gargiulo
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Henry MD
Board Member -
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patty Pophal
Board Member -
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Hartman MD
Board Member -
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Westdyk
Secretary & Governance
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (16)
- Former: Alison Martin MD (2021–2024) — Vice Chair -
- Former: Cherul Stratos (2021–2024) — Secretary -
- Former: Glenn Merlino (2021–2024) — Sac Co-Chair -
- Former: Kristina Baum (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Thomas Westdyk Secretary (2024) — Governance -
- Former: Mark Weinzierl (2021–2023) — Board Member -
- Former: Tom Westdyk (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Ivis Alfaro (2023) — Chief of Staff -
- Former: Anthony T. Hendrickson (2021–2022) — Board Member -
- Former: Steve Silverstein (2021–2022) — Board Member -
- Former: William G. Reilly (2021–2022) — Board Member -
- Former: Susan Vogel Chief (2022) — Development Officer -
- Former: George P. Jameson (2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Jeffrey Harris (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Rebecca K. Dreman (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Susan M. Dorsey CPA (2021) — Controller
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $340K, to Kyleigh Lipira (CEO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Melanoma Research Foundation
How much does Melanoma Research Foundation give each year?
Melanoma Research Foundation gave $1.6M across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 10 grants.
What is Melanoma Research Foundation's typical grant size?
Melanoma Research Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $110,848, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Melanoma Research Foundation that year got $87K on average.
Where does Melanoma Research Foundation give grants?
Melanoma Research Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (30%) and Texas (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (3 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Melanoma Research Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Melanoma Research Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Melanoma Cancer Research" (14 grants).
Who are Melanoma Research Foundation's largest grantees?
Melanoma Research Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania ($300,000), Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai ($250,000) and The Wistar Institute of Anatomy and Biology ($250,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Melanoma Research Foundation?
Melanoma Research Foundation reported $8.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.4M.
What does Melanoma Research Foundation fund?
The MRF’s mission is to eradicate melanoma by accelerating medical research while educating and advocating for the melanoma community. Its stated research agenda includes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, across cutaneous, ocular, mucosal, pediatric, and other rare melanoma types. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Melanoma Research Foundation?
Melanoma Research Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check melanoma.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Melanoma Research Foundation's EIN?
Melanoma Research Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 76-0514428. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Melanoma Research Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Melanoma Research Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/melanoma-research-foundation-morg_e9af0eb26ab045fab13b6e0429eba518
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_760514428_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Melanoma Research Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/melanoma-research-foundation-morg_e9af0eb26ab045fab13b6e0429eba518},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Melanoma Research 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.
Melanoma Research Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?