National Foundation For Cancer Research
The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) is a public charity based in Rockville, Maryland, that funds cancer research and public education. Founded in 1973, it describes its approach as supporting high-risk, high-impact research, including work intended to move discoveries toward improved cancer detection, prevention, and treatment.
National Foundation For Cancer Research at a glance
In short: National Foundation For Cancer Research gave $3.3M across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $167K), top state Maryland. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,331,348
- +6.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $166,567
- +6.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $140,000
- Total assets
- $12,279,522
- +16.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (4 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Maryland (29% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to National Foundation For Cancer Research
- Contact
Mailing address: 5515 Security Lane Suite 1105, Rockville, MD 20852
Phone: (301) 654-1250
Website: https://nfcr.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from National Foundation For Cancer Research
AIM-HI Accelerator Fund (Aim-Hi Accelerator Fund)
National Foundation For Cancer Research
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Recoverable Translational Research Grants
National Foundation For Cancer Research
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Salisbury Award for Entrepreneurial Translational Research
National Foundation For Cancer Research
Amount
$3,000 (winner), $1,500 (runner-up)
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who National Foundation For Cancer Research funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Aim Hi Accelerator Fund ($870K). Together the top 10 received $2.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
75 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 24 grants of 75 (32%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NFCR is based in Rockville, Maryland. Its 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states; the largest shares were in Maryland (29%), New York (17%), Massachusetts (15%), California (8%), and Connecticut (7%). The Recoverable Translational Research Grants program description gives an international geographic scope, and AIM-HI’s description says its scope is the United States and worldwide.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is National Foundation For Cancer Research open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 20 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $134K; repeat grants $175K. How we count
Medians: $140K first-time, $130K repeat.
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−17%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.0M (2022) to $4.0M (2021). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $3.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Aim Hi Accelerator Fund Rockville, MD | collaboration | $870,000 |
| Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | Research Contracts | $352,092 |
| Columbia University New York, NY | Research Contracts | $250,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Research Contracts | $230,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA | Research Contracts | $211,120 |
| The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla, CA | Research Contracts | $200,000 |
| Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, MA | Research Contracts | $152,340 |
| New York University Grossman School Med New York, NY | Research Contracts | $147,983 |
| MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX | Research Contracts | $140,000 |
| Henry Ford Health System Detroit, MI | Research Contracts | $140,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,279,522 | $11,095,696 | $9,799,090 | $3,331,348 | 20 | $691,486 |
| 2023 | $10,533,674 | $9,162,442 | $9,790,531 | $3,141,804 | 20 | $370,595 |
| 2022 | $10,719,078 | $8,408,059 | $8,484,908 | $2,030,461 | 17 | $138,215 |
| 2021 | $12,143,234 | $10,081,253 | $10,194,507 | $3,989,804 | 7 | $464,445 |
| 2020 | $12,283,856 | $11,465,290 | $10,830,001 | $3,699,658 | 11 | $271,161 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
NFCR’s stated mission is to support cancer research and public education relating to prevention, earlier diagnosis, better treatments, and ultimately a cure for cancer. Its listed research focus areas include cancer formation; diagnosis and molecular imaging; genomics and biomarkers; early detection and prevention; immunotherapy; metastasis; the tumor microenvironment; clinical research and trial platforms; transformative therapies; computational biology; and circulating tumor cells.
NFCR’s 2024 filing says that in 2023–2024 it funded 37 scientists working across more than 15 cancer types, and that supported discoveries advanced seven therapies into clinical trial phases: five in Phase 1 and two in Phase 2. The filing also describes public education activities, including cancer-prevention materials and community outreach.
The 2024 grants include research contracts to universities, hospitals, and research organizations. For example, Scripps Research Institute describes its own mission as conducting basic biomedical research and translating discoveries into useful products. Henry Ford Health describes its mission as improving people’s lives through health care and healing; Johns Hopkins University emphasizes education, original research, and bringing discovery’s benefits to the world.
Grantmaking
In 2024, NFCR reported 20 grants totaling $3,331,348. Grant amounts ranged from $5,912 to $870,000, with a median of $140,000. The largest award was $870,000 to AIM HI Accelerator Fund in Rockville, Maryland, for collaboration. Other large awards included $352,092 to Massachusetts General Hospital, $250,000 to Columbia University, $230,000 to Yale University, and $211,120 to the University of Pennsylvania, each listed for research contracts.
NFCR’s listed programs include the Salisbury Award for Entrepreneurial Translational Research, which recognizes early-stage cancer therapeutic, diagnostic, or vaccine projects and offers cash prizes of $3,000 for the winner and $1,500 for the runner-up. The program description says eligible investigators may be faculty or non-faculty at world-class institutions; evaluation considers novelty, feasibility, impact, patentability, and a clear clinical-trial pathway. It also describes a possible route to compete for multiyear Recoverable Translational Research Grants.
The Recoverable Translational Research Grants are described as multiyear support for early-stage projects that validate laboratory findings and move viable therapeutic, diagnostic, or preventive candidates toward clinical trials and patient use. The recoverable model expects repayment upon commercialization success. NFCR also describes the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund as using venture philanthropy and impact investments to help advance early-stage cancer innovations toward clinical application. Its 2024 filing lists an $870,000 grant to AIM HI Accelerator Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on NFCR’s 2024 filing include Sujuan Ba, President/CEO; Kwok Leung, CFO/Secretary; Brian Wachtel, Chief Development Officer/Executive Director; Zeting Wang, Senior Director of Direct Response; Alfred Slanetz, Chair of the Board; and Brian Leyland-Jones, Treasurer. The filing also lists Judith P. Barnhard, Karen Burke, Franklin Salisbury Jr. (effective January 31, 2024), and Silas Deane (effective May 24, 2024) as directors.
National Foundation For Cancer Research is led by Sujuan Ba, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 4 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sujuan Ba
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$343K (2020) → $462K (2024)
Brian Wachtel
Chief Development Officer & Executive Director
Executive Director → Chief Development Officer & Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$126K (2020) → $166K (2024)
Alfred Slanetz
Chair of the Board
Director → Chair of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Franklin C. Salisbury Jr.
Director
CEO Emeritus → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$231K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Zeting Wang
Senior Director of Direct Response
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$130K (2022) → $124K (2024)
Judith P. Barnhard
Director
Chair → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Padmakumar Kaimal
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Burke
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lance Kawaguchi
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Silas Deane
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kwok Leung
CFO & Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$187K (2020) → $231K (2024)
Brian Leyland-Jones
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Edward s west (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Wendi P. Dennard (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Yi Wang (2020–2022) — Chief Strtgy Officer
- Former: Bradley Gillenwater (2020–2021) — Senior Director for Corp. Outreach
- Former: Gus Kodersha (2020) — Director
- Former: Joseph F. Franlin (2020) — Director
- Former: William Scandone (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $462K, to Sujuan Ba (President/CEO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about National Foundation For Cancer Research
How much does National Foundation For Cancer Research give each year?
National Foundation For Cancer Research gave $3.3M across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $3.1M across 20 grants.
What is National Foundation For Cancer Research's typical grant size?
National Foundation For Cancer Research's median grant in 2024 was $140,000, and its average grant was $166,567, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from National Foundation For Cancer Research that year got $134K on average.
Where does National Foundation For Cancer Research give grants?
National Foundation For Cancer Research's top state is Maryland, with 29% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (17%) and Massachusetts (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Boston, MA (2 grants), La Jolla, CA (2 grants) and Philadelphia, PA (2 grants).
Does National Foundation For Cancer Research give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on National Foundation For Cancer Research's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Research Contracts" (19 grants).
Who are National Foundation For Cancer Research's largest grantees?
National Foundation For Cancer Research's largest 2024 grantees include Aim Hi Accelerator Fund ($870,000), Massachusetts General Hospital ($352,092) and Columbia University ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is National Foundation For Cancer Research?
National Foundation For Cancer Research reported $12.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $11.1M.
What does National Foundation For Cancer Research fund?
NFCR’s stated mission is to support cancer research and public education relating to prevention, earlier diagnosis, better treatments, and ultimately a cure for cancer. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Foundation For Cancer Research?
National Foundation For Cancer Research has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check nfcr.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is National Foundation For Cancer Research's EIN?
National Foundation For Cancer Research's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-2531031. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 20, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 24, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in National Foundation For Cancer Research's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). National Foundation For Cancer Research funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/national-foundation-for-cancer-research-morg_5ec970f512ed4493884f5f0589dfa091
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_042531031_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{National Foundation For Cancer Research funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/national-foundation-for-cancer-research-morg_5ec970f512ed4493884f5f0589dfa091},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 National Foundation 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.
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