Rare Cancer Research Foundation logo

Rare Cancer Research Foundation

Public charity · Grantmaker Durham, NC EIN: 46-3405526 Website

The Rare Cancer Research Foundation is dedicated to curing rare cancers through strategic investments and collaborations that catalyze effective research and accelerate deployment of promising therapies.

Rare Cancer Research Foundation at a glance

In short: Rare Cancer Research Foundation gave $6K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$5,550
-93.2% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
1
-50.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$5,550
-86.4% vs 2024
Median grant
$5,550
Total assets
$1,358,604
-55.6% vs 2024
Primary geography
Texas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Rare Cancer Research Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2025

The University of Texas MD Anderson: $6KThe University of Texas MDAnderson$6K

The largest 2025 recipient was The University of Texas MD Anderson ($6K).

Grant Size Distribution

3 grants across all recorded years

2<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 3 (67%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.

Cities

Chappel HillHoustonTampa

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K0 grants2020 0 grants2021 0 grants2022 0 grants2023 2 grants2024 1 grant2025

From 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2025) to $82K (2024). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $6K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The University of Texas MD Anderson Houston, TXResearch$5,550
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$1,358,604$446,172$1,742,257$5,5501$39,817
2024$3,059,554$1,773,373$2,240,471$81,8902$47,265
2023$3,033,890$3,503,960$2,167,619———
2022$757,505$37,638$333,801———
2021$1,051,579$1,072,853$179,015———
2020$158,432$79,640$183,429———

About Rare Cancer Research Foundation

Based on IRS filings

Rare Cancer Research Foundation is a public charity focused on Medical Research, based in Durham, NC. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.4M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $6K. Net investment income was $40K.

Focus Areas

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Rare Cancer Research Foundation is led by Virginia Spitzer, CEO on the 2025 filing; 8 of 13 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Virginia Spitzer

    CEO

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $18K (2025)

  • Barbara Van Hare

    President of Pat

    Director → President of Pat, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $80K (2022) → $118K (2025)

  • Chris Heery MD

    Chairman

    Director → Chairman, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Amber Smith

    Director Biobanki

    Biobank Mana → Director Biobanki, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $137K (2023) → $150K (2025)

  • Robin Kageyama

    Director Data Pla

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $162K (2024) → $170K (2025)

  • Ryan Pripstein

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Keith Laabs

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jane Wilkinson

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Rishi Bagrodia

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marshall Thompson

    CTO

    President → CTO, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $189K (2023) → $176K (2025)

  • Benjamin David Kamphaus

    Data Enginee

    Technical Fe → Data Enginee, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $103K (2024) → $134K (2025)

  • Hana Littleford

    Clinical Dat

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $98K (2024) → $120K (2025)

  • Christine Spencer

    Head of Pris

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $105K (2025)

Former officers (5)
  • Former: Kathryn Kay Coleman (2024) — Prod Enginee
  • Former: Susan Horrell (2024) — Director Strategi
  • Former: Mark Laabs (2020–2023) — Founder & Chair
  • Former: Benjamin Abram (2020–2022) — Director & T
  • Former: Jyri Engestrom (2020–2021) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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

Marshall Thompson — CTO: $176KMarshall ThompsonCTO$176KRobin Kageyama — DIR Data PLA: $170KRobin KageyamaDIR Data PLA$170KAmber Smith — DIR Biobanki: $150KAmber SmithDIR Biobanki$150KBenjamin Kamphaus — Data Enginee: $134KBenjamin KamphausData Enginee$134KHana Littleford — Clinical DAT: $120KHana LittlefordClinical DAT$120KBarbara Van Hare — Pres. of Pat: $118KBarbara Van HarePres. of Pat$118KChristine Spencer — Head of Pris: $105KChristine SpencerHead of Pris$105KVirginia Spitzer — CEO: $18KVirginia SpitzerCEO$18K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $176K, to Marshall Thompson (CTO). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Rare Cancer Research Foundation

How much does Rare Cancer Research Foundation give each year?

Rare Cancer Research Foundation gave $6K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $82K across 2 grants.

How large is Rare Cancer Research Foundation?

Rare Cancer Research Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $446K.

What is Rare Cancer Research Foundation?

Rare Cancer Research Foundation is a public charity focused on Medical Research, based in Durham, NC. It holds $1.4M in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Rare Cancer Research Foundation operate?

Rare Cancer Research Foundation has awarded grants in Florida, North Carolina, Texas.

What is Rare Cancer Research Foundation's EIN?

Rare Cancer Research Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3405526. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 29, 2025)
  2. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 26, 2026)

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Rare Cancer 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.

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