The Breast Cancer Research
The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in New York, NY, dedicated to preventing and curing breast cancer through research funding. Founded in 1993, BCRF operates as the largest private funder of breast cancer research worldwide and is recognized as the highest-rated breast cancer research organization in the United States.
Key facts about The Breast Cancer Research
- EIN
- 13-3727250
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $61,108,218
- Grants made (2025)
- 76
- Average grant
- $804,056
- Median grant
- $450,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (7 of 76, 2025)
- Total assets
- $220,475,969
- Primary geography
- New York (14% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Breast Cancer Research funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Breast Cancer Research's 76 itemized 2025 grants were New York (14%), Pennsylvania (11%) and Maryland (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (10 grants), Boston, MA (6 grants), Philadelphia, PA (5 grants) and Chicago, IL (4 grants). None of its 76 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Medical Research" (76 grants).
Is The Breast Cancer Research open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 76 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $152K; repeat grants $870K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $450K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Breast Cancer Research
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$220.5M
+10.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$61.1M
+2.3% YoY
Grant Count
76
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$804K
+2.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world's most promising research.
BCRF funds research across all aspects of breast cancer, including:
- Tumor biology and genetics
- Prevention and diagnosis
- Treatment innovations
- Metastasis research
- Survivorship
The foundation identifies and evaluates cutting-edge research through its Scientific Advisory Board to ensure maximum impact of funding. BCRF supports investigations with potential for rapid clinical application and provides seed funding to help researchers generate data necessary to compete for federal funding and secure additional support from other foundations and government agencies.
Grantmaking
BCRF has established the Evelyn H. Lauder Founder's Fund, a multi-year international program to unravel the biology of metastasis—the largest privately funded project exclusively focused on metastasis in the world.
Grant Range
s:**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
BCRF funds research globally, with grants distributed across 17 countries. Recent grantees include institutions in New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and international locations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 76 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (Fiscal Year 2024):
- Total assets: $199,068,927
- Total revenues: $117,378,452
- Total expenses: $89,147,787
- Total giving: $70,304,110
Financial Efficiency: BCRF is recognized as one of the most financially efficient nonprofits in the country, directing the maximum amount of dollars to research grants annually. The organization maintains a 98% rating from independent charity evaluators, reflecting its commitment to accountability and financial transparency.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $220,475,969 | $199,068,927 | $153,390,978 |
| Revenue | $102,321,724 | $117,378,452 | $94,756,928 |
| Expenses | $94,845,424 | $89,147,787 | $77,854,319 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $7,477,526 | $1,646,246 | $3,584,240 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
363 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Johns Hopkins University ($5,996,194), University of North Carolina Chapel Hill ($5,907,893), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ($2,956,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY Baltimore, MD | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $5,996,194 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL Chapel Hill, NC | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $5,907,893 |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER New York, NY | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $2,956,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH CANCER INSTITUTE Pittsburgh, PA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $2,868,391 |
| DANA FARBER CANCER INSITUTE Boston, MA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $2,700,000 |
| THE ASCO CANCER FOUNDATION Alexandria, VA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $2,591,250 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco, CA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $1,995,273 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PERELMAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE Philadelphia, PA | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $1,950,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Ann Arbor, MI | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $1,857,714 |
| YALE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH New Haven, CT | MEDICAL RESEARCH | $1,474,999 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
BCRF was founded by Evelyn H. Lauder in 1993, alongside Dr. Larry Norton, in pursuit of advancing breast cancer research.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karen Hale | Co-Chair | 1 | — |
| Kinga Lampert | Co-Chair Emeritus/Director | 1 | — |
| William Lauder | Co-Chair | 1 | — |
| Deborah Krulewitch | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Betsy Battle | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Donna Acquavella | Director | 1 | — |
| Jerome Bettis | Director | 1 | — |
| Richard Van Den Broek | Director | 1 | — |
| Cynthia Citrone | Director | 1 | — |
| Nina Garcia | Director | 1 | — |
| Lyuba Golster | Director | 1 | — |
| Effraim Grinberg | Director | 1 | — |
| Susan Hertog | Director | 1 | — |
| William Karol | Director | 1 | — |
| Shelly Kivell | Director | 1 | — |
| Kay Krill | Director | 1 | — |
| Carlyn S McCaffrey | Director | 1 | — |
| Ellen Odoner | Director | 1 | — |
| Thomas Quick | Director | 1 | — |
| Abbe Raven | Director | 1 | — |
| Wendi Rose | Director | 1 | — |
| Kendra Scott | Director | 1 | — |
| Kecia Steelman | Director | 1 | — |
| Kelley Tuthill | Director | 1 | — |
| Kerone Vatel to 72024 | Director | 1 | — |
| Donna McKay | President and CEO | 40 | $695,061 |
| Lisa C Risi | CFO/COO (To 02/25) | 40 | $409,207 |
| Ashley Carey | Chief Partnerships Officer | 40 | $236,826 |
| Dorraya El-Ashry | Chief Scientific Officer | 40 | $379,794 |
| Stephanie Hamburger to 924 | Executive Director Play for P.I.N.K | 40 | $183,041 |
| Katherine Minster | Chief Development Officer | 40 | $296,547 |
| Jodi Patkin | Chief Marketing/Comm. Officer | 40 | $300,306 |
| Rebecca Wasserman | MNG Dir Development/Regional Events | 40 | $195,224 |
| Kathleen Tripp | Director Digital Communications | 40 | $256,436 |
| Katherine Anderson | MNG Dir Develop/Signature Events | 40 | $194,897 |
| Sadia Haque Zapp | Managing Dir Communications/Content | 40 | $184,561 |
| Margaret Flowers | Managing Director Research Program | 40 | $182,490 |
| Myra J Biblowit | Former President and CEO (3/31/23) | — | $190,172 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
BCRF announced grants to support early-career breast cancer researchers
Tuskegee Receives Breast Cancer Research GrantBCRF was selected as an awardee of the Action for Women's Health Global Open Call
BCRF Selected as Action for Women's Health AwardeeBCRF funded seven researchers from the Cancer Consortium at Fred Hutch
BCRF Announces Grants to Support Early-Career Breast Cancer Researchers |Tuskegee University received a breast cancer research grant from BCRF
Tuskegee Receives Breast Cancer Research GrantSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Breast Cancer Research fund?
**Mission:** To prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world's most promising research. BCRF funds research across all aspects of breast cancer, including: • Tumor biology and genetics • Prevention and diagnosis • Treatment innovations • Metastasis research • Survivorship The foundation identifies and evaluates cutting-edge research through its Scientific Advisory Board to ensure maximum impact of funding. BCRF supports investigations with potential for rapid clinical application and p…
How do I apply for a grant from The Breast Cancer Research?
**Grant Activity (2024-2025):** • Annual grants awarded: $74.75 million • Number of grants: More than 260 scientists funded • Geographic reach: Top universities and medical institutions across 17 countries **Grant Ranges:** • Typical awards: $6,000–$12,375,064 • Median grant: $301,000 • Recent major grants include $12.4 million to Johns Hopkins University, $3.4 million to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and $3.2 million to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center **Application Policy:** Accepts app…
Where does The Breast Cancer Research make grants?
BCRF funds research globally, with grants distributed across 17 countries. Recent grantees include institutions in New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and international locations.
What size grants does The Breast Cancer Research award?
In 2025, The Breast Cancer Research awarded 76 grants totaling $61.1M — an average of about $804K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Breast Cancer Research's EIN?
The Breast Cancer Research's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3727250. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.