Children’s Cancer Research Fund is a national nonprofit dedicated to ending childhood cancer by supporting promising research and funding resources and programs that help children and families navigate cancer treatment and survivorship.
Children’s Cancer Research Fund is defined by sustained support for childhood cancer research that moves from early ideas into clinical use. In the recent grants list, its largest award was $1,250,000 to Fred Hutch Cancer Center for leukemia research, followed by $750,095 to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center for a clinical trial focused on rare AML. That pairing shows a funder willing to support both broad disease research and a targeted trial in a hard-to-treat subtype. The foundation also backs work across specific pediatric cancer areas, including osteosarcoma, brain and neural tumors, and neuroblastoma. University of Minnesota Foundation appears repeatedly in the grant records, with awards for osteosarcoma research, survivorship care and research, and capital support tied to pediatric cancer infrastructure. Other grants go to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for pediatric neuroblastoma research and to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and the University of Virginia for hard-to-treat cancer research. Its portfolio includes research, survivorship, fellowships, and equipment support, showing a mix of project funding and institutional investment.
A major theme is hard-to-treat pediatric cancers. The foundation gave $250,000 to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for hard-to-treat cancer research, and also funded Weill Medical College of Cornell University and the University of Virginia for the same purpose. It also supports disease-specific research on childhood solid tumors and brain tumors. Examples include $650,000 to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for pediatric neuroblastoma research, $715,000 to University of Minnesota Foundation for osteosarcoma research, and $200,000 to University of Minnesota Foundation for research on pediatric brain and neural tumors. Survivorship is another clear focus. The University of Minnesota Foundation received $700,000 for survivorship care and research, and the Regents of the University of Michigan received $150,000 for research on pediatric cancer survivors. The funder also backs training and research infrastructure, including $200,000 for medical fellowships and several equipment-oriented awards through University of Minnesota Foundation.
$3M
$11.2M
$4.5M
$7.2M
Most grants fall between $75K and $125K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$75K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$125K
ELIZABETH ALLEN
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Typical grants cluster around six figures: p25 is $75,000, median is $100,000, and p75 is $125,000. The recent list also shows a long tail of larger project grants reaching into the $650,000 to $1,250,000 range. Recipients appear across multiple years, especially University of Minnesota Foundation and Fred Hutch-related institutions, which suggests repeated relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation funds individuals as well as institutions, and it does not make program-related investments. Several active programs accept unsolicited proposals, including Seed Grants for Innovative Research, Research Grants, and Health Disparities Research Award.
Grant recipients are concentrated in the United States. By count, Washington leads, with Seattle-based Fred Hutch and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center appearing multiple times. Minnesota is also prominent because of repeated awards to University of Minnesota Foundation in Minneapolis, which accounts for 65% of grants in the HQ state. Other recipient cities in the record include Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Charlottesville, Ann Arbor, Medford, and York. The country distribution shows 141 grants to US recipients and no non-US grants in the dataset.
The funder supports childhood cancer research across preclinical, translational, clinical trial, and survivorship work. Recent grants include leukemia research at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, rare AML clinical trial support at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, osteosarcoma research at University of Minnesota Foundation, and pediatric neuroblastoma research at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Yes. Its active programs include Emerging Scientist Award and Emerging Scientist Awards for postdoctoral and early-career investigators. The recent grants list also includes $200,000 to University of Minnesota Foundation for medical fellowships and $200,000 for emerging scientist awards.
Typical grants cluster around six figures. The stated distribution is p25 of $75,000, median of $100,000, and p75 of $125,000. Recent awards also include larger research grants such as $650,000, $700,000, $750,095, and $1,250,000.
Some programs accept unsolicited proposals, including Seed Grants for Innovative Research, Research Grants, Accelerating Impact for Hard-to-Treat Cancers Award, Healthy After Cancer: Childhood Cancer Survivorship Award, and Health Disparities Research Award. Other programs, including Accelerating Hope: Clinical Trials for Hard-to-Treat Cancers and Filling the Funding Gaps Grants, do not accept unsolicited applications.
Hard-to-treat cancers, osteosarcoma, brain and neural tumors, neuroblastoma, survivorship, and infrastructure support appear repeatedly. The grant list includes hard-to-treat cancer research at multiple universities, osteosarcoma awards totaling more than one recent grant, and survivorship care and research through University of Minnesota Foundation.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Children's Cancer Research Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Research projects at institutions nationwide that are innovative and promising, with potential to prove an idea and help researchers secure larger grants; the funder emphasizes projects with fresh, ambitious ideas and impact for children with cancer.
Who can apply: Applicants must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator at their sponsoring institution, which must be based in the United States. The applicant must have a paid appointment at a U.S. academic, medical, or research institution. Nonprofit U.S.-based research institutions are eligible. Applicants need not be U.S. citizens. The PI must commit at least 10% effort annually. The proposed study must be a clinical trial involving a hard-to-treat childhood cancer as defined in the guidelines, and applicants must demonstrate this using scientific literature. Human subject involvement is required. Only one LOI per PI may be submitted per calendar year. Research using human embryonic stem cells or fetal tissue is not funded.
Deadline: 2026 LOI due August 7, 2026 by 8:00 p.m. Eastern; invitation to submit full proposal October 12, 2026; full proposal due November 16, 2026 by 8:00 p.m. Eastern; notification May/June 2027; award starts in Q4 2027.
Who can apply: Investigators and institutions conducting childhood cancer research; typically projects that are not yet funded by federal sources or need gap funding to advance to the next stage. Specific eligibility requirements available on the awards page.
Who can apply: Applicants must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator at their sponsoring institution, which must be based in the United States. The applicant must have a paid appointment at a U.S. academic, medical, or research institution. Nonprofit U.S.-based research institutions are eligible. Applicants need not be U.S. citizens. The PI must commit at least 10% effort annually. Only one LOI per PI may be submitted per calendar year. Clinical trials are not eligible under this mechanism; only pre-clinical research is eligible. Research using human embryonic stem cells or fetal tissue is not funded.
Deadline: 2026 LOI due March 2, 2026 by 8:00 p.m. Eastern; invitation to submit full proposal April 29, 2026; full proposal due June 8, 2026 by 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The next annual cycle is expected based on the recurring grant calendar.
Who can apply: Applicants must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator at their sponsoring institution, which must be based in the United States. The applicant must have a paid appointment at a U.S. academic, medical, or research institution. Nonprofit U.S.-based research institutions are eligible. Applicants need not be U.S. citizens. The PI must commit at least 10% effort annually. Only one LOI per PI may be submitted per calendar year. Disparities may be based on race or ethnicity, sex or gender, socioeconomic status, language, geography, or other literature-supported social determinants of health. Research using human embryonic stem cells or fetal tissue is not funded.
Deadline: 2026 LOI due April 24, 2026 by 8:00 p.m. Eastern; invitation to submit full proposal July 1, 2026; full proposal due August 10, 2026 by 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The next annual cycle is expected based on the recurring grant calendar.
Who can apply: Applicants must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator at their sponsoring institution, which must be based in the United States. The applicant must have a paid appointment at a U.S. academic, medical, or research institution. Nonprofit U.S.-based research institutions are eligible. Applicants need not be U.S. citizens. The PI must commit at least 10% effort annually. Only one LOI per PI may be submitted per calendar year. Therapeutic approaches for treating cancer are not eligible as the primary focus. Research using human embryonic stem cells or fetal tissue is not funded.
Deadline: 2026 LOI due April 24, 2026 by 8:00 p.m. Eastern; invitation to submit full proposal July 1, 2026; full proposal due August 10, 2026 by 8:00 p.m. Eastern. The next annual cycle is expected based on the recurring grant calendar.
Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.
Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,575,000 | 2026 | DEPT OF PEDIATRICS FELLOWSHIPS AND SEED GRANTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $579,550 | 2026 | TO UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOR DR. JOHN WAGNER'S RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $250,000 | 2026 | DR. MICHAEL ANDREEFF FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER RESERACH |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA RESEARCH INSTITUTE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $250,000 | 2026 | DR. MATTHEW HOCKING FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $187,799 | 2026 | DR. OLIN'S BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH |
| LAD IN A BATTLE LLC | YORK, ME | $150,000 | 2026 | BIG DREAMS TOUR - JAMES ORRIGO |
| LAD IN A BATTLE LLC | YORK, ME | $25,000 | 2026 | FOR VIRTUAL CAMP NORDEN FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS |
| FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $750,095 | 2025 | DR. SOHEIL MESHINCHI FOR A CLINICAL TRIAL FOCUSED ON RARE AML |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $650,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL FUND |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $650,000 | 2025 | DR. JOHN MARIS FOR PEDIATRIC NEUROBLASTOMA RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $300,000 | 2025 | CADE FAMILY ENDOWED CHAIR |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $214,901 | 2025 | DR. BEAU WEBBER FOR OSTEOSARCOMA RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $200,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC BRAIN AND NEURAL TUMORS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $200,000 | 2025 | CORRIGAN CGI EQUIPMENT |
| LAD IN A BATTLE LLC | YORK, ME | $175,000 | 2025 | FOR BIG DREAMS TOUR |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $150,000 | 2025 | FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $150,000 | 2025 | DR. ANAO ZHANG FOR RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC CANCER SURVIVORS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $148,756 | 2025 | TO UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOR CGI EQUIPMENT |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $137,500 | 2025 | DR. ALLISON O'NEILL FOR PEDIATRIC HEPATOBLASTOMA RESEARCH |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. WILLIAM WEISS FOR RESEARCH ON PFA EPENDYMOMA |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. SAMEER SAIT FOR CLINICAL TRIAL OF NOVEL TREATMENT FOR PEDIATRIC SOLID TUMORS |
| CHILDREN'S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER | WASHINGTON, DC | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. JENNIFER LEVINE FOR RESEARCH ON ALL SURVIVORS |
| UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER | ROCHESTER, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. CAROL FRIES SIMPSON FOR RESEARCH ON INFANT ALL |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. SOGOL MOSTOUFI-MOAB FOR RESEARCH ON IMPROVING CARE FOR THYROID CANCER SURVIVORS |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. ROSS OKIMOTO FOR CIC-DUX4 SARCOMA THERAPY RESEARCH |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. KIRA BONA FOR RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC CANCER OUTCOMES IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES |
| JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY | JACKSONVILLE, AL | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. LE SU FOR CIC-DUX4 SARCOMA RESEARCH |
| WEILL MEDICAL COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. JEFFREY GREENFIELD FOR PRE-CLINICAL RESEARCH ON EMBRYONAL TUMOR WITH MULTILAYERED ROSETTES |
| THE RECTOR AND VISITORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. JOHN BUSHWELLER FOR RESEARCH ON MLL1 FUSION LEUKEMIA |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. BIRGIT KNOECHEL RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC CANCER OUTCOMES |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY - SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | CLEVELAND, OH | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. ALEX HUANG FOR OSTEOSARCOMA RESEARCH |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | DR. NEERAV SHUKLA FOR AML CLINICAL TRIAL |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $113,749 | 2025 | FOR KATIE HAGEBOECK SURVIVORSHIP FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $109,740 | 2025 | FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH |
| ST BALDRICK'S FOUNDATION | MONROVIA, CA | $105,000 | 2025 | SUPERGRANT - DR. PATRICK GROHAR RESEARCH ON MYC INHIBITORS FOR OSTEOSARCOMA |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE | BOSTON, MA | $100,000 | 2025 | DR. BRIAN CROMPTON HTT PROFILING CIRECULATING DNA |
| ST BALDRICK'S FOUNDATION | MONROVIA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPERGRANT - DR. MITCHELL CAIRO FOR RESEARCH ON VIROIMMUNOTHERAPY FOR OSTEOSARCOMA |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $94,523 | 2025 | FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER SURVIVORSHIP RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $60,000 | 2025 | OSTEOSARCOMA- DR. BEAU WEBBER |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $51,079 | 2025 | DR. BEAU WEBBER'S RESEARCH ON EWING SARCOMA |
| THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | DETROIT, MI | $50,000 | 2025 | DR. MARGOT LAZOW FOR RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CANCER |
| CHILDREN'S ONCOLOGY GROUP FOUNDATION INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | MINORITY YOUNG INVESTIGATORS AWARD |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $48,800 | 2025 | TO UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOR DR. JOHN WAGNER'S RESARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $46,470 | 2025 | FOR PEDAIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $28,901 | 2025 | RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMORS |
| LAD IN A BATTLE LLC | YORK, ME | $25,000 | 2025 | FOR VIRTUAL CAMP NORDEN FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,776 | 2025 | FOR PEDIIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | FOR NORMA RAMSEY LECTURE SERIES |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $9,166 | 2025 | FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $700,000 | 2024 | UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: GA#032922-3 UMF FUND #24232 KATIE HAGEBOECK CLINIC PURPOSE: SURVIVORSHIP CARE AND RESEARCH |
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION
$1,575,000DEPT OF PEDIATRICS FELLOWSHIPS AND SEED GRANTS
TO UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOR DR. JOHN WAGNER'S RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$250,000DR. MICHAEL ANDREEFF FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER RESERACH
DR. MATTHEW HOCKING FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH
DR. OLIN'S BRAIN TUMOR RESEARCH
LAD IN A BATTLE LLC
$150,000BIG DREAMS TOUR - JAMES ORRIGO
LAD IN A BATTLE LLC
$25,000FOR VIRTUAL CAMP NORDEN FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS
DR. SOHEIL MESHINCHI FOR A CLINICAL TRIAL FOCUSED ON RARE AML
DR. JOHN MARIS FOR PEDIATRIC NEUROBLASTOMA RESEARCH
DR. BEAU WEBBER FOR OSTEOSARCOMA RESEARCH
RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC BRAIN AND NEURAL TUMORS
LAD IN A BATTLE LLC
$175,000FOR BIG DREAMS TOUR
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$150,000DR. ANAO ZHANG FOR RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC CANCER SURVIVORS
TO UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOR CGI EQUIPMENT
DR. ALLISON O'NEILL FOR PEDIATRIC HEPATOBLASTOMA RESEARCH
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN FRANCISCO
$125,000DR. WILLIAM WEISS FOR RESEARCH ON PFA EPENDYMOMA
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$125,000DR. SAMEER SAIT FOR CLINICAL TRIAL OF NOVEL TREATMENT FOR PEDIATRIC SOLID TUMORS
DR. JENNIFER LEVINE FOR RESEARCH ON ALL SURVIVORS
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER
$125,000DR. CAROL FRIES SIMPSON FOR RESEARCH ON INFANT ALL
DR. SOGOL MOSTOUFI-MOAB FOR RESEARCH ON IMPROVING CARE FOR THYROID CANCER SURVIVORS
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA - SAN FRANCISCO
$125,000DR. ROSS OKIMOTO FOR CIC-DUX4 SARCOMA THERAPY RESEARCH
DR. KIRA BONA FOR RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC CANCER OUTCOMES IN LOW-INCOME FAMILIES
JACKSONVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY
$125,000DR. LE SU FOR CIC-DUX4 SARCOMA RESEARCH
WEILL MEDICAL COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY
$125,000DR. JEFFREY GREENFIELD FOR PRE-CLINICAL RESEARCH ON EMBRYONAL TUMOR WITH MULTILAYERED ROSETTES
THE RECTOR AND VISITORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
$125,000DR. JOHN BUSHWELLER FOR RESEARCH ON MLL1 FUSION LEUKEMIA
DR. BIRGIT KNOECHEL RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC CANCER OUTCOMES
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY - SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$125,000DR. ALEX HUANG FOR OSTEOSARCOMA RESEARCH
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$125,000DR. NEERAV SHUKLA FOR AML CLINICAL TRIAL
SUPERGRANT - DR. PATRICK GROHAR RESEARCH ON MYC INHIBITORS FOR OSTEOSARCOMA
SUPERGRANT - DR. MITCHELL CAIRO FOR RESEARCH ON VIROIMMUNOTHERAPY FOR OSTEOSARCOMA
FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER SURVIVORSHIP RESEARCH
DR. BEAU WEBBER'S RESEARCH ON EWING SARCOMA
THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$50,000DR. MARGOT LAZOW FOR RESEARCH ON PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR AND CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CANCER
MINORITY YOUNG INVESTIGATORS AWARD
TO UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOR DR. JOHN WAGNER'S RESARCH
LAD IN A BATTLE LLC
$25,000FOR VIRTUAL CAMP NORDEN FOR PEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: GA#032922-3 UMF FUND #24232 KATIE HAGEBOECK CLINIC PURPOSE: SURVIVORSHIP CARE AND RESEARCH