The Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research is a highly concentrated biomedical funder that specializes in supporting translational and clinical cancer research. It directs very large, repeated awards to elite cancer centers and a state-based multi-institutional consortium to accelerate drug discovery, clinical trials, and investigator-led translational programs. While most dollars flow to national research institutions, the foundation also makes modest local/unrestricted community grants in Virginia. Its portfolio emphasizes accelerating the pipeline from discovery to patient care rather than general charitable services.
Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research is defined by very large, repeated support for a Virginia-based multi-institutional cancer consortium and for major cancer centers working on translational and clinical research. Its largest recent awards have gone to Commonwealth Cancer Consortium Inc. in Sherborn, Massachusetts, with three grants above $25 million across 2023, 2024, and 2025 for multi-institutional research in cancer indications. That pattern signals a funder focused on coordinated research infrastructure rather than scattered one-off gifts. The foundation also backs national centers that move discoveries toward patient care. Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center in Baltimore received multiple $8 million awards for researchers and clinicians advancing cancer science, while Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York received multi-million-dollar support for drug discovery and developmental research against cancer. MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston appears repeatedly as well, with grants tied to improving care for patients with cancer. The portfolio includes smaller Virginia awards for clinical trials and unrestricted community support, showing that most of the foundation’s activity is concentrated in biomedical research while retaining a local presence in Richmond and Charlottesville.
A central theme is multi-institutional cancer research. Commonwealth Cancer Consortium Inc. received $28,517,000 in 2024 and $27,110,000 in 2025 for support for multi-institutional research in cancer indications, underscoring the foundation’s preference for coordinated research structures. Translational and developmental science is another clear priority. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center received $8,000,000 in 2025 and $7,000,000 in 2023 for progress in drug discovery and developmental research against cancer. The foundation also funds clinical research and patient-centered care. MD Anderson Cancer Center received $7,500,000 in 2024 and $7,500,000 in 2025 to support progress in improving care for patients with cancer, and Massey Cancer Center received $242,186 in 2025 for clinical trials in cancer research. Technology and discovery capacity appear in the support for Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Koch Institute for Cancer Research, which received $2,500,000 in 2025 to advance discoveries and new technologies in cancer research.
$55.9M
$50.9M
$25M
$56M
Most grants fall between $2.2M and $7.8M, with a median of $2.5M.
25th Percentile
$2.2M
Median
$2.5M
75th Percentile
$7.8M
About 22% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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.
Highly concentrated: a small number of very large, repeated grants to a handful of elite cancer centers and a flagship state consortium, focused on multi-year, programmatic support for translational research and clinical trials; occasional small, unrestricted local grants.
Notable grantees: Commonwealth Cancer Consortium Inc, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Typical grants are large: the 25th percentile is $2,187,500, the median is $2,500,000, and the 75th percentile is $7,750,000. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same institutions across multiple years, especially Commonwealth Cancer Consortium Inc., Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Koch Institute for Cancer Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc, and The Community Foundation. That pattern points to sustained, institutional funding rather than episodic small grants. The foundation is a public charity and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
Although headquarters are in Richmond, grants reach institutions across the United States, with Massachusetts appearing most often by grant count. Recent recipients include Sherborn and Brookline in Massachusetts, Baltimore in Maryland, New York in New York, Houston in Texas, Cambridge in Massachusetts, Richmond and Charlottesville in Virginia. Virginia recipients account for 20% of grants, while the overall scope is national. All recent grants in the file went to U.S. recipients.
It focuses on cancer research, especially translational and clinical work. Recent grants support multi-institutional cancer research, drug discovery and developmental research, clinical studies, clinical trials, and efforts to improve patient care in oncology.
Commonwealth Cancer Consortium Inc., Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Koch Institute for Cancer Research, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc, and The Community Foundation each appear multiple times in the recent grants list.
The foundation’s recent grant sizes are large: the 25th percentile is $2,187,500, the median is $2,500,000, and the 75th percentile is $7,750,000. Several awards are far above that range, including consortium funding above $25 million.
Massachusetts is the top state by grant count. Recent Massachusetts recipients include Sherborn, Brookline, and Cambridge, while Virginia recipients make up 20% of grants and the foundation’s headquarters are in Richmond, Virginia.
No. The foundation is listed as a public charity, funds individuals is false, and makes program-related investments is false.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMONWEALTH CANCER CONSORTIUM INC | SHERBORN, MA | $27,110,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH IN CANCER INDICATIONS |
| SIDNEY KIMMEL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER | BALTIMORE, MD | $8,000,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR RESEARCHERS AND CLINCIANS TO ADVANCE THE STATE OF CANCER SCIENCE |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $8,000,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT PROGRESS IN DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH AGAINST CANCER |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $7,500,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT PROGRESS IN IMPROVING CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS WITH CANCER |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC | BROOKLINE, MA | $2,500,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-KOCH INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,500,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH |
| MASSEY CANCER CENTER | RICHMOND, VA | $242,186 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL TRIALS IN CANCER RESEARCH |
| THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | RICHMOND, VA | $57,450 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| COMMONWEALTH CANCER CONSORTIUM INC | SHERBORN, MA | $28,517,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH IN CANCER INDICATIONS |
| SIDNEY KIMMEL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER | BALTIMORE, MD | $8,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR RESEARCHERS AND CLINCIANS TO ADVANCE THE STATE OF CANCER SCIENCE |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $7,500,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRESS IN IMPROVING CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS WITH CANCER |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $6,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT PROGRESS IN DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH AGAINST CANCER |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-KOCH INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,500,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC | BROOKLINE, MA | $2,500,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH |
| THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | RICHMOND, VA | $57,450 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA RECTOR & VISITORS | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $6,640 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL TRIALS IN CANCER RESEARCH |
| COMMONWEALTH CANCER CONSORTIUM INC | SHERBORN, MA | $25,596,074 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH IN CANCER INDICATIONS |
| SIDNEY KIMMEL COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER | BALTIMORE, MD | $8,000,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR RESEARCHERS AND CLINCIANS TO ADVANCE THE STATE OF CANCER SCIENCE |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $7,000,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRESS IN DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH AGAINST CANCER |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY-KOCH INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $2,500,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR CLINCIAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH |
| DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC | BROOKLINE, MA | $2,500,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR CLINCIAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH |
| MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $1,875,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT PROGRESS IN IMPROVING CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS WITH CANCER |
| THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | RICHMOND, VA | $50,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT |
COMMONWEALTH CANCER CONSORTIUM INC
$27,110,000SUPPORT FOR MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH IN CANCER INDICATIONS
SUPPORT FOR RESEARCHERS AND CLINCIANS TO ADVANCE THE STATE OF CANCER SCIENCE
MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$8,000,000SUPPORT PROGRESS IN DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH AGAINST CANCER
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$7,500,000SUPPORT PROGRESS IN IMPROVING CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS WITH CANCER
DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC
$2,500,000SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH
SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH
MASSEY CANCER CENTER
$242,186SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL TRIALS IN CANCER RESEARCH
COMMONWEALTH CANCER CONSORTIUM INC
$28,517,000SUPPORT FOR MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH IN CANCER INDICATIONS
SUPPORT FOR RESEARCHERS AND CLINCIANS TO ADVANCE THE STATE OF CANCER SCIENCE
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$7,500,000SUPPORT PROGRESS IN IMPROVING CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS WITH CANCER
MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$6,000,000SUPPORT PROGRESS IN DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH AGAINST CANCER
SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH
DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC
$2,500,000SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA RECTOR & VISITORS
$6,640SUPPORT FOR CLINICAL TRIALS IN CANCER RESEARCH
COMMONWEALTH CANCER CONSORTIUM INC
$25,596,074SUPPORT FOR MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH IN CANCER INDICATIONS
SUPPORT FOR RESEARCHERS AND CLINCIANS TO ADVANCE THE STATE OF CANCER SCIENCE
MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$7,000,000SUPPORT PROGRESS IN DRUG DISCOVERY AND DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH AGAINST CANCER
SUPPORT FOR CLINCIAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH
DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC
$2,500,000SUPPORT FOR CLINCIAL STUDIES AND TO ADVANCE DISCOVERIES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES IN CANCER RESEARCH
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$1,875,000SUPPORT PROGRESS IN IMPROVING CARE FOR OUR PATIENTS WITH CANCER