About Mario Lemieux Foundation
Dedicated to funding cancer research and patient care, and supporting families in challenging medical situations; focused on translating research into clinical trials and providing patient/family support.
Focus Areas
Cancer researchBlood cancersLymphomaImmunotherapyPediatric cancer researchPatient support and careFamily services (Children’s Home & Lemieux Family Center)Child life/playroom programs (Austin’s Playrooms)
Who They Fund
pediatric oncology patients (children with cancer)pediatric cardiac patients (children in electrophysiology/cardiac programs)hospitalized children and their families
About Mario Lemieux Foundation
The Mario Lemieux Foundation’s largest recent grants go to pediatric cancer research and cardiac care: $4,564,958 to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation for pediatric cancer research and $2,277,948 to Highmark Health for a cardiac electrophysiology program. That pairing reflects how the foundation combines disease-focused research with hospital-based care for children and families. Its giving also reaches into blood cancer work through named centers and institutes, including the Mario Lemieux Center for Blood Cancers in Pittsburgh and the Mario Lemieux Lymphoma Center. Across its recent grants, the foundation supports translational research, clinical programs, and patient services in medical settings. Recent support has gone to playrooms and family-centered services at hospitals and care organizations, alongside general support for cancer centers and research institutions. The foundation’s own program list shows a mission centered on beating cancer by funding research, while also helping families in challenging medical situations. That mix of research and direct patient support gives the grantmaking a clear medical and family-care profile, with most activity tied to Pittsburgh-area institutions.
What Mario Lemieux Foundation Funds
Pediatric cancer research is a central theme. The foundation gave $121,274 in 2024 and $102,571 in 2025 to Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation for pediatric cancer research, following a much larger 2023 grant of $4,564,958 for the same purpose. Blood cancer work is another clear focus. In 2024, Mario Lemieux Foundation granted $70,000 to Carnegie Mellon University for blood cancer research, and it also supports the Mario Lemieux Center for Blood Cancers and the Mario Lemieux Lymphoma Center in Pittsburgh. Patient amenities and family support appear throughout the grants list. The foundation awarded $152,875 to Upmc Pinnacle for playroom expenses and $75,000 to The Children's Home of Pittsburgh for general support. Its active programs also include Austin’s Playrooms and the Children's Home & Lemieux Family Center.
How Mario Lemieux Foundation Gives
The typical grant size is $7,790 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $66,960 at the 75th percentile. The distribution shows a mix of smaller operating or program grants and much larger research awards, with the largest recent gifts far above the median. The foundation is a private grantmaker with no evidence here of an unsolicited application route for most named programs; one general research grant program is listed as accepting unsolicited applications, while several center-based programs are not. Recent grants also show continuity over multiple years, especially in Pittsburgh-area research and patient-support funding.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.9M
Total Assets
$18.6M
Total Revenue
$5.3M
Total Expenses
$4.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $67K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$67K
Geographic Reach
Local5 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
NANCY G ANGUS
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