The Michael Sweig Foundation concentrates its giving on cancer-related causes, primarily supporting major national research and patient-support organizations. Grants are large and targeted, often repeat awards to the same institutions, indicating a preference for established medical charities and translational cancer research. The foundation appears to prioritize impact on cancer treatment and survivorship rather than a broad portfolio of causes.
The Michael Sweig Foundation’s largest recent award was $300,000 to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society in 2025, a clear sign of its emphasis on blood-cancer advocacy and patient support. That grant sits within a pattern of sizable gifts to established medical charities and research organizations, with multiple awards also going to cancer-focused institutions in California and beyond. The foundation’s giving is concentrated in cancer-related causes, especially translational and clinical cancer research and organizations serving patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and other cancers. Its recent record shows repeated support for the same institutions, suggesting relationship-based funding rather than one-off charitable checks. The Michael Sweig Foundation has backed university and cancer-center programs, national health charities, and medical ministries, while also making smaller gifts to community organizations. The presence of repeat grants to several recipients across 2023 through 2025 points to an ongoing commitment to a limited set of organizations rather than a broad, diversified portfolio. Most awards are aimed at established groups with national reach or clinical ties, consistent with a funder that appears to favor targeted impact over a wide grantmaking footprint.
Cancer research is a central theme in the Michael Sweig Foundation’s giving. In 2024 and 2023, it awarded $50,000 twice to the Ucsd Cancer Research Foundation in La Jolla for charitable purposes, indicating sustained interest in university-linked cancer research. The foundation also gave $25,000 to City of Hope in Duarte in 2025, another sign of support for major cancer treatment and research institutions. Blood-cancer advocacy is another visible area. The foundation made a $150,000 grant to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society in 2024, following a larger $300,000 grant in 2025, both to Rye Brook-based operations. Its portfolio also includes a $25,000 grant to the National Pancreas Foundation in Bethesda in 2024, showing that its health giving extends to disease-specific advocacy groups. Smaller medical and community-focused awards, including gifts to Jesus Name Medical Ministry in Gardnerville, further round out the picture.
Recent grants cluster around a median size of $25,000, with the 25th percentile at $8,750 and the 75th percentile at $49,250. That spread shows a mix of mid-sized awards and occasional larger commitments, including six-figure gifts. The pattern across 2023, 2024, and 2025 includes repeat awards to the same organizations, especially in cancer-related giving, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated grants. The foundation appears to be a private family-style grantmaker rather than an operating charity, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. No application process is described in the provided data.
$437K
$5.8M
$1.3M
$454K
Most grants fall between $9K and $49K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$49K
About 10% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants with repeat giving to a small set of national grantees; limited number of grants overall (few, large awards rather than many small gifts).
Notable grantees: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, UCSD Cancer Research Foundation, CPM Foundation
The Michael Sweig Foundation gives nationally, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. California appears most often among recipient locations, including Los Angeles, La Jolla, Duarte, Santa Ana, and Newport Beach. Chicago is another recurring hub, with grants landing at Northwestern Medicine Neurology, Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center, Northwestern Medicine Memorial Foundation, and Brother Rice High School. Outside the mainland, one recent gift went to Jesus Name Medical Ministry in Gardnerville, Nevada, near the foundation’s headquarters in Zephyr Cove.
Its giving centers on cancer-related causes, especially blood cancers, translational and clinical cancer research, and patient support. Recent grants include major awards to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and university-linked cancer research groups such as the Ucsd Cancer Research Foundation.
The foundation’s grant sizes cluster around a median of $25,000. The 25th percentile is $8,750 and the 75th percentile is $49,250, so many awards fall in the middle range while a smaller number reach much larger amounts.
Yes. The recent record shows repeat grants to several recipients across multiple years, including the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Ucsd Cancer Research Foundation, City of Hope, Orange County Sheriff's Advisory Council, and Jesus Name Medical Ministry.
It supports established medical charities, cancer centers, research foundations, and some community organizations. Recent recipients include national health charities, university-based cancer research groups, and medical ministries, with most grants going to institutional grantees rather than individuals.
The foundation gives nationally, and California is the top state by grant count among recipients. Recent California recipients include organizations in Los Angeles, La Jolla, Duarte, Santa Ana, and Newport Beach, while Chicago is another frequent recipient city.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLOOD CANCER UNITED | WASHINGTON, DC | $300,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| UCSD CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | LA JOLLA, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| ROBERT H LURIE CANCER CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CHICAGO POLICE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $15,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| CITY OF HOPE | DUARTE, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE NEUROLOGY | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S ADVISORY COUNCIL | GARDNERVILLE, NV | $2,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE |
| LEUKEMIA LYMPHOMA SOCIETY | RYE BROOK, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CPM FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $49,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CITY OF HOPE | DUARTE, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE NEUROLOGY | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S ADVISORY COUNCIL | SANTA ANA, CA | $12,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| NEWPORT BEACH POLICE FOUNDATION | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| JESUS NAME MEDICAL MINISTRY | GARDNERVILLE, NV | $500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| LEUKEMIA LYMPHOMA SOCIETY | RYE BROOK, NY | $150,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| CPM FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $60,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| UCSD CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | LA JOLLA, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| NATIONAL PANCREAS FOUNDATION | BETHESDA, MD | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ROBERT H LURIE CANCER CENTER | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S ADVISORY COUNCIL | SANTA ANA, CA | $19,600 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| JESUS NAME MEDICAL MINISTRY | GARDNERVILLE, NV | $500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| UCSD CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | LA JOLLA, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| CHICAGO POLICE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $34,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| CITY OF HOPE | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S ADVISORY COUNCIL | SANTA ANA, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
| BROTHER RICE HIGH SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $2,500 | 2023 | CHARITABLE |
UCSD CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$50,000CHARITABLE
ROBERT H LURIE CANCER CENTER
$50,000CHARITABLE
CHICAGO POLICE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$15,000CHARITABLE
NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE NEUROLOGY
$10,000CHARITABLE
DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF'S ADVISORY COUNCIL
$2,000CHARITABLE
LEUKEMIA LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
$300,000CHARITABLE
CPM FOUNDATION
$49,000CHARITABLE
NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE NEUROLOGY
$25,000CHARITABLE
NEWPORT BEACH POLICE FOUNDATION
$1,000CHARITABLE
JESUS NAME MEDICAL MINISTRY
$500CHARITABLE
LEUKEMIA LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
$150,000CHARITABLE
CPM FOUNDATION
$60,000CHARITABLE
UCSD CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$50,000CHARITABLE
NATIONAL PANCREAS FOUNDATION
$25,000CHARITABLE
ROBERT H LURIE CANCER CENTER
$25,000CHARITABLE
JESUS NAME MEDICAL MINISTRY
$500CHARITABLE
UCSD CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$50,000CHARITABLE
CHICAGO POLICE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$34,000CHARITABLE
CITY OF HOPE
$10,000CHARITABLE
NORTHWESTERN MEDICINE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION
$10,000CHARITABLE
BROTHER RICE HIGH SCHOOL
$2,500CHARITABLE