The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research actively partners with scientists to accelerate research that will transform the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. We fulfill our mission by supporting groundbreaking science carried out by individual investigators, multi-disciplinary teams, and early-stage companies in the United States and across the globe. Recognizing the obstacles that prevent scientific advances from improving patient outcomes, we maintain a nimble, high-impact approach to funding basic and translational cancer research that bridges the gap between bench and bedside through grants and venture investments.
The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research (us) Ltd backs cancer research at a scale that includes seven-figure awards to major research institutions. In the recent grants list, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute received $3,362,500 in 2024 and $3,006,548 in 2023 for research, while The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York received $2,750,000 in 2025. The portfolio also includes Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, Stanford University, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Johns Hopkins University. The foundation’s work centers on basic and translational cancer science, with support for individual investigators, multi-investigator centers, and collaborative projects that aim to move research toward patient care. Its program structure includes fellowships, centers, ASPIRE awards, drug discovery awards, and partnership grants. The grant list shows repeated support for large research institutions and for projects that sit between laboratory discovery and clinical application. It operates as a regular funder and does not fund individuals directly, but it does fund trainees through fellowship programs. The annual grant total on file is $65,943,062, and the foundation’s latest 990 year is 2025.
In translational cancer research, the foundation gave $2,299,837 in 2025 to Regents of the University of California San Francisco for research, and $1,000,000 in 2025 to The Salk Institute for Biological Studies for research. These awards sit alongside a broader portfolio of laboratory-to-clinic work. Drug discovery is another clear theme. The foundation made a $1,000,000 research grant in 2023 to University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and its program list includes a dedicated Drug Discovery Award for advancing new cancer therapeutics. It also supports scientific coordination and field-building. American Association for Cancer Research received $1,312,500 in 2023 for research, and the program menu includes centers, fellowships, and partnerships that support collaborative initiatives across institutions. Aging and cancer appears as a targeted area through a joint RFP and collaborative grant program focused on aging biology, biomarkers, microenvironment and senescence, and genomic instability and metabolism.
$65.9M
$105.5M
$44.8M
$36.1M
Most grants fall between $177K and $768K, with a median of $376K.
25th Percentile
$177K
Median
$376K
75th Percentile
$768K
About 26% of grants go to recipients in MA.
RYAN SCHOENFELD
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Typical grant size sits at $177,096 at the 25th percentile, $376,236 at the median, and $768,337 at the 75th percentile. The recent portfolio also includes awards well above that range, reflecting a mix of mid-sized project grants and larger institutional commitments. The foundation appears to fund the same institutions across multiple years, including several repeated awards to major research centers. Its structure is that of a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals directly, though its fellowship programs support researchers and trainees. Unsolicited applications are not accepted for the listed active programs.
Grantmaking is national, with all recent grants in the United States. The largest concentration by recipient state is Massachusetts, while 26% of grants went to recipients in New York, the foundation’s HQ state. Recent grants reached major research hubs including Boston, New York, San Francisco, Baltimore, Seattle, and Bar Harbor. The country distribution lists 101 U.S. grants and no non-U.S. recipient countries.
It supports basic and translational cancer research, early detection and diagnostics, drug discovery and therapeutic development, clinical and translational trials support, research fellowships and training programs, research centers, and scientific symposia or workshops. The program list also includes aging and cancer collaborations and technology or computational innovation.
No for the active programs listed. Fellowships, centers, ASPIRE awards, partnerships, the Drug Discovery Award, and the aging-and-cancer collaborative grant program all show unsolicited applications as not accepted.
It does not fund individuals directly. The foundation does support individual researchers through fellowship programs, including postdoctoral awards and co-sponsored fellowships, but its stated beneficiary type is cancer researchers and laboratory scientists rather than individual general-purpose giving.
The typical award distribution is $177,096 at the 25th percentile, $376,236 at the median, and $768,337 at the 75th percentile. Recent grants also show larger institutional awards, including several in the $1 million to $3.3 million range.
By recipient count, Massachusetts is the top state, while 26% of grants go to recipients in New York. The recent portfolio is U.S.-only and includes repeated grants to institutions in Boston, New York, San Francisco, Baltimore, Seattle, and other research hubs.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $2,750,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,299,837 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $1,568,007 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $1,384,340 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM | BIRMINGHAM, AL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| THE SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES | LA JOLLA, CA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $948,007 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY | COLD SPRING HARBOR, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $711,352 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $698,007 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE | IRVINE, CA | $698,007 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $698,007 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | NEW YORK, NY | $570,775 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN | DALLAS, TX | $500,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| YALE UNIVERSITY | NEW HAVEN, CT | $467,841 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| DAMON RUNYON WALTER WINCHELL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $413,436 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC | BOSTON, MA | $355,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| THE JACKSON LABORATORY | BAR HARBOR, ME | $332,133 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | ATLANTA, GA | $250,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $198,825 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER | HOUSTON, TX | $175,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN | AUSTIN, TX | $125,217 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| WEILL MEDICAL COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $125,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| CHILDREN'S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER | WASHINGTON DC, DC | $90,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY | BERKELEY, CA | $90,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| ASPEN CANCER CONFERENCE INC | BASALT, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| SAMUEL WAXMAN CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $11,250 | 2025 | RESEARCH |
| DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC | BOSTON, MA | $3,362,500 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $2,670,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $2,125,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER | NASHVILLE, TN | $2,000,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,587,337 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $1,199,404 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| THE JACKSON LABORATORY | BAR HARBOR, ME | $934,158 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK | NEW YORK, NY | $823,349 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY | PORTLAND, OR | $750,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE | KANSAS CITY, KS | $750,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $750,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $750,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $749,997 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| NEW YORK UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $714,900 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| GABRIELLE'S ANGEL FOUNDATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH | NEW YORK, NY | $666,666 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $633,223 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE | BROOKLYN, NY | $483,811 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $377,472 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL INC | BOSTON, MA | $375,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| WEILL MEDICAL COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $364,264 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| DAMON RUNYON WALTER WINCHELL FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $306,316 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$2,750,000RESEARCH
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
$2,299,837RESEARCH
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$1,568,007RESEARCH
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$1,384,340RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH - OF THE COMMONWEALTH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
$1,000,000RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
$1,000,000RESEARCH
THE SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES
$1,000,000RESEARCH
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY
$948,007RESEARCH
COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY
$750,000RESEARCH
PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE
$711,352RESEARCH
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$698,007RESEARCH
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE
$698,007RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
$698,007RESEARCH
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$570,775RESEARCH
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SOUTHWESTERN
$500,000RESEARCH
YALE UNIVERSITY
$467,841RESEARCH
DAMON RUNYON WALTER WINCHELL FOUNDATION
$413,436RESEARCH
DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC
$355,000RESEARCH
THE JACKSON LABORATORY
$332,133RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
$250,000RESEARCH
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$250,000RESEARCH
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
$198,825RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER
$175,000RESEARCH
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
$125,217RESEARCH
WEILL MEDICAL COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY
$125,000RESEARCH
CHILDREN'S NATIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
$90,000RESEARCH
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY
$90,000RESEARCH
ASPEN CANCER CONFERENCE INC
$25,000RESEARCH
SAMUEL WAXMAN CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$11,250RESEARCH
DANA FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE INC
$3,362,500RESEARCH
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$2,670,000RESEARCH
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$2,125,000RESEARCH
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
$2,000,000RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO
$1,587,337RESEARCH
JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
$1,199,404RESEARCH
THE JACKSON LABORATORY
$934,158RESEARCH
TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
$823,349RESEARCH
OREGON HEALTH AND SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
$750,000RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$750,000RESEARCH
ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL INC
$750,000RESEARCH
FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER
$750,000RESEARCH
ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY
$749,997RESEARCH
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
$714,900RESEARCH
GABRIELLE'S ANGEL FOUNDATION FOR CANCER RESEARCH
$666,666RESEARCH
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$633,223RESEARCH
ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
$483,811RESEARCH
TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
$377,472RESEARCH
BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL INC
$375,000RESEARCH
WEILL MEDICAL COLLEGE OF CORNELL UNIVERSITY
$364,264RESEARCH
DAMON RUNYON WALTER WINCHELL FOUNDATION
$306,316RESEARCH