The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.
St Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc directs its philanthropy around pediatric catastrophic diseases, with a mission centered on advancing cures and prevention through research and treatment. That mission is carried into grantmaking that supports both patient-facing services and professional training, while also using sponsorships to connect with medical and research organizations. The largest recent grant went to Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital Foundation in Memphis for $10,013,269, a clear signal that the foundation’s giving includes substantial financial support close to its own operating environment. It also gave $115,000 to Church Health in Memphis, another local recipient in the hospital’s city. Beyond those larger awards, the foundation appears to fund a mix of educational and professional activities, including fellowships and sponsorships tied to clinical and biomedical fields. Its stated focus areas include pediatric cancer, childhood cancer, blood disorders, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, clinical trials, biomedical research, medical education and training, and global child health. The pattern suggests a funder that links research, training, and support for organizations working in pediatric and related health fields.
A major thread in the foundation’s giving is medical education and training. It supports advanced training through Clinical Fellowships in pediatric oncology, hematology, and related clinical disciplines, and it also lists postdoctoral fellows and a PhD program in biomedical sciences among its active programs. Sponsorships are another visible part of the portfolio: it gave $60,000 to Cervivor Inc in Upper Marlboro for sponsorship and $60,000 to the American Academy of Physician Associates Inc in Alexandria for sponsorship. Research-oriented convenings also appear in the data, including a $55,000 sponsorship to Gordon Research Conferences in East Greenwich. The topical focus areas align with pediatric disease research and care, especially pediatric cancer, blood disorders, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, clinical trials, and biomedical research.
Typical grant size clusters around $38,850 at the 25th percentile, $60,000 at the median, and $87,500 at the 75th percentile, though the year’s largest award is far above that range. The recent grants list shows a mix of financial support and sponsorships, indicating project-based or short-term funding rather than only operating support. The foundation does not fund individuals. The active programs include unsolicited pathways for some fellowships and graduate training offerings, but those programs are aimed at trainees rather than nonprofit grantees. The 2024 grants list includes both very large institutional support and smaller sponsorship awards, suggesting multiple grant sizes within the same year.
$10.3M
$10.5B
$1.7B
$1.5B
Most grants fall between $39K and $88K, with a median of $60K.
25th Percentile
$39K
Median
$60K
75th Percentile
$88K
About 57% of grants go to recipients in TN.
JAMES R DOWNING
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Grantmaking is regional and heavily concentrated in Tennessee. Fifty-seven percent of grants in the provided data go to recipients in TN, and Tennessee is also the top state by grant count. Memphis appears repeatedly among recipients, including Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital Foundation, Church Health, and the University of Tennessee. Other recent grants reached recipients in Upper Marlboro, Alexandria, Nashville, and East Greenwich, showing that while the portfolio is anchored in Tennessee, it also extends to selected organizations in other U.S. locations. All recent grants in the country distribution are in the United States.
The foundation supports organizations connected to pediatric disease research, care, training, and convenings. Its focus areas include pediatric cancer, childhood cancer, blood disorders, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, clinical trials, biomedical research, and medical education and training. Recent grants also include financial support and sponsorships for hospitals, health organizations, universities, and research-related conferences.
The typical grant size is $38,850 at the 25th percentile, $60,000 at the median, and $87,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent-grants data also shows much larger awards, including a $10,013,269 grant, which indicates that some support falls well above the median range.
Yes. Several recent grants are coded as sponsorships, including $60,000 to Cervivor Inc, $60,000 to the American Academy of Physician Associates Inc, $55,000 to Gordon Research Conferences, $22,700 to Belmont University, and $16,600 to the University of Tennessee. Sponsorship is one of the grant types shown in the data.
The foundation gives most often in Tennessee, and 57% of grants in the provided data go to recipients in the HQ state. Memphis is especially prominent among recipients, with grants to Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital Foundation, Church Health, and the University of Tennessee.
Yes. Active programs include Clinical Fellowships (Advanced Training) in pediatric oncology and hematology, Postdoctoral Fellows (Advanced Training) in pediatric catastrophic diseases and translational research, and the St. Jude Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences PhD program. The data also lists St. Jude Fellowships in biomedical research, clinical training, and medical education.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LE BONHEUR CHILDRENS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | MEMPHIS, TN | $10,013,269 | 2024 | FINANCIAL SUPPORT |
| CHURCH HEALTH | MEMPHIS, TN | $115,000 | 2024 | FINANCIAL SUPPORT |
| CERVIVOR INC | UPPER MARLBORO, MD | $60,000 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES INC | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $60,000 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCES | EAST GREENWICH, RI | $55,000 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| BELMONT UNIVERSITY | NASHVILLE, TN | $22,700 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE | MEMPHIS, TN | $16,600 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
LE BONHEUR CHILDRENS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$10,013,269FINANCIAL SUPPORT
CHURCH HEALTH
$115,000FINANCIAL SUPPORT
CERVIVOR INC
$60,000SPONSORSHIP
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES INC
$60,000SPONSORSHIP
GORDON RESEARCH CONFERENCES
$55,000SPONSORSHIP
BELMONT UNIVERSITY
$22,700SPONSORSHIP
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
SPONSORSHIP