Childrens Cancer Research Fund

We believe a world without childhood cancer is possible.

That's why we support bright scientists whose ideas make a great impact for children with cancer. We work closely with researchers to fund innovative projects quickly so that promising new discoveries can continue uninterrupted.

We give seed grants for innovative research projects that hold great promise but don’t yet qualify for federal or larger funding. Without this support, many brilliant ideas wouldn’t move forward.

Fewer doctors are choosing a career in hematology/oncology, so we’re helping attract and train researchers by funding emerging scientists and fellowships that build experience and expertise. For nearly 40 years, we’ve funded over 90 fellows who are working around the world to create safer, more effective treatments for kids.

Because cancer affects the whole family, we also fund quality of life services that enhance healing and care, and we educate the world about the need for research.

We launch new ideas and fill funding gaps, helping turn clinical trials into standard treatments. We give seed grants for innovative research projects that hold great promise but don't yet qualify for federal or larger funding. Without this, many brilliant ideas wouldn't move forward. Clinical trials test novel treatments that lead to new and improved therapies for kids with cancer everywhere.

Many childhood cancer survivors suffer from late effects of cancer treatment including infertility, hearing loss, brain damage, vision loss, heart problems & more. We fund research that works to understand these effects and care for children beyond their diagnosis and treatment.

Raising awareness and providing education about childhood cancer is also a key part of our mission. We have the honor of sharing the stories of children, families and researchers throughout the country to inspire advocacy, collaboration and cures. We also foster collaboration by supporting conferences and lectureships.

Since 1981, we've provided more than $213 million for childhood cancer research, education and patient and family services.

We collaborate with leading researchers who stay keenly attuned to the ever-changing landscape of cancer research. The research we fund is shared with more than 9,000 experts around the globe, helping accelerate promising discoveries.

For every dollar that we grant, researchers are able to leverage the funding and secure an additional $18 in federal or other grants.

In addition, our expert fundraising staff is able to generate important dollars for research while maintaining fundraising and administrative expenses that are in line with or lower than best practice. In fiscal year 2017, we spent a healthy 25 percent on fundraising and 4 percent on management costs.

Thanks in part to our funding, research has helped improve childhood cancer survival rates from dismal to hopeful in the last 30 years. We're very proud of the impact we've made on improving outcomes for childhood cancer patients.

In 2020, we awarded over $7 million for innovative childhood cancer research at leading institutions across the country, and also award $140,000 in patient and family programs. In our shortened fiscal year in 2019, July 1-2019-December 31, 2019, we awarded grants totaling $1.33 million to for childhood cancer research and family programs.

In 2021, we awarded 19 grants to leading institutions across the United States in 4 award areas; accelerating impact for hard to treat cancers award, emerging scientist award, health disparities award and survivorship award.

Today's treatments for kids are less than perfect. While Children's Cancer Research Fund has helped increase survival rates to 80 percent, many of these young survivors face life with hearing loss, heart damage, cognitive delays, infertility and other late effects.

As federal funding shrinks, philanthropic support from donors and organizations like Children's Cancer Research Fund makes all the difference.