Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Cancer Research Fund of the Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Foundation

EIN 13-1933825 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong96 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO ACCELERATE BREAKTHROUGHS BY PROVIDING TODAY'S BEST YOUNG SCIENTISTS WITH FUNDING TO PURSUE INNOVATIVE CANCER RESEARCH. THE FOUNDATION'S GOALS ARE TO IDENTIFY AND FUND THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST EARLY-CAREER SCIENTISTS IN CANCER RESEARCH; ENABLE THEM TO TAKE RISKS ON BOLD NEW IDEAS; AND ACCELERATE THE TRANSLATION OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES INTO NEW WAYS TO PREVENT OR CURE ALL FORMS OF CANCER. ITS INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND HIGHLY COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.

Income
$54.7 million
Spending
$25.1 million
Spent on programs
89%
Reserves
54.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
investment income, 69%
Employees
17
Volunteers
200
Highest pay
$652,293, president & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 96 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 54.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 21% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 54% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 180% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    89% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    36 of 36 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (13)
  1. $9.0 million spent. FELLOWSHIP AWARDS: SUPPORTS THE TRAINING OF THE BRIGHTEST POSTDOCTORAL SCIENTISTS AS THEY EMBARK UPON THEIR RESEARCH CAREERS. THIS FUNDING ENABLES THEM TO BE TRAINED BY ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATORS IN LEADING RESEARCH LABORATORIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WHILE INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTING LEADING-EDGE SCIENCE THAT WILL BRING NEW UNDERSTANDING AND CURES FOR CANCER.
  2. $4.4 million spent. CLINICAL INVESTIGATOR AWARDS: SUPPORTS EARLY CAREER PHYSICIAN-SCIENTISTS CONDUCTING PATIENT-ORIENTED RESEARCH. THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PHYSICIANS CAPABLE OF MOVING SEAMLESSLY BETWEEN THE LABORATORY AND THE PATIENT'S BEDSIDE IN SEARCH OF BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENTS.
  3. $3.5 million spent. RACHLEFF INNOVATION AWARDS: SUPPORTS THE NEXT GENERATION OF EXCEPTIONALLY CREATIVE THINKERS WITH "HIGH RISK/HIGH REWARD" IDEAS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT OUR UNDERSTANDING OF AND/OR APPROACHES TO THE PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS OR TREATMENT OF CANCER, BUT LACK SUFFICIENT PRELIMINARY DATA TO OBTAIN TRADITIONAL FUNDING.
  4. $2.0 million spent. THE DAMON RUNYON-ST. JUDE PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP AWARD: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, THIS AWARD PROVIDES FUNDING TO EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH THE POTENTIAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT OF ONE OR MORE PEDIATRIC CANCERS.
  5. $1.3 million spent. QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY FELLOWSHIP AWARDS: THIS AWARD PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE QUANTITATIVE SCIENTISTS (TRAINED IN FIELDS SUCH AS MATHEMATICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, PHYSICS, ENGINEERING, AND OTHERS) TO PURSUE RESEARCH CAREERS IN COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY UNDER THE JOINT MENTORSHIP OF LEADERS IN BOTH COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE ("DRY LAB") AND CANCER BIOLOGY ("WET LAB"). BY INVESTING IN THIS AREA, DAMON RUNYON WILL BRING ADDITIONAL ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE SPECIALLY TRAINED SCIENTISTS FOR MAKING MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN CANCER BIOLOGY.
  6. $1.3 million spent. PHYSICIAN-SCIENTIST TRAINING AWARDS: SUPPORTS AND ENCOURAGES OUTSTANDING PHYSICIANS TO PURSUE CANCER RESEARCH CAREERS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PROTECTED RESEARCH TRAINING EXPERIENCE UNDER THE MENTORSHIP OF A HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND GIFTED MENTOR.
  7. $538,012 spent. DALE F. FREY AWARDS: AWARDS ARE GIVEN TO THE MOST OUTSTANDING FELLOWS COMPLETING THEIR FELLOWSHIP AWARD, IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 EACH, TO ACCELERATE THEIR RESEARCH AND CAREERS.
  8. $279,698 spent. SPARK SCHOLARS: PROVIDES OUTSTANDING RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SCIENTIFIC LEADERS WITH A FINANCIAL STIPEND, INTENSIVE LABORATORY TRAINING, A NETWORK OF MENTORS AND PEERS, AND OTHER RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR NEXT CAREER STEPS.
  9. (Expenses $ 2,032,178 including grants of $ 1,826,095)(Revenue $ 0) THE DAMON RUNYON-ST. JUDE PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP AWARD: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, THIS AWARD PROVIDES FUNDING TO EARLY CAREER SCIENTISTS CONDUCTING RESEARCH WITH THE POTENTIAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT OF ONE OR MORE PEDIATRIC CANCERS.
  10. (Expenses $ 1,267,965 including grants of $ 1,153,426)(Revenue $ 0) QUANTITATIVE BIOLOGY FELLOWSHIP AWARDS: THIS AWARD PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE QUANTITATIVE SCIENTISTS (TRAINED IN FIELDS SUCH AS MATHEMATICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, PHYSICS, ENGINEERING, AND OTHERS) TO PURSUE RESEARCH CAREERS IN COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY UNDER THE JOINT MENTORSHIP OF LEADERS IN BOTH COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE ("DRY LAB") AND CANCER BIOLOGY ("WET LAB"). BY INVESTING IN THIS AREA, DAMON RUNYON WILL BRING ADDITIONAL ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE SPECIALLY TRAINED SCIENTISTS FOR MAKING MEANINGFUL PROGRESS IN CANCER BIOLOGY.
  11. (Expenses $ 1,267,335 including grants of $ 1,144,849)(Revenue $ 0) PHYSICIAN-SCIENTIST TRAINING AWARDS: SUPPORTS AND ENCOURAGES OUTSTANDING PHYSICIANS TO PURSUE CANCER RESEARCH CAREERS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PROTECTED RESEARCH TRAINING EXPERIENCE UNDER THE MENTORSHIP OF A HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND GIFTED MENTOR.
  12. (Expenses $ 538,012 including grants of $ 495,240)(Revenue $ 0) DALE F. FREY AWARDS: AWARDS ARE GIVEN TO THE MOST OUTSTANDING FELLOWS COMPLETING THEIR FELLOWSHIP AWARD, IN THE AMOUNT OF $100,000 EACH, TO ACCELERATE THEIR RESEARCH AND CAREERS.
  13. (Expenses $ 279,698 including grants of $ 249,130)(Revenue $ 0) SPARK SCHOLARS: PROVIDES OUTSTANDING RECENT COLLEGE GRADUATES WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SCIENTIFIC LEADERS WITH A FINANCIAL STIPEND, INTENSIVE LABORATORY TRAINING, A NETWORK OF MENTORS AND PEERS, AND OTHER RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THEIR NEXT CAREER STEPS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1947.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.