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Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

EIN 38-1613280 · Detroit, MI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO LEAD IN TRANSFORMATIVE CANCER CARE, RESEARCH AND EDUCATION, DRIVEN BY COMPASSION, COMMITMENT, AND COURAGE TO CREATE A WORLD FREE OF CANCER.

Income
$27.1 million
Spending
$34.0 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
75.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 44%
Employees
313
Volunteers
12
Highest pay
$13.0 million, board member

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

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 75.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 25% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 7% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.

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

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 22% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    12 of 15 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 September 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 (3)
  1. $21.8 million spent. CANCER RESEARCH: AT KARMANOS CANCER INSTITUTE (KCI), THE INSTITUTE'S INVESTIGATORS CONDUCT ALL FORMS OF RESEARCH INTO THE PREVENTION, DETECTION, TREATMENT AND CAUSES OF CANCER. TYPES OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED AT KCI INCLUDE: BASIC, CLINICAL, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL. THE CORE RESEARCH FACILITIES OF KCI SERVE TO ENHANCE RESEARCH IN ALL OF THE PROGRAMS BY SUPPLYING INSTRUMENTATION AND/OR EXPERTISE THAT INDIVIDUAL INVESTIGATORS REQUIRE TO PERFORM CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH. RESEARCH AT KCI IS ORGANIZED WITHIN THE FOLLOWING THREE PROGRAMS: (1) TUMOR BIOLOGY & MICROENVIRONMENT, (2) MOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS, AND (3) POPULATION STUDIES.
  2. $5.1 million spent. AFFILIATION/NETWORK SUPPORT, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, CORD STEM CELL BANK : COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROVIDED BY KCI STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS OCCUR THROUGH VISITS TO BUSINESSES, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, SHOPPING MALLS, HEALTH CARE FORUMS AND VIRTUALLY ANY VENUE CONDUCIVE TO INFORMING INDIVIDUALS ON WAYS TO PREVENT CANCER AND ITS WARNING SIGNS, AND THE VERY LATEST IN SCREENING, DIAGNOSTICS, TREATMENT AND FOLLOW-UP CARE THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS, MATERIALS AND DISPLAYS. KCI OFFERS FREE FACT SHEETS ON THE MOST COMMON FORMS OF CANCER AND TOPICS OF INTEREST. THESE ARE GEARED TO PERSONS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR CANCER RISK AND INTERESTED IN PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION, NOT TO PERSONS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER. GENETIC COUNSELING EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS ARE OFFERED ON A REGULAR BASIS AT KCI AND BY APPOINTMENT. PARTICIPANTS LEARN ABOUT INHERITED BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER GENES AND HOW TO REDUCE THEIR RISK. KCI ALSO SUPPORTS EFFORTS AND PROVIDES RESOURCES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS SUCCESSFULLY QUIT SMOKING. THE J.P. MCCARTHY CORD STEM CELL BANK AT KCI IS A PUBLIC, NON-PROFIT STEM CELL BANK WITH OVER 2,800 UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD UNITS IN ITS INVENTORY. THE BANK WAS FOUNDED IN 2001 WITH FUNDING FROM THE J.P. MCCARTHY FUND AND THE CARLS FOUNDATION AND IS ONE OF ONLY A FEW INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CORD STEM CELL BANKS AFFILIATED WITH THE NATIONAL MARROW DONOR PROGRAM. THE BANK WAS CREATED IN ANTICIPATION OF PROVIDING LIFE-SAVING HOPE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND SERIOUS BLOOD DISORDERS. KCI COLLECTED, PROCESSED AND STORES DONATED UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD THAT BECOMES A READILY AVAILABLE SOURCE OF HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELLS FOR TRANSPLANT IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH LEUKEMIA, LYMPHOMA, SICKLE CELL DISEASE OR OTHER LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS. THE J.P. MCCARTHY CORD BLOOD BANK AND CARLS PROCESSING LABORATORY IS ALSO ACCREDITED BY THE FOUNDATION FOR THE ACCREDITATION OF CELLULAR THERAPY (FACT). THE ACCREDITATION SIGNIFIES THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF PRACTICE IN COLLECTION, PROCESSING AND TRANSPLANTATION. THIS ACCREDITATION DEMONSTRATES THE COMMITMENT TO QUALITY IN CORD BLOOD BANKING THROUGH ADHERENCE TO RIGOROUS STANDARDS THAT ARE VERIFIED BY PERIODIC INSPECTION AND PEER REVIEW.
  3. $192,615 spent. KCI IS PART OF THE MICHIGAN BREAST & CERVICAL CONTROL PROGRAM (BCCCP): THIS PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUALS MEETING THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: (1) BE A MICHIGAN RESIDENT (OR RESIDE IN A STATE THAT BORDERS MICHIGAN) (2) HAVE AN INCOME BELOW 250% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL OR BELOW, (3) BE UNINSURED OR UNDERINSURED, (4) BE AGE 40-64 FOR BREAST CANCER SCREENING SERVICES AND DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES, (5) BE AGE 21-64 FOR CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING SERVICES AND DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES, (6) BE AGE 18-39 WITH A BREAST PROBLEM THAT REQUIRES DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES. THE BCCCP PROVIDES BREAST CARE SERVICES SUCH AS CLINICAL BREAST EXAMS (CBES), MAMMOGRAMS, AND FOLLOW UP TESTS. WHILE THE PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE TREATMENT FOR BREAST CANCER, IT DOES ASSIST WITH APPLYING FOR THE MEDICAID TREATMENT ACT (MTA) WHICH DOES COVER CANCER TREATMENT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED THRU THE BCCCP. THE BCCCP PROVIDES CERVICAL RELATED CARE INCLUDING PELVIC EXAMS, PAP SMEARS, HPV TESTING AND FOLLOW-UP SERVICES IF NEEDED. WHILE THE PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE TREATMENT FOR CERVICAL CANCER, IT DOES ASSIST WITH APPLYING FOR THE MEDICAID TREATMENT ACT (MTA) WHICH DOES COVER CANCER TREATMENT FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED THRU THE BCCCP. THE BCCCP CAN ENROLL AND PROVIDE DIAGNOSTIC BREAST AND/OR DIAGNOSTIC CERVICAL SERVICES TO INSURED INDIVIDUALS WITH DEDUCTIBLE AMOUNTS THAT CREATE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP-IF THEY MEET THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 November 1949.

    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.