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Rare Cancer Research Foundation

EIN 46-3405526 · Durham, NC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak36 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 76 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE RARE CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO CURING RARE CANCERS THROUGH STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS AND COLLABORATIONS THAT CATALYZE EFFECTIVE RESEARCH AND ACCELERATE DEPLOYMENT OF PROMISING THERAPIES.

Income
$446,172
Spending
$1.7 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
4.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 52%
Employees
9
Highest pay
$181,710, cto

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 36 out of 100. Higher than 4% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 25% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 290% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 75% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 76 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 6 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

    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 December 31, 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 (5)
  1. $347,544 spent. PRISM (H37) - A PROGRAM TO CREATE EXCEPTIONAL OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS FACING ADVANCED CANCERS BY PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES OF SCIENCE, RESEARCH, AND CLINICAL INNOVATIONS. THE FOUNDATION WORKS IN DEEP PARTNERSHIPS WITH A SMALL GROUP OF CLIENTS, EXPLORING THE DETAILED MOLECULAR AND CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS DISEASE TO HELP THEM AND THEIR CLINICAL TEAM TO MAKE MORE DATA INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR TREATMENT JOURNEY AND CONTRIBUTE THAT DETAILED RESEARCH INFORMATION TO THE DATA PLATFORM FOR FUTURE STUDY.
  2. $344,230 spent. PATTERN.ORG A GROUNDBREAKING ONLINE PLATFORM THAT EMPOWERS CANCER PATIENTS TO CONSENT AND DONATE LIVING TISSUE AND CLINICAL DATA TO RESEARCH REGARDLESS OF THEIR TREATMENT LOCATION IN THE UNITED STATES. ONCE A PATIENT ENROLLS, THE PATTERN.ORG TEAM COORDINATES THE COLLECTION AND SHIPMENT OF THE TISSUE AND DATA TO WORLD CLASS RESEARCH STUDIES WHICH IN TURN BROADLY SHARE ANY RESULTING MODELS AND LEARNING.
  3. $404,190 spent. DATA PLATFORM A PROGRAM INITIATED IN 2023 TO DEVELOP A UNIFIED PLATFORM TO HOST COMBINED MOLECULAR AND CLINICAL RARE CANCER DATA OBTAINED INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY, WHICH WILL BE SHARED BROADLY WITH THE CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNITY.
  4. $255,234 spent. BIOBANK A PROGRAM THAT MAINTAINS A HIGH-QUALITY REPOSITORY OF CANCER BIOSPECIMENS (TISSUE AND BLOOD), COLLECTED USING STANDARDIZED BEST PRACTICES AND LINKED TO CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR DATA. THE PATTERN BIOBANK SUPPORTS BOTH PATIENTS AND RESEARCH PARTNERS BY PROVIDING CUSTODIAL SERVICES, MANAGING END-TO-END LOGISTICS, AND ACCEPTING DONATED RARE CANCER SAMPLES, PRESERVING AND DISTRIBUTING WELL-CHARACTERIZED SPECIMENS TO ADVANCE RESEARCH AND ACCELERATE DISCOVERY.
  5. BIOBANK A PROGRAM THAT MAINTAINS A HIGH-QUALITY REPOSITORY OF CANCER BIOSPECIMENS (TISSUE AND BLOOD), COLLECTED USING STANDARDIZED BEST PRACTICES AND LINKED TO CLINICAL AND MOLECULAR DATA. THE PATTERN BIOBANK SUPPORTS BOTH PATIENTS AND RESEARCH PARTNERS BY PROVIDING CUSTODIAL SERVICES, MANAGING END-TO-END LOGISTICS, AND ACCEPTING DONATED RARE CANCER SAMPLES, PRESERVING AND DISTRIBUTING WELL-CHARACTERIZED SPECIMENS TO ADVANCE RESEARCH AND ACCELERATE DISCOVERY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 October 13, 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 December 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 2014.

    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 October 21, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Breast Cancer Research Foundation Inc (New York, NY), EIN 13-3727250. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

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