American Institute for Cancer Research
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
AICR CHAMPIONS THE LATEST AND MOST AUTHORITATIVE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FROM AROUND THE WORLD ON CANCER PREVENTION AND SURVIVAL THROUGH DIET, WEIGHT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SO THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE MAKE INFORMED LIFESTYLE CHOICES TO REDUCE THEIR CANCER RISK.
- Income
- $11.0 million
- Spending
- $12.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 81%
- Employees
- 31
- Volunteers
- 26,098
- Highest pay
- $233,856, senior vp development
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: 70 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 29% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 27 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (medical research, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (2)
- $5.2 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O. EDUCATIONEDUCATION PROGRAMSTHE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH (AICR) CHAMPIONS THE LATEST AND MOST AUTHORITATIVE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON CANCER PREVENTION AND SURVIVAL THROUGH DIET, WEIGHT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SO THAT WE CAN HELP PEOPLE MAKE INFORMED LIFESTYLE CHOICES TO REDUCE THEIR RISK.AICR'S EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE EVIDENCE-BASED. THIS EVIDENCE COMES FROM BOTH THE RESEARCH WE FUND, AND THE CONCLUSIONS DRAWN IN OUR SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. FROM THESE FINDINGS WE PRODUCE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO MEET A WIDE VARIETY OF NEEDS, ACROSS ALL STAGES OF THE CANCER CONTINUUM.NEWSLETTERS AND EDUCATIONAL EMAILSAICR'S CURRENTLY ACTIVE COMMUNICATIONS COVER THREE CORE AREAS: HOW TO START LIVING FOR LOWER CANCER RISK TODAY; BREAKING NEWS AND CURRENT RESEARCH IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER; AND RESEARCH, RECIPES AND FOODS THAT HELP SURVIVORS NAVIGATE THEIR CANCER JOURNEY. IN FY25, AICR MAILED 563,919 PRINT NEWSLETTER PIECES AND INCLUDED LINKS TO DOWNLOADABLE NEWSLETTERS IN CANCER FOCUS EMAILS. CANCER FOCUS EMAIL SENDS TOTALED 1,506,771.VOLUNTEERSIN FY25, AICR WORKED WITH 26,098 VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE NEIGHBORHOOD EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND HELP RAISE FUNDS TO FURTHER ITS MISSION.AICR WEBSITE, BLOG AND DIGITAL RESOURCESIN FY25, MORE THAN ONE MILLION USERS ACCESSED AICR'S WEBSITE, BLOG AND DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR EVIDENCE-BASED INFORMATION ON CANCER PREVENTION AND SURVIVORSHIP. MONTHLY REPORTING CONSISTENTLY SHOWED STRONG INTEREST IN PRACTICAL FOOD AND NUTRITION CONTENT, INCLUDING FOOD FACTS, RECIPES, CANCER PREVENTION GUIDANCE AND CONSUMER NUTRITION ARTICLES. AICR ALSO SUPPLIED MORE THAN 14,000 PDF RESOURCE DOWNLOADS DURING THE YEAR.HEALTHY10 CHALLENGETHE HEALTHY10 CHALLENGE IS A 10-WEEK, FREE, INTERACTIVE ONLINE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP INDIVIDUALS IMPROVE THEIR DIET, NUTRITION, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND WEIGHT FOR LOWER CANCER RISK AND BETTER OVERALL HEALTH. IN FY25, MORE THAN 16,000 USERS ACCESSED HEALTHY10 CHALLENGE CONTENT, INCLUDING WEEKLY GOALS AND PRACTICAL DOWNLOADABLE TOOLS SUCH AS SHOPPING GUIDES, PRODUCE GUIDES AND PANTRY CHECKLISTS.CANCER HEALTH CHECKCANCER HEALTH CHECK IS AN ONLINE ASSESSMENT TOOL TO HELP INDIVIDUALS UNDERSTAND HOW THE LIFESTYLE CHOICES THEY MAKE EVERY DAY CAN REDUCE THEIR RISK FOR CANCER. IN FY25, THOUSANDS OF USERS ACCESSED THE TOOL AND ITS RESULTS PAGES, AND AICR CONTINUED TO SEE ONLINE ACCESS TO ITS SPANISH, FRENCH AND PORTUGUESE CANCER HEALTH CHECK CONTENT.LIVING WITH CANCER AND BEYOND: CANCER RESOURCE PROGRAMAICR CONTINUED TO SEE INTEREST IN ITS LIVING WITH CANCER AND BEYOND CANCER RESOURCE PUBLICATIONS AND INFORMATION, WHICH PROVIDE PRACTICAL GUIDANCE FOR NEWLY DIAGNOSED CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES.
- $2.8 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE O.RESEARCHRESEARCH PROGRAMSSCIENTIFIC STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF DIET, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT TO CANCER RISK AND SURVIVORSHIP CONTINUES TO BE THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH (AICR) RESEARCH INVESTMENT AND ACTIVITIES. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT WEIGHT MANAGEMENT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, FOOD AND NUTRITION PLAY IMPORTANT ROLES IN CANCER PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND SURVIVORSHIP. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT APPROXIMATELY 40% OF ALL CANCERS COULD BE PREVENTED IF EVERYONE REACHED AND MAINTAINED A HEALTHY WEIGHT, FOLLOWED THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, CONSUMED A HEALTHY DIET, AVOIDED USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FOLLOWED APPROPRIATE SCREENING AND VACCINATION GUIDELINES.AICR IS UNIQUE IN ITS FOCUS ON PREVENTING CANCER AND IMPROVING SURVIVAL THROUGH DIET, NUTRITION, BODY COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. WE COLLATE AND INTERPRET THE LATEST AND MOST AUTHORITATIVE GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON THE LINKS BETWEEN CANCER AND DIET, NUTRITION, BODY COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. WE THEN TRANSLATE OUR FINDINGS INTO PRACTICAL, CLEAR, EVIDENCE-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS ON CANCER PREVENTION FOR USE BY HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, LAY INDIVIDUALS AND GOVERNMENTS WORLDWIDE.IN TOTAL, THROUGH FY25, AICR HAS COMMITTED MORE THAN $113 MILLION FOR HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROJECTS AT UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS AND RESEARCH CENTERS.AICR PIONEERED THE FUNDING OF RESEARCH EXAMINING DIET AND CANCER AND WAS THE FIRST ORGANIZATION TO DEVOTE ITSELF TO STUDYING THE ROLE OF DIET AND OTHER LIFESTYLE FACTORS IN LOWERING CANCER RISK. THE RESEARCH THAT WE HAVE FUNDED HAS HELPED TRANSFORM THE ONCE-RADICAL NOTION THAT EVERYDAY CHOICES CAN DRAMATICALLY REDUCE CANCER RISK INTO A UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED MEDICAL FACT AND PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY.OUR MULTI-FACETED INVESTMENT IN RESEARCH CONTINUES ACROSS SEVERAL CORE ACTIVITIES.AICR GRANT PROGRAMSTHE AICR GRANT PROGRAMS ARE DEDICATED TO FUNDING RESEARCH ON CANCER PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND SURVIVAL RELATED TO DIET, NUTRITION, BODY COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. ALL APPLICATIONS ARE SUBJECTED TO RIGOROUS PEER REVIEW.INSPIRE RESEARCH CHALLENGEAICR CONTINUED THE INSPIRE RESEARCH CHALLENGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WORLD CANCER RESEARCH FUND (WCRF) INTERNATIONAL TO SUPPORT INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS IN CANCER PREVENTION AND SURVIVORSHIP.FOR THE 2025 CYCLE OF THE INSPIRE RESEARCH CHALLENGE, 33 LETTERS OF INTENT WERE RECEIVED: 14 ON CANCER PREVENTION AND 19 ON CANCER SURVIVORSHIP. SIXTEEN APPLICANTS WERE INVITED TO SUBMIT FULL APPLICATIONS AND 16 APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FOR PEER REVIEW.THE GRANT REVIEW PANEL WAS CHAIRED BY DR. RICHARD SIMPSON (UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA) AND DR. ELLEN KAMPMAN (WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY), WITH REVIEW FROM ADDITIONAL PANEL MEMBERS.REVIEWERSRICHARD SIMPSON, PHD, FACSM, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA (CHAIR)ELLEN KAMPMAN, PHD, WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY (CO-CHAIR)YIKYUNG PARK, SCD, WASHINGTON UNIVERSITYKATHRYN BECK, PHD, PGDIPDIET, MASSEY UNIVERSITYCHRISTINA DAHM, PHD, AARHUS UNIVERSITYJAMES TURNER, PHD, FHEA, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAMCERI STEELE, LAY PANEL MEMBERINVESTIGATOR-INITIATED RESEARCH GRANT (IIG) PROGRAMFOR THE 2025 CYCLE OF THE INVESTIGATOR-INITIATED RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM, WE RECEIVED 126 LETTERS OF INTENT: 51 ON CANCER PREVENTION, 55 ON CANCER SURVIVORSHIP AND 20 COVERING BOTH AREAS. WE INVITED 31 APPLICANTS TO SUBMIT FULL APPLICATIONS AND RECEIVED 31 FOR OUR GRANT PANEL TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS.THE GRANT REVIEW PANEL WAS CO-CHAIRED BY DR. PAUL SPAGNUOLO (ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FOOD SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH) AND DR. CARRIE DANIEL-MACDOUGALL (PROFESSOR OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER). THE PANEL INCLUDED 12 ADDITIONAL EXPERTS WITH THE DEPTH AND BREADTH OF EXPERTISE TO EVALUATE THE SCIENTIFIC MERIT AND IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH.REVIEWERSJUSTIN BROWN, PHD, ADVENTIST HEALTH SYSTEM/SUNBELT, INC. DBA ADVENTHEALTH ORLANDODORATHA BYRD, PHD, MPH, H. LEE MOFFITT CANCER CENTER & RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.KATHERINE COOK, PHD, WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCESILONA CSIZMADI, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF CALGARYMICHAEL DE LISIO, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWACHRISTINA DIELI-CONWRIGHT, PHD, MPH, DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTEHANSEUL KIM, PHD, HARVARD TH CHAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTHEMILY LAVOY, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTONGERARDO MACKENZIE, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVISERIK NELSON, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGNTONYA ORCHARD, PHD, RDN, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITYKERI SCHADLER, PHD, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS M.D. ANDERSON CANCER CENTERFUNDED GRANTSIIG1. DIETARY FATTY ACID MODULATION FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMAS. BRIAN CAPELL, MD, PHD, THE TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.2. REAL-TIME TRACKING OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENVIRONMENTS AND ACTIVITY SPACES ON HEALTH BEHAVIORS, PERCEIVED STRESS AND WELL-BEING AMONG YOUNG ADULTS WITH CANCER. KATIE DARABOS, PHD, RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY-RBHS-SPH.3. DIETARY FIBER, GUT MICROBIOME, AND EARLY- AND LATER-ONSET COLORECTAL CANCER RISK IN A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF MEXICAN WOMEN. MARTIN LAJOUS, DSC, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH OF MEXICO (INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE SALUD PUBLICA, INSP), MEXICO.4. IMPACT OF MENOPAUSAL TRANSITIONS AND HORMONE LEVELS ON WEIGHT LOSS IN PREMENOPAUSAL BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS: A COMPANION STUDY TO THE BREAST CANCER WEIGHT LOSS (BWEL) TRIAL. JENNIFER LIGIBEL, MD, DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE.5. REGULATION OF ENDOGENOUS AND MICROBIAL TRYPTOPHAN METABOLISM THROUGH A MEDITERRANEAN DIET AS A STRATEGY TO REDUCE CRC DISPARITIES. PATRICIA WOLF, PHD, PURDUE UNIVERSITY.6. SMART SCANS, STRONGER FUTURES: USING AI TO UNCOVER CT-BASED BODY COMPOSITION'S ROLE IN PEDIATRIC CANCER SURVIVORSHIP. PAUL YI, MD, ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, INC.INSPIRE (FUNDED BY THE WCRF/AICR NETWORK)7. IMPACT OF AN INTEGRATED NUTRITION AND EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR POST-TREATMENT SURVIVORS ON SLEEP QUALITY, PERCEIVED STRESS, AND BIOMARKERS OF IMMUNE DYSREGULATION. EMILY HILL, RDN, PHD
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1982.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.