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Prostate Cancer Foundation

EIN 95-4418411 · Santa Monica, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair66 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION (PCF) FUNDS THE WORLD'S MOST PROMISING RESEARCH ON THE BIOLOGY AND TREATMENT OF PROSTATE CANCER, ACCELERATING THOSE DISCOVERIES INTO THERAPIES AND STRATEGIES DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND OVERALL SURVIVAL OF PATIENTS. PCF IS COMMITTED TO THE MISSION OF ENDING DEATH AND SUFFERING FROM THE DISEASE.

Income
$56.7 million
Spending
$58.2 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 95%
Employees
49
Volunteers
31
Highest pay
$980,983, ceo (departed 2/2024)

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 66 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 9.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 56% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    31 of 33 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 December 31, 2024, 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 (4)
  1. $27.1 million spent. THE PCF RESEARCH ENTERPRISE IS A PEER-REVIEW RESEARCH FUNDING PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FUNDING TO 2,250 SCIENTISTS CONDUCTING INNOVATIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS AT MORE THAN 245 LEADING CANCER CENTERS AND UNIVERSITIES. PRIORITY IS GIVEN TO HIGH-RISK, HIGH-RETURN PROJECTS WITH THE GREATEST POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE SURVIVAL AND THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE FOR MEN WITH PROSTATE CANCER. THE CORNERSTONE OF THE PCF RESEARCH ENTERPRISE IN 2024 WAS OUR CHALLENGE AWARDS PROGRAM AND NEW TACTICAL AWARDS PROGRAM, WHICH SUPPORT CROSS-DISCIPLINARY TEAMS OF INVESTIGATORS CONDUCTING PIONEERING RESEARCH TO ADDRESS CRITICAL UNMET MEDICAL NEEDS FOR PROSTATE CANCER PATIENTS. IN 2024, PCF FUNDED 15 MULTI-YEAR TEAM RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT EACH OFFER HIGH POTENTIAL FOR IMPROVED DETECTION, ENHANCED QUALITY OF LIFE AND HIGHER SURVIVAL RATES.
  2. $15.8 million spent. FOR MORE THAN 3 MILLION AMERICAN MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES FIGHTING PROSTATE CANCER AND MILLIONS MORE GLOBALLY, PCF SERVES AS A PRIMARY SOURCE FOR NEW STANDARD-OF-CARE AND RESEARCH INFORMATION. PCF EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER RISKS, SCREENING, PREVENTION, TREATMENT OPTIONS, AND SIDE EFFECTS. WE CONNECT PATIENTS, LOVED ONES, CARE PROVIDERS, AND SCIENTISTS TO CRITICAL UPDATES, THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS, BEST PRACTICES, AND NEWS FROM THE TREATMENT PIPELINE. SINCE PCF'S INCEPTION, AND THROUGH ITS EFFORTS, PATIENTS AROUND THE WORLD ARE LIVING LONGER, SUFFERING FEWER COMPLICATIONS, AND ENJOYING BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. PCF AIMS TO SPUR MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE TO TALK ABOUT THIS DISEASE, TO UNDERSTAND ITS URGENCY, AND TO HAVE INFORMATION-DRIVEN HOPE.
  3. $6.2 million spent. PCF CREATED THE YOUNG INVESTIGATOR AWARD PROGRAM WITH ONE GOAL: TO BUILD A GIFTED COHORT OF HUMAN CAPITAL SUPPORTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCHERS. AWARDS ARE MADE TO EARLY-CAREER SCIENTISTS WORKING IN A RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING HIGH-IMPACT PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH, DRAWN FROM A VARIETY OF MEDICAL RESEARCH DISCIPLINES. IN ITS 27TH YEAR, THE PCF PROGRAM HAS AWARDED NEARLY $93 MILLION TO ADVANCE THE CAREERS OF 435 PCF YOUNG INVESTIGATORS, ENSURING A CONTINUED STREAM OF HUMAN CAPITAL INTO OUR RESEARCH COMMUNITY. THE PCF YOUNG INVESTIGATOR PROGRAM PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN CHAMPIONING, MENTORING, AND IDENTIFYING FUTURE MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAM LEADERS.
  4. $1.0 million spent. MORE THAN 12,000 MEN CARED FOR BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) HOSPITALS ARE NEWLY DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER EACH YEAR, MAKING IT THE MOST FREQUENTLY DIAGNOSED CANCER AMONG VETERANS. THE PCF-VA PARTNERSHIP IS EXPANDING RESEARCH INTO PROSTATE CANCER PRECISION ONCOLOGY TREATMENT OPTIONS. THE COLLABORATION IS EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF PRECISION ONCOLOGY CLINICAL STUDIES CONDUCTED AT VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION HOSPITALS, ENSURING THAT ELIGIBLE VETERANS CAN ACCESS AND PARTICIPATE IN THESE STUDIES. THE VA'S PRECISION ONCOLOGY PROGRAM FOR CANCER OF THE PROSTATE (POPCAP) WAS ESTABLISHED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION 2016. THE PROGRAM USES GENETIC TESTING TO FIND THE BEST POSSIBLE TREATMENTS FOR VETERANS WITH ADVANCED PROSTATE CANCER. POPCAP'S NETWORK EXTENDS ACROSS THE U.S. IT INCLUDES 21 PRECISION ONCOLOGY CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE, SUPPLEMENTED BY REGIONAL CENTERS, THAT PROVIDE CANCER CARE TO ANY VETERAN WHO DEVELOPS PROSTATE CANCER, NO MATTER WHERE HE LIVES.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 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 August 1993.

    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.