American Association for Cancer Research
American Association for Cancer Research reported $129.5 million in revenue and $97.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $87.18 went to program services, $11.69 to management and general costs and $1.13 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 50.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $1,705,978 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 104 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 4% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $98MFor context, the median across 169 covered medical research charities: $87.02 programs, $12.87 management, $0.11 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $130MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.2% | 83.9% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.7% | 12.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.1% | 0.1% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 30.1% | 72.7% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.4% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 50.1% | 5.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $1,705,978 | $628,890 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.75% | 1.94% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 104 | 18 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 32.4 | 13.3 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 24 of 24 | 93.8% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseResearch grants, scientific awards, fellowships and career development awards
Annual meeting and special conferences attended by members and non-members for the presentation of scientific research. Also includes educational workshops for training young investigators
Publications - production & distribution of the journals: "Cancer Research", "molecular Cancer Research", "cancer epidemiology biomarkers & prevention", "clinical Cancer Research", "molecular cancer therapeutics", "cancer prevention research", "cancer discovery", "cancer immunology research", "blood cancer discovery", and "Cancer Research communications"
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $1,463,037 | $162,560 | $80,381 | $1,705,978 |
| SR. VICE PRESIDENT, CFO Officer, 35.0 hrs/week | $453,150 | $23,850 | $68,581 | $545,581 |
| CPO & VP SCI. POL. & GOVT. AFF Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $433,696 | $0 | $57,829 | $491,525 |
| VP, RESEARCH AND GRANTS ADMIN Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $337,600 | $0 | $64,304 | $401,904 |
| CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER AND VP Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $334,135 | $0 | $62,362 | $396,497 |
| PUBLISHER & VP. SCI. COMMUN. Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $352,300 | $0 | $41,715 | $394,015 |
| CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $326,418 | $0 | $55,734 | $382,152 |
| VP. FINANCE AND BUSINESS ADMIN Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $317,000 | $0 | $55,381 | $372,381 |
104 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from American Association for Cancer Research (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.9M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b24 · 24 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5295
- Volunteers Part I, line 65,500
Private foundation grants it received
31 private foundations reported grants to American Association for Cancer Research totaling $495K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from American Association for Cancer Research's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for American Association for Cancer Research, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 American Association for Cancer Research spent in 2025, $87.18 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Arc Research InstitutePalo Alto, CA · revenue $122M · programs 77.4% · 2024
- Medical University of South Carolina FoundationCharleston, SC · revenue $137M · programs 81.5% · FY2025
- The J David Gladstone InstitutesSan Francisco, CA · revenue $119M · programs 85.4% · 2024
- Oklahoma Medical Research FoundationOklahoma City, OK · revenue $137M · programs 92.6% · FY2025
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery InstituteLA Jolla, CA · revenue $114M · programs 82.3% · FY2025
All medical research charities · Largest charities in Pennsylvania
Questions people ask
How much of American Association for Cancer Research's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, American Association for Cancer Research reported that 87.2% of its $97.7 million in expenses went to program services, 11.7% to management and general and 1.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does American Association for Cancer Research pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation American Association for Cancer Research reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $1,705,978, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does American Association for Cancer Research get its money?
Of $129.5 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 30.1% came from contributions and grants (including 0.4% from government grants) and 50.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is American Association for Cancer Research a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 23-6251648 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202612099349301326 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202512739349300941 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202422229349300307 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202322069349301417 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202242309349301804 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202112309349300136 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202002739349300310 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 23-6251648: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.