National Foundation For Cancer Research

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042531031
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Rockville, MD, USA
Phone
3016541250
Rating
75
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Standard
Sector
Health

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$11,095,696
Expenses
$9,799,090
Assets
$12,279,522
Liabilities
$3,006,290

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

12 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SUJUAN BA (PRESIDENT/CEO)

Highest reported compensation

  • SUJUAN BA (PRESIDENT/CEO): $557,229 total reported compensation
  • KWOK LEUNG (CFO/SECRETARY): $265,443 total reported compensation
  • BRIAN WACHTEL (CHIEF DEV OFFICER/EXEC. DIR): $188,755 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

See schedule o

What it reported doing in 2024

Scientific Advancement: In 2023-2024, NFCR funded 37 scientists conducting groundbreaking research across more than 15 cancer types. This investment fuels basic, translational, and clinical research, expanding the global knowledge base and accelerating new therapeutic approaches. Clinical Impact: NFCR-supported discoveries advanced 7 therapies into clinical trial phases (5 Phase 1, 2 Phase 2), bringing innovative treatments closer to patients in need. Innovation Translation: NFCR contributed to breakthroughs in liquid biopsy technologies for early detection and precision oncology approaches, supporting innovations that improve patient outcomes and inform prevention strategies. Public Health Outreach: In 2024, NFCR distributed over 250 Cancer Prevention Kits, directly reaching over 1000 individuals through about 100 community events nationwide. These resources empower the public to adopt cancer-preventive behaviors and pursue timely screenings. Marketing & Communications Impact: NFCR's marketing and communications strategies amplify the reach, engagement, and influence of our scientific funding and public health initiatives, ensuring that program results translate into broad awareness, donor action, and sustained mission support. Owned & social channels: NFCR runs an active content ecosystem, including a blog, and media gallery with two YouTube series (Making Sense of Science and Cancer-Fighting Lifestyle), the All Things CANCER podcast, and an email newsletter sign-up for ongoing education and donor stewardship. Public education assets: NFCR publishes accessible prevention resources, including the downloadable Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Kit and Cancer Screening Guidelines, which reinforce behavior change and early detection messaging. Thought leadership & convenings: The annual NFCR Global Summit & Award Ceremonies serve as a collaboration engine where "new partnerships form every year," expanding the impact of NFCR's science communications beyond owned channels. Fundraising communications tied to outcomes: Event communications (e.g., Daffodils & Diamonds) publicly report results linking storytelling to tangible support for research. Mission context for all outreach: NFCR consistently communicates scale and stewardship - $420M+ funded and 5.3M+ lifetime donors in progress/annual reports and "About" materials, anchoring all marketing in mission impact. Through global collaboration, NFCR is making unique impact on a new and accelerated path to cures. NFCR envisions a world without cancer!

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 97% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 50% for direct work, and 50% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and program spending has declined or grown slowly.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 66
  • Transparency & Controls: 86
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 54
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 68.9%; rating input score 69
  • Program expense ratio: 74.3%; rating input score 74
  • Fundraising efficiency: $5.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 88.9%; rating input score 89; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 6 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Pass
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Pass
    • Conducts field audits: Limited
    • May suspend future funding: Limited
    • Requires financial reports: Limited
    • Conducts site visits: Limited
    • Requires grant agreements: Pass
    • May require repayment: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.6%; rating input score 100; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 11.7%; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.25; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.24; rating input score 53; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 11.7%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -4.2% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -3.7% per year; rating input score 0; 3rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -1% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 68.9% of revenue deployed · 74.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $7.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $557K · 12 people listed · 6 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $1.4M reported
  • Consistency: 41 of 43 current checks pass · 2 findings to review
  • Schedules: 10 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, grants, and executive pay
  • Filing history: 14 filing years from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 26 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 21 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 23/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 44/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 15/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 53/100.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Domestic grant itemization did not reconcile in the filed values.
  • Review — Transparency & Controls: Schedule R controlled transactions itemized did not reconcile in the filed values.