American Lung Association

What American Lung Association does

The American Lung Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization (Tax ID 13-1632524) founded circa 1904-1906 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, that delivers lung health education, research funding, advocacy, and direct patient services across the United States. Its core program portfolio includes Freedom From Smoking (a multi-format tobacco cessation program — self-paced online, group clinics, corporate wellness — reporting a 57% quit rate at six months when paired with FDA-approved medication), the free Lung HelpLine staffed by licensed RNs, respiratory therapists, and certified tobacco treatment specialists, the Patient & Caregiver Network, LUNG FORCE (a national lung cancer advocacy movement), Saved By The Scan (lung cancer screening eligibility assessment), and Better Breathers Clubs (peer support groups). The organization also publishes three authoritative annual reports — State of the Air, State of Lung Cancer, and State of Tobacco Control — which constitute the de facto benchmarks for U.S. lung health policy.

Name

American Lung Association

Legal name

American Lung Association

Website

https://lung.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The American Lung Association is a 120-year-old U.S. nonprofit that delivers evidence-based lung health education, tobacco cessation programs, patient support services, research funding, and federal advocacy on clean air and tobacco control policy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Health Education and Advocacy

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Environmental Policy, Advocacy & Litigation (BPAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Lung health education
• Tobacco cessation programs
• Respiratory disease advocacy
• Air quality research
• Nonprofit health services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting lung health research, education, and advocacy programs. 90 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to program services.
2. Event Fundraising: Revenue from participation fees and fundraising for events including Fight For Air Climbs, LUNG FORCE runs/walks, Cycle For Air, and galas. Combined event fundraising goals exceed $1.9 million annually.
3. Program Fees: Freedom From Smoking online program ($99.95), employer wellness programs ($99.95-$150 per employee), self-help workbooks ($6.75), and facilitator training ($400).
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate support and sponsorship relationships with healthcare companies including Pfizer, Moderna, and Merck for specific health campaigns and education programs.
5. Christmas Seals Campaign: Traditional fundraising campaign through sale of Christmas Seals merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The American Lung Association is a nonprofit health organization that provides evidence-based lung health education, advocacy, and research funding. It sells tobacco cessation services through its Freedom From Smoking program (online, group, and corporate wellness formats) and provides free patient support services via the Lung HelpLine, Patient & Caregiver Network, Better Breathers Clubs, Saved By The Scan lung cancer screening awareness, and Better Breathers Clubs. Revenue is primarily derived from individual donations, event fundraising, corporate sponsorships, and program fees supporting lung disease research and public health advocacy.

Product overview

The American Lung Association offers a comprehensive suite of health education, advocacy, and support services centered on lung health and disease prevention. The organization operates as a multi-platform health nonprofit with a portfolio of interconnected programs including the flagship Freedom From Smoking quit-smoking program (available as group clinics, online courses, and self-help materials), the Lung HelpLine staffed by clinical professionals, the Patient & Caregiver Network providing online support communities, and LUNG FORCE for lung cancer advocacy and awareness. Key programs include Saved By The Scan (lung cancer screening promotion), Better Breathers Clubs (peer support groups), and Lung Health Navigators (one-on-one coaching). The organization also conducts annual research reporting through State of the Air, State of Lung Cancer, and State of Tobacco Control reports, and runs fundraising events including Fight For Air Climbs and LUNG FORCE Walks/Runs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LUNG FORCE: A national movement unite Americans in fighting lung cancer, the #1 cancer killer in the U.S., through education, advocacy and research.
• Freedom From Smoking
• Saved By The Scan
• Fight For Air Climb
• Christmas Seals

Products and services

• Freedom From Smoking A comprehensive quit-smoking program helping individuals overcome tobacco addiction through group clinics, online self-paced courses, self-help materials, and corporate wellness formats. Has helped over one million people quit smoking with a 57% success rate when paired with FDA-approved medication.
• Lung HelpLine A free information and support service staffed by licensed registered nurses, respiratory therapists, and certified tobacco treatment specialists. Provides guidance on lung health questions, tobacco quitting, lung disease support, vaccination guidance, and healthcare enrollment in 250+ languages via phone (1-800-LUNGUSA) and live chat.
• Patient & Caregiver Network A nationwide online support program providing lung disease management tools, education, and connection to other patients and caregivers through wellness hubs, disease-specific communities, and webcasts.
• Better Breathers Club In-person and virtual support groups for people living with lung diseases such as COPD, asthma, or pulmonary fibrosis, featuring educational presentations on relevant topics.
• LUNG FORCE A national movement uniting people impacted by lung cancer to raise awareness and fund research to defeat the leading cause of cancer deaths in America.
• Saved By The Scan A lung cancer screening awareness campaign promoting low-dose CT scans for high-risk individuals (current or former smokers over age 50) to detect lung cancer early when more likely to be curable. Over 1.5 million people have taken the screening eligibility quiz.
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs Education and exercise programs helping individuals with chronic lung disease increase awareness, achieve exercise with less shortness of breath, and improve quality of life in a group setting.
• Fight For Air Climbs Stair climb fundraising events held in iconic buildings across the United States to raise funds for lung disease research, clean air programs, and tobacco-free advocacy.
• Freedom From Smoking Group Clinics In-person or virtual eight-session group programs led by certified facilitators, where participants work through the quitting process together over seven weeks with proven success rates.
• FFS Plus Online A self-paced online version of the Freedom From Smoking program spanning 6 weeks with 9 sessions, offering interactive tools and support for quitting tobacco at $99.95.
• Lung Health Navigators Free personalized support services for people living with lung cancer, COPD, and asthma, providing one-on-one education and guidance to help navigate the healthcare system.
• Virtual Home Assessments Personalized assessments for individuals with chronic lung disease to improve indoor air quality in their homes and develop action plans for managing lung health symptoms.
• State of the Air Report Annual flagship report tracking air quality across U.S. cities and counties, documenting ozone pollution and particle pollution levels and their health impacts.
• State of Lung Cancer Report Annual report examining lung cancer statistics nationwide, including survival rates, early diagnosis rates, and state rankings for lung cancer outcomes.
• State of Tobacco Control Report Annual report grading states on their tobacco control policies including prevention program funding, tobacco taxes, smokefree laws, and flavored tobacco restrictions.
• LUNG FORCE Advocacy Day Annual advocacy event held in Washington D.C. mobilizing lung cancer survivors, caregivers, and advocates to meet with Congressional members to advocate for NIH and CDC research funding.
• Freedom From Smoking Facilitator Training Training and 3-year certification program for facilitators to deliver Freedom From Smoking clinics, including continuing education, marketing templates, and program support at $400 per facilitator.

Quantifiable outcome

• 52% increase in five-year lung cancer survival rate over the past decade
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PfizercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 March 2026American Lung Association partnered with Pfizer to launch an educational campaign encouraging adults—especially those 50 and older—to discuss pneumococcal vaccination with healthcare providers. Campaign aims to increase awareness about pneumococcal pneumonia (causing ~225,000 adult hospitalizations annually) and ensure at-risk populations have access to prevention information.
• Community Air Monitoring NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026American Lung Association released a report examining how communities use air quality monitors to track industrial pollution and protect public health, featuring case studies from Albany's South End, West Oakland, Montana, Methow (Washington), Commerce City, and Louisville's Rubbertown industrial corridor. Partnerships with community-led initiatives like Air Justice support hyperlocal pollution tracking.
• MerckcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025American Lung Association launched a free education and support campaign for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in 2025, supported by Merck. The campaign provides resources and support for families facing this rare lung disease.
• ModernacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025Moderna is supporting the American Lung Association's campaign to promote vaccination awareness for respiratory virus season. The campaign targets high-risk groups including those with lung cancer and chronic lung disease, emphasizing flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines with educational resources and webinars.
• Sierra ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSierra Club and American Lung Association submitted amicus briefs supporting New York City and State laws prohibiting fossil fuel-burning appliances in new buildings. The coalition of health and environmental groups successfully defended building electrification policies in Federal Appeals Court.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• American Cancer Society: Large national health nonprofit with comparable mission structure — research funding, patient support, advocacy, and event-based fundraising — directly competing with ALA's LUNG FORCE for lung cancer donors and awareness attention.
• American Heart Association: Closest structural analog: 100+ year-old national health nonprofit combining research grants, advocacy, paid corporate wellness programs, mass-participation fundraising events, and clinical education — competing for overlapping healthcare corporate sponsors and cause-marketing dollars.
• American Diabetes Association: National disease-focused nonprofit using research funding, advocacy, patient support communities, and corporate partnerships — comparable in scale, donor-base dynamics, and B2B wellness monetization approach.
• American Thoracic Society: Medical professional society focused on pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine; overlaps with ALA on clinician education, clinical guidelines, and lung disease research advocacy — competing for healthcare provider attention and research funding influence.
• Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: Advocacy nonprofit directly overlapping ALA on tobacco control policy, youth vaping prevention, and State of Tobacco Control-style policy grading — competes for foundation grants and policy influence.
• American Public Health Association: National public health membership organization with overlapping agenda on clean air, tobacco control, vaccination, and health equity — competing for policy influence and public health professional engagement.
• Sierra Club: Active ALA partner (amicus briefs on NYC building electrification) and direct peer as a large environmental advocacy organization with comparable donor base, federal/state policy focus, and grassroots mobilization model.

Emerging players

• Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: Disease-specific lung health nonprofit with comparable research funding, clinical care network, and advocacy model — narrower disease focus but similar donor engagement and pharma partnership structure.
• COPD Foundation: Focused lung disease nonprofit (COPD specifically) overlapping with ALA's Better Breathers Clubs, pulmonary rehab education, and patient navigation services — partial overlap with a more clinical-research orientation.
• National Kidney Foundation: Disease-focused nonprofit with parallel structure (research funding, patient support, advocacy, events) — comparable operational model and corporate wellness monetization approach, though in a non-pulmonary specialty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lungassociation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/americanlung
• Facebookfacebook.com/lungusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-lung-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/lungassociation
• TikToktiktok.com/@americanlungassociation?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles29 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Lung Association