Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

What Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation does

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer (ALSF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, founded in 2005 by Jay and Liz Scott to continue the work of their daughter Alexandra 'Alex' Scott, who held her first lemonade stand at age 4 in 2000 to fund childhood cancer research. The foundation is the largest independent childhood cancer charity in the U.S., having raised over $300–$350 million cumulatively, and funds over 1,500 research grants at 152 institutions across North America and Europe.

ALSF's core offering is a portfolio of programs spanning research funding, direct family support, open scientific infrastructure, and grassroots fundraising events. Research funding ranges from early-career and accelerator grants to the $35 million Crazy 8 Initiative, which coordinates eight projects across 28 institutions targeting the deadliest childhood cancers. Family support services include Travel For Care (travel and lodging), SuperSibs (sibling support), Flashes of Hope (professional photography), the Resource Navigator, and the Find a Doctor directory. The Childhood Cancer Data Lab provides open-source computational tools—ScPCA, refine.bio—and the ALSF/COG Childhood Cancer Repository distributes validated cell lines and xenografts. Fundraising is driven by Lemonade Days, The Million Mile athletic event, The Lemon Ball gala, Great Chefs Table events in Chicago and NYC, and L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade.

The business model is donation-based across eight revenue streams: individual giving (including the 'One Cup at a Time Club' monthly program), corporate partnerships, event sponsorships, cause-marketing product sales (e.g., Utz Lemonade Chips at Walmart/Publix/Kroger, Prairie Farms/Hiland Dairy), merchandise, vehicle donations, and stock donations. Corporate partners span giving tiers—from Northwestern Mutual ($30M+ cumulative) and Applebee's ($20M+) to mid-tier banks and restaurants—with an NCI peer-reviewed funder designation reinforcing grant rigor. ALSF serves four primary constituencies: pediatric cancer researchers (grant recipients), families of children with cancer (support service users), individual donors (grassroots contributors), and corporate partners (cause-marketing and event sponsors).

Name

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation

Legal name

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Website

https://alexslemonade.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds pediatric cancer research (1,500+ grants at 152 institutions, $300M+ raised) and provides direct family support services. It serves researchers, affected families, individual donors, and corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childhood Cancer Nonprofit Research and Family Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Public Health Financing, Budgeting & Grants Management (HLAJAMAC)

Keywords

• Childhood cancer research
• Pediatric cancer grants
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Family support services
• Cancer research funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Bala Cynwyd

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through one-time and recurring donations. The 'One Cup at a Time Club' is a monthly giving program. Donors can give online, by mail, or through workplace giving programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Companies partner through cause-related marketing, employee engagement programs, event sponsorships, and product partnerships. Partners donate based on giving tiers from $50,000 to over $30 million in total giving.
3. Corporate Fundraising Events: Companies host annual fundraising events with portions of sales or dedicated donations. Examples include ACE Cash Express annual events raising over $52,000, S&T Bank Lemonade Days campaigns.
4. Cause Marketing: Product partnerships where a portion of sales from specific products is donated. Utz Brands Lemonade Chips donated up to $40,000 from sales.
5. Special Events: Galas, culinary events, and athletic events generate revenue through tickets, sponsorships, and auctions. Events include The Lemon Ball, Great Chefs Table events, and L.A. Loves Alex's Lemonade.
6. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise with proceeds supporting the mission.
7. Vehicle Donations: Donors can donate vehicles which are then sold with proceeds supporting the foundation.
8. Stock Donations: Donors can donate stock directly to support the foundation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

ALSF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds childhood cancer research grants at more than 150 institutions across North America and Europe, while also delivering direct support services to affected families such as Travel For Care, SuperSibs, and Flashes of Hope. It complements grantmaking with the Childhood Cancer Data Lab, an in-house team producing open-source computational tools (scpca, refine.bio) for pediatric cancer researchers, and the Crazy 8 Initiative, a $35 million collaborative program targeting the deadliest childhood cancers. Fundraising is driven by individual donations, grassroots lemonade stands, special events, and corporate cause-marketing partnerships.

Product overview

Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) is a nonprofit charitable organization, not a technology product company. ALSF operates a portfolio of programs for childhood cancer research funding and family support. Core offerings include: research grant programs funding over 1,500 projects at institutions worldwide; family support services (Travel For Care, SuperSibs, Flashes of Hope, Resource Navigator); data and scientific resources (Childhood Cancer Data Lab with ScPCA and refine.bio tools); fundraising events (Lemonade Days, The Million Mile); educational resources (Childhood Cancer Speaker Series, Childhood Cancer Guides); and advocacy programs (ALSF Ambassador Program). The Crazy 8 Initiative represents a $35M collaborative research effort targeting incurable childhood cancers across 28 institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Crazy 8 Initiative: ALSF initiative bringing together the world's best pediatric cancer researchers to help cure the incurable cancers, with $35 million committed to solve the most intractable problems in childhood cancers.
• Childhood Cancer Data Lab
• Travel For Care
• SuperSibs
• Flashes of Hope
• One Cup at a Time Club
• Childhood Cancer Speaker Series
• Childhood Cancer Guides

Products and services

• Pediatric Cancer Research Grant Programs Competitive grant funding for childhood cancer research projects at institutions across the U.S., Canada, and Europe, including early-career researcher awards, accelerator grants, 'A' Awards (e.g., $800,000 four-year grants), and program-area grants. Over 1,500 grants funded at 152 institutions; nearly 300 grants supported in 2025, including 131 new awards.
• Travel For Care Program Financial assistance program covering gas, hotel, and flight costs for families of children with cancer who must travel to access treatment at distant facilities when local options are exhausted.
• SuperSibs Program Support program for siblings of children with cancer, offering special mailings and online activities to help them feel empowered and cope with the emotional challenges of their family situation.
• Flashes of Hope Program providing free professional photography sessions and photo packages to families of children with cancer; nearly 90,000 families photographed.
• Lemonade Days National Fundraising Campaign Annual nationwide campaign enabling individuals, schools, and businesses to host lemonade stands during a designated period to raise money for childhood cancer research and family support.
• The Million Mile Virtual athletic event in which participants collectively walk, run, or cycle one million miles during September to raise funds for childhood cancer research.
• One Cup at a Time Club (Monthly Giving) Recurring monthly donation program enabling sustaining donors to provide ongoing support for childhood cancer research and family programs.
• Crazy 8 Initiative Collaborative research initiative funding eight projects across 28 institutions with $35 million committed to curing the deadliest childhood cancers; brings together international scientists to focus on intractable pediatric cancers such as neuroblastoma.
• Childhood Cancer Data Lab In-house team of scientists and engineers developing open-source computational tools, training programs, and data resources that help researchers analyze large biomedical datasets for pediatric cancer discoveries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,500 research grants funded at 152 institutions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• S&T BankcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 June 2026S&T Bank has partnered with ALSF for four consecutive years through Lemonade Days events. In 2026, raised a record $120,000, surpassing an $85,000 goal. Employees hosted lemonade stands at every branch and operations center across Pennsylvania and Ohio during Lemonade Days (May 30 - June 6). Total contributions exceed $360,000 for pediatric cancer research.
• Utz BrandscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026Second-year partnership with Utz Brands featuring Lemonade flavored Potato Chips. Up to $40,000 from Lemonade Chip sales donated to ALSF. The chips generated over $1 million in sales in 2025 and are available at major retailers nationwide including Walmart, Publix, and Kroger.
• World Gold CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026Partnership announced April 8, 2026 to support childhood cancer research and provide assistance to affected families. World Gold Council will fund an Innovation Grant for experienced researchers and support families via ALSF's Travel For Care program covering travel and lodging costs for children seeking treatment. Partnership includes matching funds at various fundraising events throughout the year.
• Prairie Farms Dairy and Hiland Dairy FoodscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 February 2026Reached $100,000 donation goal for ALSF through sales of lemonade products. Milestone achieved with support from customers, employees, suppliers, and retail partners. Companies announced intent to continue supporting ALSF through an ongoing, long-term partnership timed ahead of International Childhood Cancer Day.
• Parolia Lab at Rogel Cancer Center, University of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 January 2026Received $800,000 'A' Award grant from ALSF for four-year research project focused on developing precision treatments for Ewing sarcoma, a rare childhood cancer. Grant is one of only five awarded nationwide this year. Funding supports lab recruitment and collaboration with pediatric oncologist Dr. Patrick Grohar to translate findings into potential patient treatments.
• PowerPaycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 October 2025AI-driven financing platform for home improvement and patient care partnered with ALSF to support childhood cancer research and family programs. Collaboration includes a custom PowerPay donation page and encourages employee participation and community engagement across its network of over 12,000 contractors, merchants, and medical professionals.
• ACE Cash Express (Populus Financial Group)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 December 2023Annual fundraising event partner since 2017. Raised $52,313 in 2023 and over $85,000 in 2025. Total contributions exceed $262,000 to cancer research efforts. Event supports underfunded childhood cancer research and raises awareness about pediatric cancer issues.
• Northwestern MutualflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 July 2022Northwestern Mutual donated $2 million to ALSF to support pediatric cancer research through its Crazy 8 Initiative. The funding accelerates development of new treatments and cures with ongoing collaborations involving international scientists focusing on difficult cancers like neuroblastoma. Founding partner of Crazy 8 Initiative with total giving exceeding $30 million.
• Applebee'sflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal giving exceeds $20 million. National restaurant chain partner supporting ALSF through events and promotions.
• VolvoflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerFounding Partner of ALSF with total giving exceeding $15 million. Long-standing automotive partner supporting childhood cancer research.
• Five BelowcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal giving exceeds $10 million. Retail partner with cause marketing programs supporting ALSF.
• Power Home Remodeling GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal giving exceeds $10 million. Home remodeling company partner with employee engagement and fundraising programs.
• ALDIcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal giving exceeds $5 million. Grocery retailer partner supporting ALSF through store campaigns and product partnerships.
• Auntie Anne'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal giving exceeds $5 million. Pretzel chain restaurant partner with cause marketing and event programs.
• Firebirds Wood Fired GrillcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal giving exceeds $5 million. Restaurant partner hosting lemonade stands and fundraising events.
• Rita'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal giving exceeds $5 million. Italian ice chain partner with ongoing cause marketing programs.
• ACME MarketscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTotal giving exceeds $3 million. Grocery retail partner supporting ALSF campaigns.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• V Foundation for Cancer Research: Major cancer research funder founded in memory of Jim Valvano, with significant pediatric oncology grants and NCAA-tied grassroots fundraising. Comparable as a large cancer research grantmaker, but broader (all cancers).
• American Cancer Society: The largest U.S. cancer nonprofit, funding broad cancer research including pediatric programs. Competes with ALSF for corporate partnerships, donor dollars, and Relay-style grassroots event volunteers, though it spans all cancer types.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: The largest U.S. pediatric cancer charity, combining research funding with hospital operations. Directly comparable to ALSF as a childhood-cancer-focused funder with national grassroots fundraising, corporate partnerships, and donor-supported research.

Others

• Susan G. Komen: Large disease-specific nonprofit with multi-channel grassroots fundraising (Race for the Cure), corporate partnerships, and research grants. Comparable as a brand-driven, cause-marketing-heavy health nonprofit, though its mission is breast cancer rather than childhood cancer.

Direct peers

• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: A nonprofit exclusively funding pediatric cancer research through collaborative hospital networks. Direct peer in mission, research-grantmaking focus, and corporate partnership model.
• Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research: A volunteer-driven nonprofit funding childhood cancer research through community events and grassroots campaigns. Comparable grassroots fundraising model and pediatric cancer grantmaking mission.
• St. Baldrick's Foundation: Volunteer-driven, event-based childhood cancer research funder. Closely matches ALSF's grassroots, head-shaving-style community fundraising model and grantmaking focus on pediatric oncology research.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: National nonprofit funding children's cancer research and providing family resources. Direct comparable in research-grant funding combined with family support programming.
• Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation: Nonprofit dedicated to eliminating childhood cancer through research funding and education. Direct competitor for research grants and donor mindshare in pediatric oncology.

Emerging players

• Children's Oncology Group: The world's largest pediatric cancer research organization, running clinical trials across 200+ institutions. ALSF co-funds with COG through the Childhood Cancer Repository; comparable as a pediatric oncology research ecosystem player.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AlexsLemonade
• YouTubeyoutube.com/alexslemonade
• Facebookfacebook.com/alexslemonade
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alex%27s-lemonade-stand-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/alexslemonade
• TikTokvm.tiktok.com/TTPd2TKBFD
• Pinterestpinterest.com/alexslemonade

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors4 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation