Melanoma Research Alliance
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
Melanoma Research Alliance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Melanoma Research Alliance
- Legal name
- Melanoma Research Alliance
- Website
- https://curemelanoma.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Melanoma Research Alliance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Research Funding
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)
Keywords
Where Melanoma Research Alliance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Melanoma Research Alliance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: MRA is a nonprofit organization that relies entirely on donations from individuals, corporations, and events. 100% of donations are invested directly in melanoma research due to founders Debra and Leon Black underwriting all operational expenses. Revenue includes one-time and recurring donations, event fundraising, corporate partnerships, and workplace giving programs.
- Event-Based Fundraising: Major annual events like Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM) in London raise significant funds. The 2026 LFFM event raised a record £1.6 million. Additional events include partnership events with PBR and Melanoma Awareness Month campaigns.
- Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships include sponsorship of research grants (Sponsor a Named Award), corporate partnerships programs, and cause marketing partnerships (e.g., Humble Bundle partnership where 5% of subscription sales support MRA).
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Melanoma Research Alliance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Melanoma Research Alliance funds bold, promising melanoma research worldwide through its Research Grant Program, having invested over $200 million in 500+ grants across 165 institutions in 19 countries since 2007. It also operates the MRA Melanoma Biorepository (with University of Colorado), the RARE Melanoma Research Consortium, the patient-led RARE Registry for rare melanoma subtypes, the Melanoma > Exchange online patient community on Inspire, and Patient Support Resources including clinical trial navigation and educational content. Founders Debra and Leon Black underwrite 100% of operational expenses so that all donations are invested directly into research.
Product overview
The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) is the world's largest private nonprofit funder of melanoma research, operating as a platform of interconnected programs rather than a single product. The core offerings include: a Research Grant Program that funds discovery-stage melanoma research globally; the Melanoma Biorepository (launched December 2025 with University of Colorado) providing tumor and tissue samples for research; the RARE Melanoma Research Consortium and RARE Registry focused on rare melanoma subtypes; the Melanoma > Exchange online patient community on Inspire; patient support resources including clinical trial locator and educational content; and signature fundraising events like the Leveraged Finance Fights Melanoma (LFFM) event. 100% of donations are invested directly in future melanoma research due to founders Debra and Leon Black underwriting operational expenses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Melanoma > Exchange: A free online melanoma treatment and research focused discussion group and support community on Inspire.com
- RARE Registry
- MRA Melanoma Biorepository
Products and services
- Research Grant Program
- MRA Melanoma Biorepository
Quantifiable outcome
- 19 FDA-approved treatments contributed since 2007
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Melanoma Research Alliance
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Melanoma Research Alliance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Melanoma Research Alliance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Professional Bull Riders (PBR)coreMRA partnered with Professional Bull Riders for Melanoma Awareness Month, with MRA on-site at PBR World Finals in Fort Worth, TX. Metastatic melanoma survivor and PBR CEO Sean Gleason helped spread awareness, and PBR presented MRA with a $25,000 check for research.
- Humble BundleminorMRA was the exclusive charity partner for Humble Bundle during Melanoma Awareness Month. As the featured Choice partner, 5% of all Humble Choice subscription sales supported MRA throughout the month, with select bundles also contributing 5% of sales.
- IovanceminorMRA participated in Iovance's Melanoma Awareness Day alongside fellow melanoma advocacy organizations. The event included patient town halls, facility tours of the cell manufacturing facility, and collaboration across the melanoma community for advancing treatments and patient support.
- Eye on Grace FoundationminorEye on Grace Foundation is spearheading the Eye Patch Challenge for Ocular Melanoma Awareness Month. MRA supports this initiative to raise awareness for this rare but serious melanoma subtype.
- Milken InstituteminorMRA President and COO Stephanie Kauffman participated in a Milken Institute 2026 Global Conference panel titled 'What Will Success Against Cancer Look Like in 2035?' exploring scientific advances redefining cancer management.
- University of ColoradocoreMRA launched the Melanoma Biorepository in partnership with the University of Colorado. The biorepository provides tumor and normal tissue samples for melanoma research, with the goal of improving understanding and treatment of melanoma, especially rare subtypes, by offering high-quality biospecimens for scientific studies.
- University Hospital Bonn, GermanycoreMRA awarded a Young Investigator Award to Dr. Tobias Bald at the Institute of Experimental Oncology, University Hospital Bonn, Germany for research on immunotherapy resistance mechanisms and CD226 pathway in melanoma.
- Melanoma Institute AustraliacoreMRA awarded a Team Science Award to Professor Richard Scolyer and team at Melanoma Institute Australia for research on effective therapies for patients with high-risk in-transit melanoma disease. The collaboration involves multidisciplinary research spanning Australia's leading research institutions.
- Inspire (Melanoma > Exchange)coreMRA maintains a free online patient support community called Melanoma > Exchange on the Inspire platform. The community is led by patients and MRA staff, providing peer support, information sharing, and connection among melanoma patients and caregivers.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Melanoma Research Alliance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- American Cancer Society: The American Cancer Society is the largest broad-based cancer nonprofit, funding research (including melanoma), patient support, and advocacy. While much larger and broader than MRA, it directly competes for melanoma research and patient-support donations and grants.
Direct peers
- Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation: Damon Runyon funds high-impact cancer research through early-career investigator awards, with a focus on translational and innovative research. Comparable nonprofit research grantmaker targeting breakthrough science with similar grant sizes.
- Cancer Research Institute: Cancer Research Institute funds immunotherapy research, an area that overlaps significantly with MRA's immunotherapy priority area. Comparable nonprofit research funder with similar grant programs and donor-driven model.
- Susan G. Komen: Susan G. Komen is a disease-specific cancer research and patient support nonprofit operating a comparable model of research grants, community events (Race for the Cure), and patient navigation resources. A structural peer for understanding MRA's disease-focused nonprofit playbook.
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network: PanCAN is a disease-specific cancer nonprofit funding research grants and providing patient services, similar in mission and operating model to MRA. Comparable as a single-disease-focused research funder with strong patient advocacy and corporate partnership programs.
- Stand Up To Cancer: Stand Up To Cancer is a nonprofit that funds collaborative cancer research teams, including melanoma, through Dream Teams and Translational Research Grants. Directly comparable as a cancer-research grantmaking nonprofit reliant on donor fundraising and high-profile entertainment-industry events.
- V Foundation for Cancer Research: The V Foundation funds cancer research across multiple cancer types via grants to investigators, similar in model to MRA. Comparable as a donor-funded cancer research grantmaker with named-award sponsorship programs and a focus on translational research.
- Prevent Cancer Foundation: Prevent Cancer Foundation funds cancer prevention and early-detection research, aligning with MRA's prevention and early detection priority areas. Comparable as a research grantmaking nonprofit with community-based fundraising.
- AIM at Melanoma: AIM at Melanoma is a US-based nonprofit focused on melanoma research funding, patient support, and advocacy. Directly comparable as a disease-specific peer competing for the same donor base and research priorities.
Regional players
- Melanoma Institute Australia: Melanoma Institute Australia is Australia's leading melanoma research and treatment organization, an active MRA grantee and partner. Operates a comparable research-and-clinical model focused exclusively on melanoma but in a different geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Melanoma Research Alliance social profiles
Digital presenceMelanoma Research Alliance compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Melanoma Research Alliance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Melanoma Research Alliance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Melanoma Research Alliance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Melanoma Research Alliance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Melanoma Research Alliance
What does Melanoma Research Alliance do?
The Melanoma Research Alliance funds bold, promising melanoma research worldwide through its Research Grant Program, having invested over $200 million in 500+ grants across 165 institutions in 19 countries since 2007. It also operates the MRA Melanoma Biorepository (with University of Colorado), the RARE Melanoma Research Consortium, the patient-led RARE Registry for rare melanoma subtypes, the Melanoma > Exchange online patient community on Inspire, and Patient Support Resources including clinical trial navigation and educational content. Founders Debra and Leon Black underwrite 100% of operational expenses so that all donations are invested directly into research.
Is Melanoma Research Alliance a public or private company?
Melanoma Research Alliance is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Melanoma Research Alliance founded?
Melanoma Research Alliance was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Melanoma Research Alliance based?
Melanoma Research Alliance is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Melanoma Research Alliance make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are event-Based Fundraising and corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships.
Who are Melanoma Research Alliance's main competitors?
American Cancer Society is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, Cancer Research Institute, Susan G. Komen, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Stand Up To Cancer, V Foundation for Cancer Research, Prevent Cancer Foundation and AIM at Melanoma. Melanoma Institute Australia is listed as a regional player.
Does Melanoma Research Alliance have an API?
No public API is recorded for Melanoma Research Alliance.
What industry is Melanoma Research Alliance in?
Melanoma Research Alliance's product category is Medical Research Funding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGACAA, Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS). Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8000.