Melanoma Research Alliance

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

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

• Melanoma research funding
• Cancer research grants
• Biomedical research grants
• Patient support services
• Nonprofit health research

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Professional Bull Riders (PBR)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026MRA 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 BundleminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026MRA 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.
• IovanceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026MRA 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 FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2026Eye 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 InstituteminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 April 2026MRA 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 ColoradocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2025MRA 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, GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021MRA 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 AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020MRA 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)coreTechnology or IntegrationMRA 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

Broad 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

• Xx.com/MelanomaReAlli
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MelanomaReAlli
• Facebookfacebook.com/MelanomaResearchAlliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/melanoma-research-alliance/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagraminstagram.com/melanoma

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Melanoma Research Alliance