What Baldrick's Foundation does

St. Baldrick's Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity founded in 2000 (incorporated as a foundation in 2005) and headquartered in Monrovia, California. Its core function is raising donations and regranting them as childhood cancer research awards; it is the largest charity funder of childhood cancer research grants in the United States, having invested more than $371 million in grants to over 384 research institutions since 2005.

The foundation's fundraising engine is a volunteer-powered peer-to-peer model built around signature head-shaving events. More than 1,600 community events are held annually, with over 4,000 supporters participating as shavees; volunteers constitute 99.9% of the workforce. Supplemental fundraising programs include the Send Kids' Cancer Packing™ Backpack Challenge, Do What You Want custom campaigns, Hero Funds (memorial giving), and Distinguished Giving for major donors, with donations accepted via website, stock gifts, donor-advised funds, QCD/RMDs, and cryptocurrency. On the disbursement side, St. Baldrick's runs a peer-reviewed grant portfolio that includes Infrastructure Grants funding Clinical Research Associates, Fellowships and Scholar Career Development Awards for early-career pediatric oncologists, Supportive Care Research Grants, the Strategic Research Partnership Program for large co-funded awards (e.g., the $1.5M ACES Award for Ewing sarcoma), and grants to the Children's Oncology Group, which it has funded with over $104M cumulative.

The revenue model is donations-based with three primary streams: individual donations, event-based fundraising, and corporate partnerships. The foundation reports a 66/26/8 split of funds to research grants, fundraising, and administration respectively in FY 2023-2024. Customer segments span individual volunteers and shavees, individual donors, corporate partners (including a National Partner — Sports Clips — and a roster of insurance and reinsurance Signature Partners led by Allied World), and research institutions and pediatric oncologists. The foundation's recent strategic activity has been concentrated in expanding major-donor and corporate partnerships (notably the $4.3M Allied World commitment in 2026 and the $1.5M ACES Award in 2025) and broadening fundraising product surface beyond head-shaving events.

Name

Baldrick's Foundation

Legal name

St. Baldrick's Foundation

Website

https://stbaldricks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) charity that funds childhood cancer research grants. It raises money through 1,600+ annual head-shaving events and corporate partnerships, and has invested over $371 million at 384+ institutions since 2005.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childhood Cancer Research Charity

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Childhood cancer research
• Peer-to-peer fundraising
• Research grant funding
• Volunteer events
• Nonprofit charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Monrovia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Donations from individual donors supporting childhood cancer research. The foundation raises funds through head-shaving events, online donations, and direct giving programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships and Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor events, engage employees through giving campaigns, and provide matching gifts. National and Signature Partnership opportunities available.
3. Event-Based Fundraising: More than 1,600 events each year including head-shaving events, athletic fundraisers (golf, cycling, running), and custom corporate events.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

St. Baldrick's Foundation is a volunteer- and donor-powered 501(c)(3) charity that raises money primarily through signature head-shaving events and other peer-to-peer fundraisers, then awards that money as research grants to fund the most promising childhood cancer research. The foundation funds researchers across all stages from lab discoveries to clinical trials, supports training of next-generation pediatric oncologists through fellowships, and advocates for increased federal childhood cancer research funding.

Product overview

The St. Baldrick's Foundation operates primarily as a charitable grant-making organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offering is a portfolio of fundraising programs (head-shaving events, Backpack Challenge, Do What You Want, Hero Funds, Distinguished Giving) that generate donations to fund childhood cancer research grants. The foundation awards grants across multiple categories: Infrastructure Grants (funding Clinical Research Associates for clinical trials), Fellowships and Scholar Career Development Awards (supporting early-career pediatric oncologists), Supportive Care Research Grants (improving quality of life during and after treatment), and larger initiatives through its Strategic Research Partnership Program (including the ACES Award and Allied World programs). The foundation has invested over $371 million since 2005, funding researchers at over 384 institutions worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Head-Shaving Events St. Baldrick's signature fundraising events in which volunteers shave their heads in solidarity with children with cancer, raising money that funds childhood cancer research grants.
• Send Kids' Cancer Packing (Backpack Challenge) A fundraising initiative where participants carry a backpack for 28 days or miles in solidarity with children undergoing cancer treatment, raising funds for research.
• Do What You Want Flexible fundraising program allowing supporters to create custom fundraising activities aligned with their personal interests to support childhood cancer research.
• Hero Funds Tribute funds created in memory of loved ones affected by childhood cancer, allowing donors to sustain ongoing fundraising efforts in their honor.
• Distinguished Giving Major donor program providing opportunities for significant contributions, including stock gifts, cryptocurrency donations, and donor-advised fund options.
• Infrastructure Grants Grants that fund Clinical Research Associates (CRAs) who oversee pediatric cancer clinical trials, enabling institutions to participate in national research studies.
• Fellowships Grants supporting early-career pediatric oncologists pursuing groundbreaking research, providing 2-3 years of funding and mentorship to develop physician-scientists.
• St. Baldrick's Scholars (Career Development Awards) Career development awards supporting young professionals completing training or beginning their careers in pediatric oncology research.
• Supportive Care Research Grants Grants funding studies to improve quality of life for children during cancer treatment and survivors facing long-term effects of therapy.
• Allied World – St. Baldrick's Survivorship and Supportive Care Research Grant Program A $4.3 million five-year commitment from Allied World funding survivorship and supportive care research grants to improve quality of life for children during and after cancer treatment.
• Allied World – St. Baldrick's Fellowship Program Fellowship grants fully funded by Allied World, enabling eight early-career pediatric oncologists annually to pursue groundbreaking research through mentorship and protected time.
• Strategic Research Partnership Program Collaborative funding mechanism where donors commit $1.5 million over three years to fund large-scale research grants; St. Baldrick's administers rigorous scientific review and grant management.
• ACES Award (Advancing Cures for Ewing Sarcoma) $1.5 million, three-year research initiative focused on Ewing sarcoma vaccine development, funded through collaboration of five family foundations and administered by St. Baldrick's.
• St. Baldrick's EPICC Team (Pediatric Cancer Dream Team) First St. Baldrick's-funded pediatric cancer dream team supporting collaborative research efforts across multiple institutions.
• Robert J. Arceci Innovation Awards Unique high-impact revolutionary project awards supporting innovative approaches to pediatric cancer research.
• Children's Oncology Group (COG) Grants Institutional funding supporting the Children's Oncology Group's cooperative research infrastructure with approximately 200 member institutions across the U.S. conducting pediatric cancer clinical trials.

Quantifiable outcome

• 66% of funds raised support research grants (FY 2023-2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, national, signature and core.

• American Cancer SocietyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 August 2019Joint 'Cancer Doesn't Care' campaign with overall goal of $11 million to fund vital research easing the cancer burden for families and kids with cancer. Both organizations jointly oversee scientific review process.
• Sports Clips HaircutsnationalGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Partner of St. Baldrick's Foundation, supporting childhood cancer research through corporate engagement and fundraising.
• Allied World (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner supporting St. Baldrick's mission through major financial commitment and fellowship program.
• American Nevada Company (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• AON (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Fado Irish Pub (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Farmer's Mutual Hail (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Hawthorne Residential Partners (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Beyond Identity (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Reinsurance Association of America (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Odyssey Group Foundation (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Sompo International (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Gen Re (Signature Partner)signatureGTM or Marketing PartnerSignature Partner corporate supporter of St. Baldrick's Foundation.
• Dr. Brian Ladle (Johns Hopkins University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPediatric oncologist and immunotherapy expert selected to receive the $1.5 million ACES Award for developing an Ewing sarcoma vaccine using the body's immune system.
• Children's Oncology Group (COG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative research group with approximately 200 member institutions across the U.S. and beyond. St. Baldrick's has awarded over $104 million to COG, funding virtually every institution qualified to treat childhood cancers.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Pediatric cancer charity that also raises funds through grassroots events (lemonade stands) and awards childhood cancer research grants, making it the closest direct peer in mission and fundraising GTM to St. Baldrick's.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: Nonprofit focused exclusively on children's cancer research funding and clinical trial support; competes for the same donor mindshare and grant-eligible institutions as St. Baldrick's.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Childhood cancer research funder using community-based fundraising and direct research grants, overlapping heavily with St. Baldrick's mission, target institutions and donor base.
• Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research: Childhood cancer-specific grantmaking foundation running peer-to-peer and community fundraising events, closely comparable in scope and donor engagement model to St. Baldrick's.
• Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation: Funds pediatric cancer research through donations and events, supporting a similar researcher/institution profile as St. Baldrick's grants program.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Largest U.S. cancer nonprofit and a current St. Baldrick's co-campaign partner; comparable as a research funder and donor market competitor, though it operates across all cancers rather than pediatric-only.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research: Major U.S. cancer research grantmaker using peer-reviewed grants and major-donor events; comparable in grantmaking rigor and corporate/sports partnership model, though broader than pediatric-only focus.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Large blood-cancer charity funding pediatric and adult leukemia/lymphoma research with signature peer-to-peer campaigns; directly competes for ALL-focused donors and overlaps on grantee institutions St. Baldrick's funds.
• Stand Up To Cancer: Media-driven collaborative cancer research funder (including pediatric 'Dream Teams'); competes with St. Baldrick's for major donor dollars and celebrity/entertainment-industry partnerships.
• Cancer Research Institute: Established U.S. cancer research grantmaker with peer-reviewed scientific review process similar to St. Baldrick's, competing for institutional and major-donor funding across research types.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/stbaldricks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=%22st.+baldrick%27s+impact+series%22
• Facebookfacebook.com/StBaldricksFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/st-baldricks-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/stbaldricks
• TikToktiktok.com/@stbaldricksfoundation

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments20 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Baldrick's Foundation