The Elsa U Pardee Foundation
The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation is a private non-profit foundation established in 1944 in Midland, Michigan, that funds cancer research grants at U.S. non-profit institutions and provides patient-assistance grants through the Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1944
- HeadquartersMidland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Elsa U Pardee Foundation does
The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation is a private non-profit foundation established in 1944 under the will of Mrs. Elsa U. Pardee, who directed that $1 million in Dow Chemical stock be used "for the promotion of the control and cure of cancer." The foundation operates from Midland, Michigan, as a grantmaking entity rather than a commercial enterprise, employing between 1 and 10 staff and governed by an eight-member Board of Trustees currently led by President Gail E. Lanphear (2026-2027 term). Its sole "revenue" is the investment return and principal draw on its original endowment, which the foundation has compounded into roughly $147 million in cumulative actual giving by 2019.
The foundation's products are three interconnected grant programs: Cancer Research Grants directed to investigators at U.S. non-profit institutions (approximately $105-110.5 million awarded to nearly 300 institutions since 1944), the Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds providing direct financial assistance to needy cancer patients in Midland and surrounding counties (approximately $36 million since 1951, accounting for roughly one-third of grants), and the Online Grant Application Portal, which migrated to Blackbaud Grantmaking on May 1, 2025. Distribution follows a structured three-cycle annual review process (December, April, August). Recent individual grant sizes shown in public materials range from roughly $81,000 to $187,000, suggesting typical awards in the low-to-mid six figures.
The foundation has no pricing model or commercial revenue mechanics; grants are determined by project scope with no set cap, subject to a 5% overhead/indirect cost limit and an equipment cap of $5,000. Its principal go-to-market is its website (pardeefoundation.org), which serves as the sole application portal and information hub. The foundation explicitly restricts eligibility to researchers at U.S. non-profit institutions, excluding international applicants. Recent cited recipients include the University of Alabama, Baylor College of Medicine, Boston University, Central Michigan University, Duke University, Idaho State University, Mayo Clinic, Northwestern University, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Elsa U Pardee Foundation
- Legal name
- The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation
- Website
- https://pardeefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1944
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation is a private non-profit foundation established in 1944 in Midland, Michigan, that funds cancer research grants at U.S. non-profit institutions and provides patient-assistance grants through the Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Philanthropic Foundation
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)
Keywords
Where The Elsa U Pardee Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Midland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation provides competitive grants to U.S. non-profit institutions to support cancer research projects, with a willingness to fund innovative and early-stage work. It also administers the Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds, providing direct financial assistance to needy cancer patients for treatment-related costs.
Product overview
The Elsa U. Pardee Foundation operates as a single unified grant-giving organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The Foundation offers three interconnected products: an Online Grant Application Portal for researchers to submit cancer research funding requests; Cancer Research Grants that support innovative cancer research at U.S. non-profit institutions; and the Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds that provide direct financial assistance to cancer patients in need. The Online Grant Application Portal serves as the entry point for accessing research funding, while the Cancer Treatment Funds represent the Foundation's patient-assistance mission alongside its research mandate.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds: Provides financial assistance to needy cancer patients in Midland and surrounding counties and in other selected locations. About one-third of the foundation's grants are made to this fund.
Products and services
- Cancer Research Grants Competitive grants awarded to qualified U.S. non-profit institutions to support cancer research projects, with historical grants ranging from approximately $50,000 to $200,000 and no fixed maximum limit. Funds may be applied to projects expected to commence within six months of award.
- Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds Direct financial assistance program for needy cancer patients, providing more than $36 million since 1951 to help cover treatment-related costs. Administered in coordination with partner organizations that identify eligible recipients.
Companies that use The Elsa U Pardee Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- V Foundation for Cancer Research: Established cancer research grantmaking foundation funding innovative research across U.S. institutions. Directly comparable to Pardee in mission, applicant pool, and grant size philosophy, with similar focus on translational and early-stage research.
- Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation: Funds high-impact cancer research with a particular focus on early-career scientists. Shares Pardee's niche of seeding new investigators and providing a path to federal follow-on funding.
- Breast Cancer Research Foundation: Major nonprofit funding breast cancer research grants at leading academic medical centers globally. Comparable grantmaking model and recipient institutions, though a much larger and disease-specific operation.
- Susan G. Komen Foundation: Nonprofit funding cancer research and patient support/assistance. Directly comparable dual research-plus-patient-assistance model, though with substantially broader scale and brand reach.
- Prevent Cancer Foundation: Nonprofit foundation funding cancer research and education/outreach, with grant programs to U.S. academic institutions. Directly comparable as an independent research-grantmaking foundation with similar applicant profile.
- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Pediatric cancer research grantmaking nonprofit funding innovative research grants at U.S. institutions. Shares Pardee's grantmaking model and preference for novel, early-stage research ideas.
- St. Baldrick's Foundation: Childhood cancer research grantmaking foundation funding research at academic institutions nationwide. Comparable model of seeding new investigators and filling funding gaps left by larger federal funders.
- National Foundation for Cancer Research: Nonprofit funding cancer research grants in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. Comparable mission and grantmaking focus on advancing innovative cancer science across U.S. institutions.
Broad incumbents
- American Cancer Society: Largest U.S. nonprofit funder of cancer research and a major provider of patient services/assistance. A broad incumbent whose grantmaking and patient-navigation programs overlap significantly with Pardee's dual mission.
- American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Foundation: Major cancer research grantmaking and scientific society. Funds a broad portfolio of cancer research grants at U.S. institutions with substantially larger scale than Pardee, providing overlapping but broader programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Elsa U Pardee Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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The Elsa U Pardee Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about The Elsa U Pardee Foundation
What does The Elsa U Pardee Foundation do?
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation provides competitive grants to U.S. non-profit institutions to support cancer research projects, with a willingness to fund innovative and early-stage work. It also administers the Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds, providing direct financial assistance to needy cancer patients for treatment-related costs.
Is The Elsa U Pardee Foundation a public or private company?
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Elsa U Pardee Foundation founded?
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation was founded in 1944. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Elsa U Pardee Foundation based?
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation is headquartered in Midland, United States, in the North America region.
Who are The Elsa U Pardee Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are V Foundation for Cancer Research, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, St. Baldrick's Foundation and National Foundation for Cancer Research. Broad incumbents are American Cancer Society and American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Foundation.
Does The Elsa U Pardee Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Elsa U Pardee Foundation.
What industry is The Elsa U Pardee Foundation in?
The Elsa U Pardee Foundation's product category is Philanthropic Foundation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAI, Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8000.