AIM at Melanoma Foundation

What AIM at Melanoma Foundation does

AIM at Melanoma Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit patient advocacy organization founded in 2004 by Valerie Guild and headquartered in Frisco, Texas. The foundation's mission centers on supporting the global melanoma community through three core pillars: patient education and support services, community-based awareness and fundraising, and research funding via international scientific collaborations. Its core service portfolio includes the Melanoma Learning Center (webinars, symposiums, video library, podcast), the Steps Against Melanoma Walks program (20 nationwide events scheduled for 2026), a Peer Support Program connecting patients with trained mentors, and survivorship, caregiving, and palliative care resources. Scientific infrastructure is anchored by the International Melanoma Tissue Bank Consortium, the Melanoma International Collaboration for Adaptive Trials (MICAT), the International Melanoma Working Group, and a Pediatric Melanoma Registry Collaboration.

The foundation operates with a lean staff of 1-10 employees, evidenced by Charity Navigator Four-Star and Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2025) ratings. It generates no commercial revenue; all educational content and support services are provided free of charge. Operating revenue is sourced exclusively from donations across five channels: individual giving (including monthly programs), corporate partnerships, memorial donations, planned giving / bequests, and workplace / matching gifts. The organization maintains co-hosted educational symposiums with Tier-1 cancer centers including Memorial Sloan Kettering, MD Anderson, UPMC Hillman, Dana-Farber, Northwell, and the University of California Melanoma and Skin Cancer Consortium, and distributes its educational content in 12 languages globally.

Recent strategic activity in 2026 includes partnerships with Castle Biosciences (diagnostics) for Skin Cancer Awareness Month and burnd (consumer sun-care) for outdoor safety initiatives, alongside expansion of the Steps Against Melanoma Walks footprint and the cancer-center symposium calendar. Advocacy programs include the Sun Safety Initiative (with July designated as UV Awareness Month) and DIGA, an indoor-tanning opposition effort. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors; the foundation is independent with no parent organization or acquisition history.

Name

AIM at Melanoma Foundation

Legal name

AIM at Melanoma Foundation

Website

https://aimatmelanoma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AIM at Melanoma Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that provides free melanoma education, patient support, peer mentoring, and community fundraising walks to patients, caregivers, survivors, healthcare professionals, and the public, while funding international melanoma research collaborations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Patient Advocacy

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

Keywords

• Melanoma patient education
• Cancer research funding
• Patient support services
• Skin cancer awareness
• Clinical trial navigation

Headquarters

HQ city

Frisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting melanoma awareness and research, including one-time and monthly giving programs.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Funding and support from industry partners and corporate sponsors in the healthcare and skincare sectors.
3. Memorial Donations: Donations made in memory of loved ones affected by melanoma.
4. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts, bequests, and planned giving programs for long-term support.
5. Workplace Giving: Corporate matching gifts and workplace giving programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

AIM at Melanoma Foundation is a non-profit patient advocacy organization that provides free melanoma education, patient and caregiver support services, and funds melanoma research. Its core offerings include the Melanoma Learning Center (webinars, symposiums, videos), annual Steps Against Melanoma Walks, peer mentorship, and international research collaborations including the International Melanoma Tissue Bank Consortium.

Product overview

AIM at Melanoma Foundation operates as a non-profit patient advocacy and research organization offering a unified platform of educational, support, and fundraising services centered on melanoma awareness and treatment. The core offerings include the Melanoma Learning Center (providing webinars, symposiums, videos, and educational materials), the Steps Against Melanoma Walks (annual fundraising events across multiple U.S. cities), and various support services including peer mentorship and survivor resources. Research initiatives include the International Melanoma Tissue Bank Consortium, International Melanoma Working Group, and clinical trial collaborations. The organization also conducts advocacy through its Sun Safety Initiative and DIGA program against indoor tanning. All services work together to advance early detection, patient support, and melanoma research funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Melanoma Learning Center
• Patient Symposiums
• Steps Against Melanoma Walks
• Peer Support Program
• International Melanoma Tissue Bank Consortium
• International Melanoma Working Group
• Melanoma International Collaboration for Adaptive Trials (MICAT)
• Pediatric Melanoma Registry Collaboration
• Support Resources
• Melanoma 101 Educational Content
• Beyond The Clinic Podcast
• Webinars on Demand
• Sun Safety Initiative
• DIGA Indoor Tanning Opposition Program

Quantifiable outcome

• AIM at Melanoma walks raise funds for melanoma research and awareness

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Castle BiosciencescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 May 2026Castle Biosciences is collaborating with AIM at Melanoma and other patient-focused organizations for Skin Cancer Awareness Month initiatives including advocacy walks, community skin cancer screenings, and patient education programs across the United States. Castle is supporting the Champions for Change Gala in New York City and Sun Bus tour stops providing free skin cancer screenings.
• burnd (skincare brand)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 February 2026The high-performance sun and skincare brand burnd has partnered with AIM at Melanoma along with other organizations including Veteran Golfers Association, Honcho Pickleball, and National Ski Patrol to promote health, performance, and outdoor safety. These collaborations support health initiatives, athletic activities, and community well-being.
• Melanoma Research FoundationminorOthersPatient advocacy organization collaborating on Skin Cancer Awareness Month initiatives
• The Skin Cancer FoundationminorOthersLeading skin cancer prevention and education organization partnering on awareness initiatives
• IMPACT MelanomaminorOthersMelanoma advocacy organization collaborating on skin cancer awareness activities
• Nevada Cancer CoalitionminorOthersRegional cancer coalition participating in skin cancer screening and awareness events
• The Sun BusminorOthersMobile skin cancer screening unit participating in awareness events across the United States
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading cancer center co-hosting patient education symposium on January 13, 2026
• University of California Melanoma and Skin Cancer ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium co-hosting patient symposium on February 21, 2026
• UPMC Hillman Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading cancer center co-hosting patient symposium on March 21, 2026
• Northwell Cancer InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCancer institute co-hosting patient symposium on May 2, 2026
• The Angeles Clinic and Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading melanoma research institute co-hosting patient symposium on May 21, 2026
• University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive cancer center co-hosting patient symposium on May 16, 2026

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer nonprofit with broad disease coverage including melanoma. Overlaps with AIM on patient education, research funding, and walks (Relay For Life), but operates at vastly larger scale and scope.
• National Cancer Institute: US federal government agency funding cancer research including melanoma. Adjacent to AIM as a public-sector funder of research and source of clinical trial information that AIM curates for patients.
• The Skin Cancer Foundation: Broader incumbent nonprofit focused on all skin cancers (including melanoma) with prevention, early detection, and education programming. Larger budget and broader disease mandate overlap with AIM's prevention and awareness work.

Direct peers

• IMPACT Melanoma: Direct peer nonprofit providing melanoma education, awareness, and patient support. Partners with AIM on Skin Cancer Awareness Month initiatives and shares the same target audience of patients, caregivers, and general public.
• Susan G. Komen: Largest single-disease cancer nonprofit (breast cancer) with walks, research grants, and patient navigation. Strong structural analog to AIM in operating model, donation revenue mix, and community-led fundraising.
• Stand Up To Cancer: High-profile cancer research fundraising nonprofit with celebrity-driven campaigns and translational research grants. Comparable in funding cancer research and raising public awareness, with overlap in melanoma-relevant research.
• Prevent Cancer Foundation: National nonprofit funding cancer prevention and early detection research, including melanoma. Comparable in mission focus on early detection and prevention education delivered to patients and the general public.
• Melanoma Research Foundation: Direct peer and the most comparable organization to AIM at Melanoma. MRF is a national 501(c)(3) focused exclusively on melanoma research, education, and advocacy, operating patient support programs, legislative advocacy, and research grants in the same disease niche.
• Cancer Research Institute: Nonprofit funding cancer immunology research, including melanoma immunotherapy breakthroughs. Comparable research-funding mission and patient education programming in overlapping disease areas.
• Melanoma International Foundation: Direct peer providing melanoma patient education, support, and research funding, including patient helpline and physician directory services. Operates in the same disease-specific nonprofit space as AIM.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AimAtMelanoma
• Facebookfacebook.com/AIMatMelanoma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aim-at-melanoma
• Xx.com/aimatmelanoma

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about AIM at Melanoma Foundation