JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation

What JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation does

The JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation is a Colorado-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2009 by Bill and Dan Ficke in honor of JoAnn B. Ficke, who passed away from cancer on Valentine's Day 2007. The foundation's core activity is the annual "9/11 Day of Giving" fundraising event held at Big Bill's NY Pizza in the Denver metro area, where guests donate three to four times their normal visit cost in exchange for food and drinks, and the entire restaurant staff volunteers salary, tips, and time. Cumulative funds raised exceed $2.1 million, distributed entirely within Colorado to organizations supporting cancer research, patient assistance, and family support.

The foundation's product surface comprises four interlocking programs: the annual 9/11 Day of Giving event, cancer research grants (e.g., $39,000 to Cancer League of Colorado in 2024, which can leverage donations up to 20x), family support programs (financial assistance for rent, utilities, and temporary housing during treatment, distributed through the Brent Eley Foundation, Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation, and Children's Hospital Foundation), and pediatric cancer support via the Children's Hospital Foundation. Grants awarded in 2024 reached $170,000 across six Colorado cancer organizations, up from $150,000 in 2023 and $145,000 in 2022.

The business model is structurally a single-channel event-driven donation operation with no paid products or services. Revenue derives almost entirely from in-person donations at one annual restaurant event, supplemented by PayPal and Venmo digital donations. The foundation is 100% volunteer-run with no paid staff, no external parent organization, and no institutional funding, ensuring that effectively all funds flow to grantees. Operations are confined to the Denver metro and broader Colorado region, with leadership comprising the founding Ficke family and a small board of directors.

Name

JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation

Legal name

JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation

Website

https://jbfcf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation is a 100% volunteer-run Colorado 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises funds through its annual 9/11 Day of Giving at Big Bill's NY Pizza and distributes grants to Colorado cancer research and patient-support organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Foundation

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAA

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYBPAGAKAL

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Cancer fundraising
• Nonprofit charitable giving
• Cancer research grants
• Patient family assistance
• Community cancer support

Headquarters

HQ city

Englewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The foundation generates revenue through donations collected during the annual 9/11 Day of Giving event at Big Bill's NY Pizza. 100% of funds raised stay in Colorado to support cancer research and assist cancer patients and their families. The foundation is a Colorado nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax-deductible.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation runs a Colorado-based 501(c)(3) charitable giving program that raises donations through an annual '9/11 Day of Giving' fundraiser at Big Bill's NY Pizza and distributes 100% of proceeds to local cancer research and family-support organizations. The foundation provides cancer research grants, financial assistance to families of cancer patients (covering rent, utilities, and temporary housing), and pediatric cancer support, all restricted to Colorado-based beneficiaries.

Product overview

The JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation is a Colorado nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2009 by Bill and Dan Ficke in honor of JoAnn Ficke, who passed away from cancer in 2007. The foundation's primary product is the annual '9/11 Day of Giving' fundraiser held at Big Bill's NY Pizza, which has distributed over $2 million since inception. Proceeds support cancer research grants and family assistance programs for Colorado cancer patients and their families, with all funds staying in Colorado. The foundation partners with multiple Colorado cancer organizations including Cancer League of Colorado, Brent Eley Foundation, Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation, Children's Hospital Foundation, Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance, and Colorectal Cancer Alliance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 9/11 Day of Giving Annual Fundraiser The foundation's flagship annual fundraising event held at Big Bill's NY Pizza in the Denver Metro area on every September 11. Guests are asked to make a donation in exchange for food and drinks, with customers typically donating three to four times their normal visit cost. The entire restaurant staff volunteers their salary, time, and tips; vendor donations and additional hard costs are covered by the Ficke family. All proceeds benefit Colorado cancer research, patient assistance, and family support programs.
• Cancer Research Grants Annual grant distributions from foundation proceeds to Colorado-based nonprofit organizations conducting cancer research. In 2024, this included $39,000 to Cancer League of Colorado (supporting local researchers working on lymphoma and breast cancer research, with leverage of up to 20x through partnerships), $13,000 to the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance, and $13,000 to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. Restricted to organizations operating in Colorado.
• Family Support Programs Financial assistance for families of cancer patients in Colorado to cover hardships including rent, utilities, and temporary housing near treatment centers. In 2024 the foundation distributed $39,000 to Brent Eley Foundation (providing safe housing for children and families affected by cancer) and $33,000 to Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation (meeting urgent needs of Coloradans fighting cancer).
• Pediatric Cancer Support Funding directed to pediatric oncology care and research through the Children's Hospital Foundation ($33,000 in 2024). Supports pediatric cancer treatment and family support at the new Children's Hospital on the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $2.1 million raised since foundation inception in 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• Cancer League of ColoradocoreOthersMajor grant recipient receiving $39,000 in 2024. Supports local researchers working on lymphoma and breast cancer research. The organization can leverage donations up to 20 times for additional funding through partnerships, amplifying the foundation's impact.
• Brent Eley FoundationcoreOthersMajor grant recipient receiving $39,000 in 2024. Provides safe and clean housing to improve quality of life for children and families living with cancer and other immunocompromising conditions.
• Ray of Hope Cancer FoundationcoreOthersMajor grant recipient receiving $33,000 in 2024. Helps meet urgent needs of Coloradans fighting cancer with a goal that no Colorado cancer patient in need goes without support.
• Children's Hospital FoundationcoreOthersMajor grant recipient receiving $33,000 in 2024. Dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer, fixing broken bones, and making a world where no parent wakes up at night worrying what's next.
• Colorado Ovarian Cancer AlliancesupportingOthersGrant recipient receiving $13,000 in 2024. Provides support to those affected by ovarian cancer and helps raise awareness and early detection through education and advocacy.
• Colorectal Cancer AlliancesupportingOthersGrant recipient receiving $13,000 in 2024. Works to knock colon cancer out of the top three of cancer killers with a goal of ending colorectal cancer in our lifetime.
• Big Bill's NY PizzaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwned by foundation co-founder Bill Ficke. The restaurant serves as the primary venue for the annual 9/11 Day of Giving fundraiser. The entire restaurant staff volunteers their salary, time, and tips for the day. Vendors donate supplies and Ficke covers any extra hard costs. This is the foundation's core fundraising mechanism.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: The largest U.S. cancer nonprofit, funding research, patient support, and advocacy nationwide. Functions as a broad incumbent in the same cancer philanthropy space that JBFCF addresses at a local Colorado level.
• Susan G. Komen: Major national breast cancer nonprofit combining research funding, patient support, and community fundraising events. Comparable disease-specific grantmaking and event-driven fundraising model, but at a national scale orders of magnitude larger than JBFCF.
• Livestrong Foundation: National cancer-focused nonprofit providing patient navigation, financial support, and survivorship resources. Shares JBFCF's mission of supporting cancer patients and families during treatment, but with national reach and a paid-staff infrastructure.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research: Nationally recognized cancer research grantmaker founded in honor of Jim Valvano. Comparable to JBFCF as a grantmaking entity focused on cancer, but operating at vastly larger scale and broader geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Colorectal Cancer Alliance: National nonprofit dedicated to ending colorectal cancer through research, awareness, and patient support. JBFCF granted $13K in 2024; while larger in scale, it operates in the same disease-specific cancer support category.
• Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation: Fundraising arm supporting pediatric cancer care and research at Children's Hospital Colorado. JBFCF distributed $33K to the foundation in 2024 for pediatric oncology support.
• Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance: Colorado-focused nonprofit providing support, education, and advocacy for those affected by ovarian cancer. Received $13K from JBFCF in 2024 and operates in the same regional disease-specific support niche.
• Cancer League of Colorado: Colorado-based nonprofit funding cancer research, including lymphoma and breast cancer. The JoAnn B. Ficke Foundation distributes grants directly to Cancer League of Colorado ($39K in 2024), making it both a funder relationship and the most direct peer in scale and mission.
• Brent Eley Foundation: Colorado nonprofit providing safe, clean housing for children and families facing cancer and immunocompromising conditions. Received $39K from JBFCF in 2024 and operates in the same Denver-area family-support cancer niche.
• Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation: Colorado cancer charity that addresses urgent financial needs of Colorado cancer patients, closely mirroring JBFCF's family-assistance mission. Received $33K from JBFCF in 2024.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/joann-b-ficke-cancer-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about JoAnn B. Ficke Cancer Foundation