Brave Like Gabe Foundation
Brave Like Gabe Foundation is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) public charity funding rare cancer research and empowering cancer survivors through physical activity. Founded in 2017 by professional runner Gabe Grunewald, it has distributed over $2.25 million in grants to leading cancer research institutions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Brave Like Gabe Foundation does
Brave Like Gabe Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 82-5528605) founded in 2017 by professional middle-distance runner Gabriele "Gabe" Grunewald after her third diagnosis with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare salivary gland cancer. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the foundation operates with a small staff of 1-10 led by Executive Director Alyssa Hawkins, an 11-member Board of Directors chaired by Mary Uran, and supporting roles including a Peer-to-Peer Manager and Director of Individual Giving. Its mission is twofold: funding rare cancer research and empowering cancer survivors through physical activity. Since Gabe Grunewald's death in June 2019, the foundation has continued and expanded her legacy.
The foundation distributes capital through multi-year research grants to a concentrated portfolio of five leading cancer research institutions: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (cumulative $900,000 since 2019, including a $600,000 three-year commitment from 2022 supporting underrepresented researchers), Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (cumulative $425,000+ hosting the Brave Fellowship program), the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation (cumulative $452,467 since 2018 from annual 5K proceeds), Masonic Cancer Center at the University of Minnesota ($300,000 over 2022-2024 for pediatric osteosarcoma immunotherapy), and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ($75,000 in 2023 for an implantable microdevice clinical trial). Total grants distributed exceed $2.25 million. The foundation operates no proprietary technology and does not develop technology products; its "products" are programmatic — research grants, fellowship funding, the annual Brave Like Gabe 5K in St. Paul, charity bib programs at major marathons (TCS NYC Marathon, Grandma's Marathon, runDisney, Dublin, Sydney), Cycle for Survival team participation, and the #MyBraveStory community storytelling platform.
The foundation's revenue model is donations-based: individual giving via the website, employer matching gift programs (Target, Thrivent, General Mills), charity bib fundraising with minimum commitments of $1,500-$4,000 per runner, merchandise sales through a Brooks Running partnership that has generated $375,000 cumulatively for the Brave Fellowship, and event registration fees. Distribution channels include a direct website donation widget, race-day engagement at official charity partner slots across U.S. and international marathons, and recurring community events such as quarterly Brave Conversations virtual gatherings. Customer segments are rare cancer survivors, running and fitness enthusiasts seeking purpose-driven participation, individual donors, and corporate partners (notably Brooks Running as a strategic funding ally).
Brave Like Gabe Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Brave Like Gabe Foundation
- Legal name
- Brave Like Gabe Foundation
- Website
- https://bravelikegabe.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Brave Like Gabe Foundation is a Minneapolis-based 501(c)(3) public charity funding rare cancer research and empowering cancer survivors through physical activity. Founded in 2017 by professional runner Gabe Grunewald, it has distributed over $2.25 million in grants to leading cancer research institutions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Brave Like Gabe Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Rare Cancer Research Nonprofit
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)
Keywords
Where Brave Like Gabe Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Brave Like Gabe Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting rare cancer research and cancer survivor empowerment mission. Includes direct website donations, mail donations to P.O. Box, and matching gift programs through employer partnerships.
- Event-Based Fundraising: Charity bib programs at major marathons require minimum fundraising commitments from participants ($1,500-$4,000 per runner). Annual Brave Like Gabe 5K events generate proceeds for research grants.
- Merchandise Sales: Sales of Brave Like Gabe merchandise including partnership with Brooks Running for limited edition running shoes, apparel, and accessories. Proceeds support foundation mission.
- Corporate Matching Gifts: Employer matching gift programs where companies match employee donations (past partners include Target, Thrivent, General Mills) to maximize donor impact.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Brave Like Gabe Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Brave Like Gabe Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that funds rare cancer research through multi-year grants to leading cancer research institutions and empowers cancer survivors through physical activity programs. The foundation operates the annual Brave Like Gabe 5K race, charity bib fundraising programs at major marathons worldwide, the Brave Fellowship postdoctoral program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, community storytelling via the #MyBraveStory platform, and merchandise collaborations with Brooks Running.
Product overview
Brave Like Gabe Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a two-part mission: supporting rare cancer research and empowering cancer survivors through physical activity. The foundation operates annual and episodic event programs including the Brave Like Gabe 5K, charity bib partnerships with major marathons (TCS NYC Marathon, Grandma's Marathon, runDisney events, Dublin Marathon, Sydney Marathon), Cycle for Survival team events, and Brave Conversations community gatherings. The foundation funds rare cancer research through multi-year grants to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Brave Fellowship, $150,000 annually), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ($900,000 total since 2019), Masonic Cancer Center University of Minnesota ($300,000 over three years), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute ($75,000), and Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation ($452,467 since 2018). The #MyBraveStory platform enables community storytelling. The foundation partners with Brooks Running for merchandise collaborations. The organization is not a technology product company.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Brave Like Gabe 5K
Quantifiable outcome
- $2.25M+ in total research grants distributed across five major cancer research institutions
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Brave Like Gabe Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Brave Like Gabe Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Brave Like Gabe Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, core and major.
- TC RunningsupportingTwin Cities local retailer carrying Brooks Brave Like Gabe merchandise including shoes, hats, and tops. Ships nationwide for supporters outside the region.
- KLN Family BrandssupportingSponsorship of 2024 Brave Like Gabe 5K event. KLN Family Brands includes Wiley Wallaby Licorice and NutriSource Pet Foods. Company values community and hometown roots and has manufactured diverse products for 75+ years.
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institutecore$75,000 grant supporting Dr. Glenn J. Hanna's implantable microdevice clinical trial for Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma at The Center for Salivary and Rare Head and Neck Cancers. Device delivers microdoses of multiple cancer therapeutic agents in live tumors for evaluation.
- Target, Thrivent, General Mills (Matching Gift Partners)supportingCorporate matching gift programs where employers match employee donations to Brave Like Gabe Foundation, maximizing donor impact. Partnership with Double the Donation platform for matching gift verification.
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research CentercoreHosts the Brave Fellowship program established in honor of Gabe Grunewald. Funding of $425,000+ total supporting postdoctoral researchers studying rare cancers. Fellowship recipients include Dr. Alyssa Webster (2020, acute myeloid leukemia), Dr. Abir Arfaoui (2021, fibrolamellar carcinoma), Dr. Nick Salisbury (2022, Merkel cell carcinoma), and Dr. Rosevalentine Bosire (2023, BRCA1/2 mutations). Brooks Running contributes $100,000 annually to this fellowship.
- Masonic Cancer Center at University of Minnesotacore$300,000 three-year grant (2022-2024) supporting Dr. Branden Moriarity's immunotherapy research for pediatric osteosarcoma. First grant was $100,000 in 2020. Foundation funding helped secure $1.1M+ additional funding for the lab. Includes The Abigail Anderson Postdoctoral Fellowship named after Gabe's sister.
- Brooks RunningcoreMajor strategic partnership including annual $150,000 grant funding the Brave Fellowship at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Brooks Running donates on behalf of Brave Like Gabe Foundation. Partnership includes limited edition merchandise collection (Brave Like Gabe Collection) sold through Brooks website and retail partners. CEO Jim Weber is a vocal supporter of rare cancer research.
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentercoreOne of the first research grantees of the foundation in 2019. Gabe received personalized cancer treatments and participated in an immunotherapy clinical trial at MSKCC. Total grants of $900,000 supporting Dr. Carol Brown's endometrial carcinoma disparities research and Dr. Fiyinfolu Balogun's pancreatic cancer genomics research. 2022 commitment of $600,000 over three years for underrepresented researchers.
- Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research FoundationcoreTotal grants of $452,467 from yearly Brave Like Gabe 5K proceeds. Supports ACCRF's global research network for Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, the cancer that claimed Gabe's life. Marnie Kaufman, ACCRF co-founder, was an early support resource for Gabe after her diagnosis.
- Cycle for SurvivalmajorAnnual participation in Cycle for Survival indoor cycling events in Boston and NYC. 100% of team donations go to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center rare cancer research. Since 2007, Cycle for Survival has raised over $300M. Gabe attended her first event in 2018 and was inspired to return annually.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Brave Like Gabe Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN): One of BLG's specific research grantees is studying pancreatic cancer genomics in minorities at MSKCC. PanCAN is the dominant dedicated pancreatic cancer nonprofit and represents the type of larger single-cancer-focused incumbent that competes for the same donor mindshare.
- Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Major childhood cancer research and family support foundation with strong peer-to-peer and event-driven fundraising model. Comparable grassroots fundraising DNA and multi-institution research grantmaking approach, though focused on pediatric cancers rather than rare adult cancers.
- V Foundation for Cancer Research: Established cancer research grantmaking foundation founded by Jim Valvano. Operates at significantly larger scale with a broader cancer focus, but competes for the same donor attention and uses a similar multi-institution grantmaking model. BLG's rare cancer specialization positions it as a complementary rather than competing funder.
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): The largest US advocacy organization for rare diseases including rare cancers, operating research grants, advocacy, and patient support programs. BLG occupies a narrow rare-cancer subset of NORD's broader umbrella and competes for the same scarce rare-disease philanthropic dollars.
- Livestrong Foundation: Founded in memory of cyclist Lance Armstrong, Livestrong combines cancer survivor empowerment with fundraising — directly analogous to BLG's dual mission of research funding plus survivor empowerment through physical activity. Operates at materially larger scale with broader cancer focus.
Direct peers
- Cycle for Survival: Memorial Sloan Kettering's indoor cycling fundraiser for rare cancer research has raised over $300M since 2007. BLG is an official team participant annually; both organizations mobilize community-driven athletic fundraising to fund rare cancer research at MSKCC and share an identical fundraising-and-grantmaking model.
- Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation: ACCRF is the leading foundation dedicated exclusively to adenoid cystic carcinoma research — the same cancer that claimed Gabe Grunewald's life and that Brave Like Gabe funds annually ($452,467 since 2018). ACCRF and BLG operate as direct partners rather than pure competitors, but they share the same donor pool, cancer focus, and research-grantmaking model.
- Stupid Strong: A grassroots rare cancer (appendix cancer and pseudomyxoma peritonei) research foundation that similarly combines community-driven fundraising, athletic event participation, and direct research grants to medical institutions. Closely comparable operating model to BLG, including peer-to-peer fundraising and multi-year grantmaking.
Emerging players
- Every Mother Counts: Founded by athlete Christy Turlington Burns, Every Mother Counts pairs athletic activism (running community, endurance events) with a public health mission. Provides a useful comparable for the athlete-founder-to-nonprofit pipeline and community-driven fundraising model BLG exemplifies.
- Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research: Volunteer-driven nonprofit funding childhood cancer research through community-led fundraising events. Comparable in scale and operational model to BLG, with similar reliance on athletic event fundraising and peer-to-peer donor mobilization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Brave Like Gabe Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceBrave Like Gabe Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Brave Like Gabe Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Brave Like Gabe Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Brave Like Gabe Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Brave Like Gabe Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Brave Like Gabe Foundation
What does Brave Like Gabe Foundation do?
The Brave Like Gabe Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that funds rare cancer research through multi-year grants to leading cancer research institutions and empowers cancer survivors through physical activity programs. The foundation operates the annual Brave Like Gabe 5K race, charity bib fundraising programs at major marathons worldwide, the Brave Fellowship postdoctoral program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, community storytelling via the #MyBraveStory platform, and merchandise collaborations with Brooks Running.
Is Brave Like Gabe Foundation a public or private company?
Brave Like Gabe Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Brave Like Gabe Foundation founded?
Brave Like Gabe Foundation was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Brave Like Gabe Foundation based?
Brave Like Gabe Foundation is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Brave Like Gabe Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are event-Based Fundraising, merchandise Sales and corporate Matching Gifts.
Who are Brave Like Gabe Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, V Foundation for Cancer Research, National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) and Livestrong Foundation. Direct peers are Cycle for Survival, Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation and Stupid Strong. Emerging players are Every Mother Counts and Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research.
Does Brave Like Gabe Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Brave Like Gabe Foundation.
What industry is Brave Like Gabe Foundation in?
Brave Like Gabe Foundation's product category is Rare Cancer Research Nonprofit. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAL, Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.