Children's Cancer Foundation (Australia)

What Children's Cancer Foundation (Australia) does

Children's Cancer Foundation is an Australian nonprofit charity established in 1992, headquartered in Richmond, Victoria, with 14 employees. The Foundation raises and invests funds to develop new and better cancer treatments and support for children with cancer and their families, having cumulatively invested more than $76 million since inception. It funds 17 active research projects and 23 hospital and research staff positions, and its FY25 impact funding totaled $2.57 million.

The Foundation's core operations span four programmatic areas: the Children's Cancer CoLab (a research consortium established in 2021 as the Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium and rebranded in 2023, convening leading children's hospitals, research institutes, and universities); Project Funding (clinical research and trial grants); Clinical Care (art therapy, music therapy, the Beaded Journey program, and clinical staff positions at partner hospitals); and Family Support (Family Connect volunteer services, counselling, and fertility preservation via the In Time Program). It also administers Special Named Funds (e.g., Marcus Rosin Fund, Ruby-Rose Rainbow Fund, Lillies for Hope Fund) directed at specific disease areas.

The business model is donation-funded. Revenue streams include individual one-off and recurring donations via the give2ccf.com.au portal, the flagship Million Dollar Lunch annual event (which has raised $32M+ over 20 years with Crown Resorts Foundation as principal partner absorbing venue costs), corporate partnerships and workplace giving, Gifts in Wills via Safewill, the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme (Donation Partner ID C2000010949), and PayPal Giving Fund checkout donations. All donations are tax-deductible under ABN 96 114 942 415. Distribution occurs through direct grants to Australian hospitals and research institutions including the Royal Children's Hospital, MCRI, Hudson Institute, Monash Children's Hospital, ANZCHOG, Monash University, University of Queensland, and SAHMRI.

Name

Children's Cancer Foundation (Australia)

Legal name

Children's Cancer Foundation

Website

https://childrenscancerfoundation.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Children's Cancer Foundation is an Australian nonprofit charity (founded 1992) that raises and invests funds for childhood cancer research, clinical care, and family support, primarily across Victoria with growing national reach through hospital and research institute partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cancer Charity Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Childhood cancer research
• Pediatric oncology funding
• Charitable fundraising services
• Family support programs
• Cancer research grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The Foundation raises funds through individual donations (one-off and monthly), corporate sponsorships, workplace giving programs, and community fundraising events. All donations are tax-deductible in Australia.
2. The Million Dollar Lunch: Annual flagship fundraising event that has raised over $32 million in 20 years. Corporate and individual attendees make donations during the event.
3. Gifts in Wills: Legacy giving program where donors include charitable bequests in their Wills. Partnership with Safewill for online Will writing.
4. Victorian Container Deposit Scheme: Donation partner allowing individuals to donate 10-cent refunds from eligible containers. Donation Partner ID C2000010949.
5. PayPal Giving Fund: Users can set up recurring donations through PayPal checkout to support the Foundation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Children's Cancer Foundation raises and invests funds to develop new and better cancer treatments and support for children and their families. It operates through the Children's Cancer CoLab research consortium, project funding for clinical trials, clinical care programs at partner hospitals, and family support services including counselling and the Family Connect program. The Foundation funds research specifically focused on child-specific (rather than adult) cancer treatments.

Product overview

Children's Cancer Foundation is a charitable organization that raises and invests funds to develop new and better cancer treatments and support for children and their families. The Foundation operates through multiple interconnected programs: the Children's Cancer CoLab (core research consortium), Project Funding (clinical research and trials), Clinical Care (art therapy, Beaded Journey, and hospital staff support), and Family Support (Family Connect volunteers, counselling). Additional offerings include Special Named Funds for targeted research, The Million Dollar Lunch annual fundraising event, and the In Time fertility preservation program. The organization does not develop or sell commercial technology products but rather funds research, provides support services, and runs fundraising events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Children's Cancer CoLab: Research consortium established in 2021 (originally as Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium) bringing together hospitals, research institutes and universities for childhood cancer research.

Products and services

• Children's Cancer CoLab A research consortium that brings together leading minds from children's hospitals, research institutes and universities to undertake cutting-edge childhood cancer research. Established in 2021 by the Children's Cancer Foundation.
• Project Funding

Quantifiable outcome

• 80%+ survival rate for children diagnosed with cancer (up from 38% in 1970s)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Robert Connor Dawes (RCD) FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Partnership for the PaedNEO-VAX clinical trial testing personalized mRNA cancer vaccines for children with brain tumours. Founded in memory of Connor Dawes who passed from ependymoma in 2013. Combined funding of $245,000 from CCF and Marcus Rosin Fund for children with ependymoma on the trial.
• University of Queensland (UQ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Co-lead of PaedNEO-VAX clinical trial (Phase I/II) testing personalized mRNA vaccines for children with brain tumours. Professor Brandon Wainwright from UQ's Frazer Institute co-leads the trial.
• SAHMRI (South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Co-lead of PaedNEO-VAX clinical trial alongside University of Queensland. Trial sites will operate across Queensland, South Australia, NSW, Victoria, and Western Australia.
• Providence TherapeuticssupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2026Clinical-stage mRNA biotechnology company providing in-kind contribution of approximately $23.9 million to design and manufacture personalized vaccines for eligible patients in the PaedNEO-VAX trial.
• Southern RNAsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 February 2026Supporting vaccine manufacturing for the PaedNEO-VAX clinical trial.
• Marcus Rosin FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Special Named Fund established by the Rosin family in memory of Marcus Rosin who passed from ependymoma in 2014. 100% of funds raised go to brain tumour research. Contributing $245,000 to PaedNEO-VAX trial for ependymoma patients.
• Crown Resorts FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrincipal partner of The Million Dollar Lunch since 2005 (15 of 20 years). Absorbs all venue and catering costs for the event and assists with raffle and auction items. Major supporter enabling maximum funds to go directly to research.
• Children's Cancer CoLab (formerly VPCC Ltd)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVictorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium established by the Foundation in 2021, rebranded as Children's Cancer CoLab. Brings together brightest minds from leading children's hospitals, research institutes, and universities for cutting-edge research.
• EncoresupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCreative production partner delivering multiple Million Dollar Lunch events. Renowned for unparalleled service in the Asia Pacific region, managing every detail from concept to execution.
• Virgin AustraliasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial airline partner providing flights to support The Million Dollar Lunch events. Part of their community and CSR initiatives.
• Mushroom GroupsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Entertainment Partner for The Million Dollar Lunch, providing entertainment lineup including headline artist Amy Shark for 2026 event.
• Lexus of BlackburnsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerDonates luxury vehicles to the premium raffle at The Million Dollar Lunch.
• Ruby-Rose Rainbow FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial Named Fund dedicated to raising funds for leukaemia research, particularly Acute Myeloid Leukaemia. 100% of funds directed to specific research project.
• Lillies for Hope FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial Named Fund dedicated to raising funds for childhood cancer research, particularly Wilms Tumour. 100% of funds directed to specific research project.
• SafewillsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Australia's leading online Will-writing platform to make it easy for supporters to include a gift to the Foundation in their Will.
• Cummins & PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIndependent creative agency developing the 'Don't Treat Kids Like Adults' campaign pro bono. Second year of partnership providing creative services valued at significant contribution.
• StarcomcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia agency securing donated media placements across out-of-home, radio, digital, and television for the 'Don't Treat Kids Like Adults' campaign.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Leukaemia Foundation: Australia's leading blood cancer charity. Overlaps with CCF's funded leukaemia research (e.g., the Ruby-Rose Rainbow Fund for AML research), competes for blood-cancer-specific donor dollars, and operates a much larger national infrastructure.
• Cancer Council Australia: Australia's peak national non-government cancer control organisation. While it operates across all cancer types (not solely paediatric) and focuses more on prevention/screening/policy, it directly competes with CCF for donor dollars and government attention across the Australian cancer charity landscape.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities Australia: Provides accommodation and family-support services for children receiving hospital treatment, overlapping directly with CCF's family support segment. While funded through McDonald's network rather than research grants, it competes for corporate CSR partnerships across the same hospital-adjacent donor pool.
• St. Baldrick's Foundation: US-based volunteer-driven charity funding childhood cancer research — the largest funder outside the US federal government. While overseas, it represents the international peer model for event-driven paediatric cancer research fundraising and competes for global donor attention and foundation-to-foundation partnerships.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: US paediatric cancer charity funding research grants and clinical trials with strong brand recognition. Operates as a major international grantmaker to which Australian researchers (and indirectly CCF-funded scientists) might apply — a comparable scale benchmark for CCF's potential international expansion.

Direct peers

• Children's Cancer Institute: Australia's only independent medical research institute dedicated to childhood cancer, based at UNSW Sydney. Operates a parallel paediatric cancer research funding and laboratory model and competes for MRFF, NHMRC, and philanthropic grants targeting the same disease area.
• My Room Children's Cancer Charity: Co-funder of the inaugural Childhood Cancer Chair with CCF (combined $6M from both organisations supporting the $12M investment). Operates in the same paediatric cancer funding niche in Victoria and is a direct co-investor and natural collaborator/competitor for family-facing fundraising events.
• Redkite: Major Australian charity providing financial and emotional support to children with cancer and their families. Directly overlaps CCF's family support segment (counselling, financial assistance) and competes for the same corporate partnerships and individual donor base in paediatric oncology.
• Robert Connor Dawes (RCD) Foundation: Australian paediatric brain cancer charity and direct co-funder of the PaedNEO-VAX trial with CCF. Operates as a peer ependymoma/brain-tumour-focused funder and is both a strategic partner and overlapping competitor for brain cancer family-facing philanthropy.

Emerging players

• Kids Cancer Alliance: Loosely comparable US/UK paediatric cancer alliance organisations that, like CCF's CoLab, coordinate multi-institution paediatric oncology research. Useful as a structural peer for CoLab's consortium-style operating model even if not a direct fundraising competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/childrenscancerfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childrens-cancer-foundation-australia

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 Children's Cancer Foundation (Australia)