Australian Melanoma Research Foundation

What Australian Melanoma Research Foundation does

The Australian Melanoma Research Foundation (AMRF) is an Australian not-for-profit charitable organization established in 2006 and headquartered in Kent Town, South Australia (ABN 26 429 861 213, ACNC Registered Charity). Its mission is to fund melanoma research across Australia, with stated priorities of better treatments, early detection, and prevention. AMRF operates a small distributed team of six employees led by Executive Chair Dr Wayne Harvey and a CEO, and has cumulatively funded over 30 research projects with more than $500,000 invested across 12 Australian research institutes including Macquarie University, University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, University of South Australia, Edith Cowan University, Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney Diagnostic Centre, and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Its 2025 grant cohort includes Dr Priyanka Rana (Macquarie), Dr Jordan Conway (Melanoma Institute Australia), Dr Mary-Ann El Sharouni (Sydney Diagnostic Centre & Royal Prince Alfred Hospital), and Nathalie Nataren (University of South Australia).

AMRF's product surface is mission-program rather than technology-product in nature. Core offerings include an annual competitive Research Grants Program targeting post-graduate scholars and early-career researchers; the Regional Skin Health & Early Detection Program extending into community-based awareness; Named Awards (starting at $50,000) that connect major donors with specific grant recipients; a Legacy Giving/Bequest program in partnership with Every Will; the Melanoma Research Collective recurring donation program; and community fundraising events led by Melanoma March at Henley Beach, SA. The foundation sits as part of the broader Australian melanoma ecosystem alongside Melanoma Institute Australia and contributes to the national Melanoma March campaign.

Revenue is generated entirely through donations and philanthropic activity, with no products or services sold. Streams include one-time and recurring online donations (processed via Stripe and PayPal), community fundraising events, corporate partnerships and cause marketing (Airyday, Fish Nankivell), the Play for Purpose charity raffle, named awards, and bequests facilitated through the Every Will partnership. The organization maintains an active presence across Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, publishes email newsletters, and distributes educational content covering the ABCDE detection guidelines and treatment overviews. No annual revenue is publicly disclosed.

Name

Australian Melanoma Research Foundation

Legal name

Australian Melanoma Research Foundation Ltd

Website

https://melanomaresearch.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Australian Melanoma Research Foundation is a not-for-profit charity that funds melanoma research across 12 Australian institutes, having supported 30 projects and over $500,000 in grants since 2006. It serves emerging researchers with annual grants and donors through events, bequests, and recurring giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Research Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAL

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations

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

SECONDARYBPAGAKAI

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations

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

Keywords

• Melanoma research funding
• Charitable research grants
• Cancer research philanthropy
• Community fundraising events
• Nonprofit medical research

Headquarters

HQ city

Kent Town

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The foundation raises funds through individual donations, monthly giving programs, and community fundraising events including Melanoma March, golf days, swims, runs, and other challenge events.
2. Bequests and Legacy Gifts: Individuals can leave gifts in their Wills to support melanoma research in perpetuity. Options include residual bequests, percentage bequests, and specific gifts.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners such as Fish Nankivell, Airyday, and others provide financial support and in-kind contributions throughCause marketing arrangements and sponsorships.
4. Named Awards: Major donors can sponsor named research awards of $50,000 or more, creating a lasting tribute while directly funding specific research projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Australian Melanoma Research Foundation is an Australian not-for-profit charitable organization that funds melanoma research through competitive research grants awarded to emerging and early-career researchers at Australian universities and medical institutions. Its offerings include annual research grants, named memorial awards starting at $50,000, the Melanoma Research Collective (recurring donations), the Legacy Giving/Bequest Program for gifts in wills, the annual Melanoma March community fundraising walk, and the Regional Skin Health & Early Detection Program.

Product overview

The Australian Melanoma Research Foundation operates as a charitable organization rather than a technology company. Its core offerings consist of research grant programs funding Australian melanoma researchers, community fundraising events including the annual Melanoma March, a Regional Skin Health & Early Detection Program, named memorial awards starting at $50,000, legacy/bequest giving programs, and a recurring donation collective. The organization connects donors with researchers and provides educational resources about melanoma prevention and early detection. The portfolio functions as a unified charitable mission rather than a modular product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research Grants Program Annual competitive research grant program funding innovative melanoma research projects across Australian institutions, supporting Post Graduate Scholars and Early Career Researchers.
• Melanoma March Annual community fundraising walk event raising funds for melanoma research, held at Henley Beach, SA, as part of Melanoma Institute Australia's national campaign.
• Regional Skin Health & Early Detection Program Program focused on early detection of melanoma and skin health awareness in regional communities.
• Named Awards Tribute awards named in memory or honour of loved ones, starting at $50,000, connecting donors with grant recipients and research progress.
• Legacy Giving / Bequest Program Planned giving program allowing supporters to leave gifts in their Will to fund future melanoma research, including residual, percentage, and specific bequest options.
• Melanoma Research Collective Recurring donation program supporting ongoing melanoma research funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• Advanced melanoma survival rates improved from less than 10% (2011) to over 55% (2024)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Every WillcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Australia's leading online will-writing platform to offer free, legally valid wills in under 10 minutes. This enables supporters to easily include a gift to AMRF in their Will as part of the will-writing process.
• Melanoma Institute AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia's leading melanoma research and treatment organization. AMRF funds researchers at Melanoma Institute Australia and collaborates on the national Melanoma March campaign.
• AirydayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSun-safe fashion accessory brand. With each purchase of a Tube Key product, a donation is made to AMRF, creating a cause marketing partnership supporting sun safety awareness.
• Fish NankivellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner participating in World Series Swim events (Swim with the Jillys) and other fundraising activities. Founded in 1984, the company has a long history of supporting the foundation.
• Play for PurposeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity raffle platform where AMRF is registered as a beneficiary, allowing supporters to purchase raffle tickets with proceeds supporting melanoma research.
• SunSmart Global UV AppminorOthersAMRF promotes the SunSmart Global UV App to help people check their sun exposure levels in real time, supporting their early detection and prevention mission.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cure Cancer Australia: Australian cancer charity specifically funding early-career cancer researchers via competitive grants — directly mirrors AMRF's early-career researcher focus across all cancer types, competing for the same emerging-scientist pipeline.
• Tour de Cure: Australian cancer charity funding cancer research, treatment, and prevention via signature sporting fundraising events. Similar event-driven donation model and cancer-research grantmaking remit, though broader in disease scope.
• Melanoma Institute Australia: Australia's largest dedicated melanoma research and treatment organization and AMRF's core strategic partner. Both organizations fund melanoma research and stage the national Melanoma March campaign, competing for the same donor pool and research talent.
• Australian Cancer Research Foundation: Australian not-for-profit funding cancer research across all cancer types via major research grants. Same operating model (donations funding research) and similar focus on seeding innovative Australian cancer research, but broader disease scope.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation: Australia's leading disease-specific health research charity, funding breast cancer research with a similar model of community fundraising, corporate partnerships, and bequests. Closely comparable in structure, revenue approach, and Australian health-charity positioning.
• McGrath Foundation: Prominent Australian health charity funding breast cancer nursing and research via donations, corporate partnerships (e.g. Cricket Australia), and bequests. Closely comparable Australian disease-specific charity with a similar fundraising playbook.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Research Institute: International (US-headquartered) cancer immunology research foundation, funding immunotherapy research globally. Comparable grantmaking model focused on cancer research, though with international scope and significantly greater scale.
• Cancer Council Australia: Australia's largest cancer-focused charity, covering all cancer types including melanoma. Operates with substantially larger budgets, broad disease coverage, and national corporate partnerships that overlap with AMRF's melanoma-focused fundraising.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/amrfmelanoma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/australian-melanoma-research-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/melanomaresearchaustralia

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 Australian Melanoma Research Foundation