What Snowdome Foundation does

Snowdome Foundation is an Australian nonprofit charitable organisation founded in 2010 and headquartered in South Yarra, Victoria, that exclusively raises and channels philanthropic funds into translational blood cancer research. Since inception Snowdome has enabled over AUD $95 million in research funding across 84 projects, co-funded 105+ research positions, supported 129+ clinical trials, and facilitated more than 6,500 genomic tests. The organisation operates as a grant-making and convening intermediary rather than a research performer, partnering with leading Australian and international institutions including Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, QIMR Berghofer, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, BC Cancer, and The Leukemia & Lymphedukemia Society.

Snowdome's product surface is its grant and fellowship portfolio: named family fellowships (Klempfner, Wilson, Whitelock), the flagship Snowdome Haematology Fellowship, and disease- or modality-specific awards such as the Klempfner CAR T-cell fellowship and Dr Adrian Minson's RNA sequencing lymphoma program. It has invested in shared research infrastructure including the Wilson Centre for Blood Cancer Genomics and contributed to the ACRF Cancer Genomics Facility. There is no proprietary technology platform; the "technology" is the curated pipeline of translational projects, clinical trials, and genomic assets that Snowdome's capital unlocks at partner institutions.

Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic channels: flagship gala fundraising via the Snowball event (AUD $550K–$670K per annum), the Ladies Luncheon, the community-based MY Fun Run (now in its 10th year), bequests, corporate sponsorships, and named family endowments funding individual fellowships. Leadership under CEO Kirstee Macbeth and Founder / Director Miles Prince AM is reinforced by Honorary Patron Sir Sam Neill until his death in 2026. Snowdome's beneficiaries are Australian blood cancer patients and the translational research workforce, with no commercial monetisation pathway.

Name

Snowdome Foundation

Legal name

Snowdome Foundation Limited

Website

https://snowdome.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Snowdome Foundation is an Australian nonprofit that exclusively raises philanthropic funds for translational blood cancer research, clinical trials, and genomic testing. It operates a portfolio of grants, named fellowships, and fundraising events, serving Australian blood cancer patients and researchers through partner institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Blood Cancer Research Funding

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Blood cancer research
• Translational research grants
• Clinical trial funding
• Research fellowships
• Charitable fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

South Yarra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations: Individual donors contribute tax-deductible donations to support blood cancer research programs. The organization provides options for one-time donations, regular giving, and donations in memory or celebration of loved ones.
2. Event Fundraising: Annual flagship events including Snowball gala dinner ($550,000 raised in 2025, $670,000 in 2024), Ladies Luncheon, and community events like MY Fun Run ($44,000 in 2026, $55,000 in 2025).
3. Bequests and Legacy Giving: Individuals can include Snowdome Foundation in their Will through various bequest options including residual gifts, specific amounts, specific items/assets, or contingent bequests to provide ongoing funding for research.
4. Named Fellowships and Grants: Donor families establish named fellowships (Klempfner, Gunn Family, John Tandy, Chloe Rutherford) and grant programs that provide multi-year funding for specific research areas in blood cancer.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Snowdome Foundation is a not-for-profit charity that raises philanthropic funds through individual donations, corporate partnerships, bequests, and annual events (Snowball gala, Ladies Luncheon, MY Fun Run) to fund translational blood cancer research, fellowships, clinical trials, and subsidised genomic testing in Australia. The foundation channels over AUD $95 million since 2010 to support 84 research projects, 105+ research positions, and over 129 clinical trials.

Product overview

Snowdome Foundation operates as a not-for-profit grant-making organization focused exclusively on raising funds to support translational blood cancer research and clinical trials in Australia. Rather than a commercial software product, the organization's 'products' consist of grant programs, fellowships, and fundraising initiatives. Key offerings include the Translational Research Program (co-funded with international partners), multiple named fellowships (Klempfner, Snowdome Haematology, John Tandy Myeloma, Chloe Rutherford Paediatric, Gunn Family), and the Cannon Family Travel Grants for researchers. The Foundation also organizes major fundraising events including the annual Snowball gala and MY Fun Run community event. Research is conducted at partner institutions including Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, with genomic testing services provided through the Wilson Centre for Blood Cancer Genomics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Translational Research Program A competitive grant program co-funded with international partners (LLS, Blood Cancer United) that supports Australian researchers in translating basic biomedical knowledge into clinical application for blood cancers, with funding up to US$750,000 over three years.
• Snowdome Haematology Fellowship A fellowship supporting translational research in haematology, including projects focused on follicular lymphoma treatment optimisation. Inaugural award made in 2022.
• Klempfner Snowdome Fellowship A fellowship established by Dr and Mrs Klempfner supporting research led by Prof. Mark Dawson at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to develop CAR T-cell therapy strategies.
• John Tandy Myeloma Haematology Fellowship A three-year fellowship providing up to AUD$400,000 for translational research aimed at accelerating clinical impact and improving outcomes for myeloma patients.
• Chloe Rutherford Paediatric Haematology Fellowship A three-year fellowship providing up to AUD$400,000 for paediatric blood cancer research, particularly leukaemia and lymphoma, supporting cutting-edge translational research and clinical trials.
• Gunn Family Haematology Fellowship A fellowship providing up to AUD$450,000 over three years for haematological amyloidosis research with potential for clinical implementation.
• Cannon Family Travel Grants Travel grants providing AUD$5,000 to two blood cancer researchers annually to attend international conferences and professional events.
• Snowball Event An annual flagship fundraising gala event raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for blood cancer research, including the 2024 event which raised AUD$670,000.
• MY Fun Run An annual community running event that has raised over AUD$500,000 to fund multiple myeloma research projects, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of patients with high-risk aggressive lymphoma showed no disease progression after two years on COALITION trial
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Peter MacCallum Cancer CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary research partner hosting multiple Snowdome-funded fellowships and clinical trials including CAR T-cell therapy research, gene editing, and lymphoma studies. Snowdome supports researchers at this leading Australian cancer centre.
• Blood Cancer UnitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration for the Translational Research Program, jointly funding meritorious blood cancer research applications from investigators in Australia or jointly with international co-principal investigators. Maximum co-funding of US$750,000 over three years.
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious USA-based organization collaborating with Snowdome on the LLS-Snowdome Foundation Translational Research Program, co-funding Australian blood cancer research with up to USD 750,000 over three years.
• Australasian Lymphoma Alliance (ALA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership for administering patient funding for T-cell and B-cell lymphoma therapeutic products. ALA processes applications and Snowdome provides funding for non-PBS listed drugs for eligible patients.
• The Wilson Centre for Blood Cancer GenomicscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated facility enabling subsidised genomic testing for blood cancer patients, having completed over 6,500 tests to support precise diagnosis and personalised treatment selection.
• Epworth HealthCare (ECISL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEpworth Centre for Immunotherapies and Snowdome Laboratories (ECISL) provides infrastructure for immunotherapy research and clinical applications in blood cancer treatment.
• BC Cancer Agency (Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaborator in clinical trial testing for follicular lymphoma research led by Dr Josh Tobin, alongside MD Anderson Cancer Center and Mayo Clinic (USA).
• MD Anderson Cancer Center (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal collaborator in follicular lymphoma research providing access to world-class expertise and resources for clinical trial development and validation.
• Mayo Clinic (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaborator in follicular lymphoma research alongside BC Cancer Agency and MD Anderson for global clinical trial validation.
• QIMR Berghofer Medical Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for Dr Paniz Tavakoli's research on genomic mutations in acute myeloid leukaemia, supported through Cannon Family Travel Grant for international conference attendance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lymphoma Australia: Australian nonprofit specifically focused on lymphoma patient support, education, and research advocacy. Highly comparable disease-specific focus, smaller in scale than Snowdome but overlapping on lymphoma clinical trial support.
• Children's Cancer Institute: Australia's leading pediatric cancer research institute, directly relevant given Snowdome's Chloe Rutherford Paediatric Haematology Fellowship. Comparable mission focus on childhood cancer research and translational work.
• Leukaemia Foundation (Australia): Australia's leading dedicated blood cancer charity supporting patients and funding research. Direct peer serving the same Australian blood cancer patient and research community, often competing for the same donor pool and research partnerships.
• Blood Cancer United: US-based blood cancer nonprofit formerly known as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada / rebranded entity focused on blood cancer research funding. Direct co-funding partner of Snowdome with US$750K joint research commitments.
• Australian Cancer Research Foundation (ACRF): Australian nonprofit funding cancer research infrastructure and equipment grants. Overlapping mission of funding Australian cancer research, though ACRF takes a broader all-cancer approach with larger capital grants.
• Tour de Cure (Australia): Australian cancer charity raising funds through cycling and fitness events. Comparable community-event-driven fundraising model and cancer research funding mission, though broader across all cancer types.
• Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS): The largest US-based nonprofit dedicated to blood cancer research and patient support. LLS is a direct peer with the same mission focus on leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and other blood cancers, and is already a co-funding partner of Snowdome via the LLS-Snowdome Translational Research Program.
• Myeloma Foundation of Australia: Australian nonprofit dedicated to myeloma research, patient support, and advocacy. Snowdome funds myeloma research (e.g., John Tandy Myeloma Fellowship) making this foundation a directly overlapping peer in the myeloma research funding space.
• Cure Cancer Australia Foundation: Australian nonprofit funding early-career cancer researchers across all cancer types. Comparable grantmaking model focused on Australian cancer researchers, though broader in disease scope than Snowdome.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Council Australia: Australia's peak national cancer control nonprofit, much larger and broader than Snowdome. Competes for general cancer philanthropy and government grants, but covers all cancer types rather than focusing exclusively on blood cancer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SnowdomeAU
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SnowdomeFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/snowdomefoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-snowdome-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/snowdomefoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Snowdome Foundation