Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation

What Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation does

The Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation (VLCF), legally Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 23-7120909) established in 1971 in memory of legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, who died of colon cancer in September 1970. Headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, the foundation operates as a grantmaking entity that funds cancer prevention initiatives, patient care programs, and innovative cancer research. Its core activity is an annual competitive grant cycle reviewed by a Medical Advisory Committee and approved by the Board of Directors, with individual awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 (averaging $60,000 over the past five years) and a total of over $300,000 disbursed to roughly eight programs per year. VLCF also directs giving through the Starr Children's Fund for pediatric oncology.

VLCF has no proprietary technology platform; rather, its operational backbone is an event-driven fundraising model anchored by four signature annual events: the Lombardi Golf Classic (Milwaukee), the Food & Wine Experience at The Pfister Hotel, the Award of Excellence Dinner (black-tie gala honoring figures such as Russell Wilson, Erin Andrews, Ernie Johnson Jr., Pat Connaughton, Mason Crosby, and the Milwaukee Brewers), and the Lombardi Southwest Open (Scottsdale, Arizona). The 2026 Golf Classic raised over $360,000 and the Southwest Open over $185,000. Revenue diversification spans six streams: individual donations, event fundraising, corporate partnerships (Cousins Subs, Kriete Truck Centers, Bellin Health, Aurora Health Care, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers), planned giving/bequests, Qualified Charitable Distributions (up to $111,000 in 2026), and Donor-Advised Funds (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, American Endowment Funds). Lombardi's League, a monthly recurring giving program launched in 2025 with tiers from $10 to $120+, introduces subscription-style revenue.

Grant recipients include nationally prominent research institutions — Medical College of Wisconsin (AI-enhanced prostate MRI screening and pancreatic cancer metastasis prevention), Mayo Clinic (ovarian cancer immunology), Children's of Alabama / UAB (neuroblastoma/MYCN research), University of Michigan (colorectal cancer survivorship) — alongside patient-support partners such as Aurora Health Care's Team Phoenix survivorship program, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation's Patient Navigation Center, Hopecam, and the YMCA of Greater Waukesha County's LIVESTRONG program. Since 1971, VLCF has raised over $25 million cumulatively. The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, led by Board President David Kriete (President & CEO of Kriete Group, appointed 2024) and Executive Director Ann Marie Moss, MBA (the foundation's first Executive Director in nearly seven years), with Jennifer Macdonald (SVP, Emplify Health by Bellin) chairing the Medical Advisory Committee.

Name

Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation

Legal name

Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://lombardifoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1971 that funds cancer research, prevention, and patient care through signature fundraising events, individual donations, corporate partnerships, and grants to leading research institutions, primarily in Wisconsin and nationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Research Philanthropy and Patient Care Grantmaking

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Cancer research funding
• Charitable grant programs
• Fundraising events
• Monthly giving membership
• Cancer philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Brookfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals supporting cancer research and treatment. Includes one-time gifts, monthly giving through Lombardi's League program, tribute gifts in memory/honor of loved ones, and stock donations.
2. Event Fundraising: Revenue generated from signature events including Lombardi Golf Classic, Award of Excellence Dinner, Food & Wine Experience, and Lombardi Southwest Open. Events feature sponsorships, ticket sales, auctions, and vendor participation.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Workplace giving programs, matching gifts, corporate sponsorships for events, and long-term partnerships with businesses like Cousins Subs, Kriete Truck Centers, and others.
4. Planned Giving: Bequests and estate planning gifts including donations through wills, trusts, retirement funds, life insurance policies, and charitable gift annuities.
5. Qualified Charitable Distributions: IRA rollovers available to donors 70.5 or older, with up to $111,000 per year excluded from taxable income in 2026.
6. Donor-Advised Funds: Accepts donations from DAFs through Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, American Endowment Funds, and community foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VLCF is a nonprofit foundation that raises charitable donations through signature fundraising events, monthly giving memberships, corporate partnerships, and planned giving vehicles, and redistributes the proceeds as competitive grants to cancer research institutions, patient care programs, and prevention initiatives. The foundation has raised over $25 million since 1971 and annually awards more than $300,000 to roughly eight programs following Medical Advisory Committee review. It also operates specialty funds such as the Starr Children's Fund for pediatric cancer research.

Product overview

The Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization (not a technology product company) offering a portfolio of fundraising programs and events to support cancer research, prevention, and patient care. The core offering is its competitive grant program, which distributes $10,000 to $100,000 awards to cancer research institutions reviewed by a Medical Advisory Committee. Signature fundraising events include the Lombardi Golf Classic (55-year annual golf tournament), Food & Wine Experience (culinary tasting event), Award of Excellence Dinner (annual black-tie gala), and Lombardi Southwest Open (Arizona golf event). Recurring giving is facilitated through Lombardi's League ($10-$120+/month tiers), while planned giving vehicles include Qualified Charitable Distributions, Donor-Advised Fund accepting, and bequest options. Awareness campaigns include the Packers vs. Cancer partnership and Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cancer Research Grant Program Competitive grant funding awarded annually to institutions advancing cancer research, prevention initiatives, and patient support programs. Grants are reviewed by a Medical Advisory Committee and approved by the Board of Directors. In 2026, the foundation awarded over $300,000 to eight programs, with 70% directed to cancer research.
• Lombardi Golf Classic Annual two-day celebrity golf tournament held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, featuring former and current professional athletes. Includes a Golf Gala dinner and has been a premier VLCF fundraising event for over 55 years; the 2026 event raised over $360,000.
• Food & Wine Experience

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $25 million raised since 1971
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Milwaukee Brewers / Brewers Community FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 March 20262026 Award of Excellence honoree. Brewers Community Foundation supports hundreds of nonprofits annually in health, education, recreation. VLCF partnership includes player appearances, Foundation support, and community engagement initiatives.
• Green Bay PackerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2024Annual Packers vs. Cancer campaign partnership with Bellin Health and VLCF. Includes game-day events, limited edition awareness hats with $5 donation per hat to VLCF, fan engagement activities. Eighth year of partnership in 2024. Players visit children's hospitals as part of initiative.
• Bellin HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner in Packers vs. Cancer initiative, presenting sponsor of annual Lambeau Field game. Partnership focuses on raising awareness and funds for cancer research and early screening.
• Cousins Subs / Make It Better FoundationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term partnership (20+ years) through Catering for a Cure campaign. Donated $50,000 to Starr Children's Fund through Party Box sales. Supports pediatric cancer research.
• The Pfister HotelmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue partner for Award of Excellence Dinner and Food & Wine Experience events. Historic Milwaukee hotel hosts VLCF signature galas.
• Nev's Ink, Inc.majorGTM or Marketing PartnerWaukesha-based company hosts annual Bags Tournament benefiting VLCF. Raised $47,923 in single 3-hour event. Community fundraising partner.
• Kriete Truck CentersmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Lombardi Southwest Open golf tournament in Scottsdale. Long-time VLCF supporter and corporate partner.
• Emplify Health by BellincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare system partner. Jennifer Macdonald (Senior VP) serves on VLCF Board as Medical Advisory Committee Chair. Team Phoenix survivorship program partner.
• Aurora Health CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner hosting Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinics and Team Phoenix survivorship program. Major grant recipient supporting cancer care in Wisconsin.
• Medical College of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research partner receiving largest grants for AI-enhanced prostate MRI screening and pancreatic cancer metastasis research. Multiple VLCF-funded projects ongoing.
• Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MNcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner studying ovarian cancer immune system response and drug repurposing. Major cancer research institution receiving VLCF grants.
• Children's of Alabama / UABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPediatric cancer research partner for neuroblastoma MYCN gene targeting research. Receives grants through Starr Children's Fund for pediatric oncology.
• University of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner studying colorectal cancer survivorship in younger adults. $50,000 grant awarded for survivorship care optimization research.
• Multiple Myeloma Research FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatient Navigation Center receives VLCF support. Manages nearly 3,000 cases annually via video, phone, and email support.
• YMCA of Greater Waukesha CountymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLIVESTRONG at the YMCA program partner providing free wellness support for childhood and adult cancer survivors. Grant recipient supporting survivorship programs.
• HopecammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPediatric support organization providing tablets and virtual connections for children with cancer. Elevate Hope - Wisconsin program funded by VLCF grants.
• Bart and Cherry StarrcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamesakes of Starr Children's Fund supporting pediatric cancer research. Bart Starr served as VLCF Board chairperson. Legacy partnership honoring Vince Lombardi's legacy.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Prevent Cancer Foundation: National nonprofit funding cancer prevention and early detection research and programs. Comparable as a smaller-scale, research-grantmaking cancer foundation with competitive grant cycles.
• Livestrong Foundation: Sports-icon-branded cancer nonprofit (Lance Armstrong legacy) supporting cancer survivors. Comparable celebrity/athlete-driven brand model focused on survivorship and patient support programs.
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network: Disease-specific cancer foundation funding research and patient services. Comparable grantmaking approach with signature events and corporate partnerships, focused on a single cancer type VLCF also funds.
• Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation: Cancer-specific research foundation and a VLCF grantee running a Patient Navigation Center. Comparable as a focused grantmaker funding both research and patient support services.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research: Sports-icon-branded cancer research foundation (named after Jim Valvano) funding competitive research grants reviewed by scientific advisory committee. Most directly comparable to VLCF's celebrity-legacy, research-grantmaking model.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer-focused nonprofit funding research, patient support, and prevention. Comparable as a multi-vertical cancer grantmaker and fundraiser, though vastly larger in scale and national scope.
• Susan G. Komen Foundation: Disease-specific cancer foundation funding research and patient navigation. Comparable in mission focus on cancer research plus patient support, with much broader national scale and signature event portfolio (Race for the Cure).
• Stand Up To Cancer: Media-driven cancer research fundraising collaborative funding translational research teams. Comparable grantmaking model with entertainment industry partnerships, though operating at a much larger national scale.

Emerging players

• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Smaller pediatric cancer research funder. Comparable to VLCF's Starr Children's Fund pediatric vertical, though VLCF's pediatric program is narrower in scope.
• American Institute for Cancer Research: Smaller-scale cancer research grantmaker focused on prevention and survivorship. Comparable as a research-grantmaking nonprofit with a defined cancer niche, though operating without VLCF's sports-event fundraising model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lombardifoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vince-lombardi-cancer-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/lombardi_foundation
• Xx.com/lombardi_fdn

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation