Ty Louis Campbell Foundation

What Ty Louis Campbell Foundation does

The Ty Louis Campbell Foundation (TLC Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012/2013 by Cindy and Lou Campbell in memory of their son Ty Louis Campbell, who passed away from a brain tumor. Headquartered in Carmel, New York (EIN: 45-1858390), the foundation operates a three-tiered model: (1) the core foundation funds innovative research and clinical trials for aggressive childhood cancers with a primary focus on brain tumors; (2) the Muddy Puddles Project serves as a national public awareness campaign; and (3) the Pret*ty Store sells awareness jewelry and charitable merchandise with proceeds benefiting the foundation. The foundation maintains a lean operational structure of 1-10 part-time staff supported by volunteers, and operates exclusively in the United States with an emerging international research footprint.

The foundation's primary mission activities are research grantmaking and family support. It funds a portfolio of pediatric oncology research at leading institutions including Weill Cornell Medicine (where it has sustained the $65,000/year Ty Louis Campbell Fellowship since 2014), CHOP, Johns Hopkins, Dana-Farber, Stanford, UCSF, Columbia, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Huntsman Cancer Institute, and the Medical University of Vienna. Active research areas include CRISPR screening, multi-omics precision medicine, CAR T-cell immunotherapy, checkpoint inhibitors, oncolytic virus therapies, and bispecific CAR T-cell development for Ph-like ALL. Through its TLC for Families program, the foundation has provided financial assistance and uplifting experiences to hundreds of families during pediatric cancer treatment, and its Locket Program offers bereavement support to mothers who have lost a child to cancer.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable means: individual and corporate donations via thetlcfoundation.org, ticket and table sales at signature annual events (Godfather Gala at $175/person and $1,750/table; Governor's Ball; TYathlon triathlon; Spirit Day; Mess Fest), peer-to-peer community fundraisers (Take a Stand, Goals 4 Gold, Pajama Day, Blue Lollipop Project), planned giving, and merchandise sales. Disclosed annual fundraising from major events totals approximately $280,000–$380,000 (2025-2026), placing estimated annual revenue in the $500,000–$1,000,000 range. The foundation is a member of the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative, a coalition of six pediatric cancer charities that jointly awarded $600,000 in ETMR and ATRT research grants in October 2025.

Name

Ty Louis Campbell Foundation

Legal name

The Ty Louis Campbell Foundation

Website

https://thetlcfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ty Louis Campbell Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012/2013 that funds pediatric cancer research and clinical trials—primarily for aggressive childhood brain tumors—at leading U.S. and international institutions, and provides financial and bereavement support to affected families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cancer Nonprofit Foundation

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG)

Keywords

• Pediatric cancer research
• Childhood brain tumor funding
• Nonprofit family support
• Cancer research grants
• Charitable fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel

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 and Corporate Donations: The foundation's primary revenue source is donations from individuals and corporate sponsors. Donations are solicited through the website, events, and direct outreach.
2. Charitable Merchandising (Pret*ty Store): The Pret*ty Store sells awareness jewelry and charitable merchandise, with proceeds directly benefiting the foundation.
3. Event-Based Fundraising: Revenue is generated through ticket sales, sponsorships, auctions, and fundraising at signature events including the annual Godfather Gala, Governor's Ball, TYathlon, Mess Fest, Spirit Day, and community golf outings.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Ty Louis Campbell Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds innovative pediatric cancer research and clinical trials with a strong focus on aggressive childhood brain tumors. It provides direct financial assistance and uplifting experiences to families while their child undergoes cancer treatment, awards bereavement lockets to mothers who lost a child to cancer, and raises awareness through the Muddy Puddles Project campaign and the Pret*ty Store merchandise line.

Product overview

Ty Louis Campbell Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a three-tiered approach focused on fundraising, volunteerism, and charitable merchandising. The core is The Ty Louis Campbell Foundation itself, which funds pediatric cancer research. Supporting this are the Pret*ty Store (awareness jewelry and merchandise) and The Muddy Puddles Project (public awareness campaign). The foundation also runs various programs including the Locket Program for bereaved mothers, TLC for Families providing financial assistance, Take a Stand child fundraisers, and Spirit Day community events. The organization does not offer a technology product but rather serves as a charitable foundation connecting donors with childhood cancer research and family support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Muddy Puddles Project: National public awareness and participation campaign celebrating kids being kids in honor of those who can't. Inspired by Ty who dreamed of jumping in muddy puddles when he was cured of cancer. Involves communities hosting activities that get children outside.
• Pret*ty Store

Products and services

• Ty Louis Campbell Foundation Research Grants Grants and fellowships awarded to pediatric oncology researchers and institutions funding innovative research and clinical trials for aggressive childhood cancers, especially brain tumors. Recipients include Weill Cornell Medicine, CHOP, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Stanford, UCSF, Dana-Farber, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and others.
• TLC for Families Direct financial assistance and uplifting experiences for families while their child undergoes cancer treatment. The program has helped hundreds of families.
• Locket Program Sponsorship program that provides bereaved mothers who lost a child to cancer with a sponsored locket containing their child's photo.
• Pret*ty Store A growing brand of awareness jewelry and other assorted charitable merchandise sold online with proceeds directly benefiting the foundation.
• Muddy Puddles Project National public awareness and participation campaign celebrating kids being kids in honor of those who can't, engaging communities in hosting outdoor activities for children.
• Take a Stand Fundraiser A child-focused fundraising initiative that enables kids to host their own fundraisers (lemonade stands, art sales, etc.) in support of childhood cancer research.

Quantifiable outcome

• Invested millions of dollars in pediatric cancer research over the past decade
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• CARE FOR RARE CollaborativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025A bold effort comprising six pediatric cancer charities (Bibi Fund, The Jonah Finn Foundation, Gold Ribbon Kids Cancer Foundation, Solving Kids' Cancer, Hope4ATRT Foundation, and Ty Louis Campbell Foundation) addressing the lack of research and funding for rare aggressive childhood brain tumors. In October 2025, the collaborative awarded $600,000 in grants across three institutions for ETMR and ATRT research.
• Solving Kids' CancercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing co-funding partner on multiple research projects and clinical trials, including checkpoint inhibitor trials, APX-005M CD40 immunotherapy, CAR T-cell research, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Network, and the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative.
• Weill Cornell Medicine - Children's Brain Tumor ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation has funded the Children's Brain Tumor Project since 2014, including the Ty Louis Campbell Fellowship (annual grant of $65,000). Research areas include CRISPR screening, precision medicine, leptomeningeal dissemination, DIPG, AT/RT, and ETMR. Co-directed by Dr. Mark Souweidane and Dr. Jeffrey Greenfield.
• Gift from a Child / Swifty FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC Foundation contributed $100,000 toward the Gift from a Child initiative, which funds tissue navigators at designated centers of excellence (Stanford, CHOP, Lurie Children's, Children's National, Arnold Palmer, and Weill Cornell Medicine) to coordinate post-mortem brain tumor tissue donations for research.
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Children's Hospital ColoradomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC pledged $200,000 over two years (2023-2024) to fund a collaborative team led by Dr. Sara Tasian (CHOP) and Dr. Terry Fry (Colorado) for preclinical work on bispecific CAR T cells targeting Ph-like ALL, aimed at launching a Phase 1 clinical trial.
• Huntsman Cancer Research Institute / University of UtahmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC has supported Dr. Samuel Cheshier's immunotherapy research since 2013, including $100,000 in 2023 for anti-CD47 and radiation combination studies on Group 3 Medulloblastoma. Also partnered with St. Baldrick's Foundation to fund $330,000 in three-year preclinical research plus $15,000 seed money for a Phase 1 clinical trial.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunding Dr. Kimberly Stegmaier's work on targeting CDK 7, 12, and 13 proteins in Ewing sarcoma. The foundation's Massachusetts fundraising events, including Rockin' for a Reason concerts, have generated additional support for this research.
• St. Baldrick's FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funded $330,000 in three-year preclinical research with Dr. Cheshier at Stanford and provided $15,000 seed money for the resulting Phase 1 clinical trial. Also co-funded research at UCSF for glucocorticoid resistance in T-cell ALL ($195,000 over two years).
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funded international Phase 2 clinical trial of checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab and ipilimumab) for pediatric CNS malignancies with MSKCC as the lead institution, expanding to 58 centers in 13 countries. Also co-funded Phase 1 trial of APX-005M CD40 immunotherapy for DIPG and other brain tumors.
• University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded Dr. Anya Levinson's research on intrinsic and acquired glucocorticoid resistance in T-cell ALL ($195,000 over two years, in partnership with St. Baldrick's Foundation). Research focuses on JDP2 and STAT5B resistance mechanisms.
• Columbia UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC supports the Pediatric Brain Tumor Research Network (PBTRN) led by Dr. Robert Wechsler-Reya, which hosts quarterly research conferences in NYC. Also funds Dr. Stergios Zacharoulis's work on patient-specific organotypic tumor platforms for high-risk embryonal tumors.
• Stanford University School of MedicinemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dr. Samuel Cheshier on combination anti-CD47 and anti-CD40 immunotherapy for malignant pediatric brain tumors, resulting in a Phase 1 clinical trial (PNOC025). Also a center of excellence for the Gift from a Child tissue donation program.
• University of San FranciscominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported Dr. Sabine Mueller's Phase 1 clinical trial using modified measles virus (MV-NIS) for recurrent medulloblastoma and recurrent ATRT.
• Medical University of Vienna, AustriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative, funded Dr. Johannes Gojo's research project 'ARMOR' (Advanced Resistance Mapping and Overcoming Relapse of ETMR), a $200,000 grant studying ETMR tumor recurrence and resistance mechanisms.
• Johns Hopkins University School of MedicinemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative, funded Dr. Eric Raabe's research on combined epigenetic targeting in ATRT using the drug corin and decitabine ($200,000 grant).
• University of Colorado, DenvermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative, funded Dr. Rajeev Vibhakar's research on targeting CDK7 for ATRT therapy ($200,000 grant).
• GC Global / Institute of Cancer Research, UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLC Foundation sponsored the 5th International Gliomatosis Cerebri Conference in London, 2025, joining international families and foundations. Conference was chaired by Dr. Chris Jones (ICR, UK) with co-chairs from Dana-Farber, Sant Joan de Déu (Spain), and Weill Cornell.
• Bibi Fund for Rare Childhood Cancer ResearchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative, co-funding grants for rare childhood brain tumor research including ATRT therapy targeting.
• The Jonah Finn FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative focused on ETMR and rare pediatric brain cancers. Catalyst for groundbreaking preclinical research into ETMR and other rare pediatric brain tumors.
• Gold Ribbon Kids Cancer FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative, advancing research, advocacy, and support for children and families affected by pediatric cancer.
• Hope4ATRT FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative and partner on CDK7 ATRT research. A research entity of Out of Zion, Inc. providing resources and research for families fighting ATRT.
• A Kids' Brain Tumor Cure FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing co-funding partner on multiple immunotherapy clinical trials including checkpoint inhibitor trials and APX-005M CD40 immunotherapy with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation: Largest nonprofit dedicated specifically to pediatric brain tumors, the same disease area where TLC concentrates its research funding. Directly comparable in mission, beneficiary families, and research grantmaking focus.
• St. Baldrick's Foundation: One of the largest volunteer-driven charities funding pediatric cancer research. Highly comparable as a grantmaking nonprofit focused on childhood cancer, with a similar event-based (head-shaving) fundraising model and co-funding relationships with institutions TLC also partners with.
• Solving Kids' Cancer: Pediatric cancer research funder with explicit focus on aggressive childhood cancers. TLC has a long-standing co-funding partnership with this organization, including the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative and multiple clinical trials.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Major childhood cancer research and family support nonprofit with a similarly child-centered, volunteer-driven origin story. Comparable in mission, donor base, and grants to research institutions for pediatric oncology.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: National childhood cancer research and awareness nonprofit. Comparable in mission focus on accelerating cures for childhood cancers and funding clinical/translational research programs.
• Swifty Foundation / Gift from a Child: Pediatric brain tumor nonprofit and tissue donation program partner of TLC. Comparable as a small, mission-driven grantmaker funding post-mortem tissue donation infrastructure to enable pediatric brain tumor research.
• Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research: Volunteer-driven pediatric cancer research funder that supports young investigators, similar in scale and donor engagement model to TLC. Comparable in its peer-to-peer and community fundraising approach.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: National nonprofit funding pediatric cancer research with a collaborative research model. Comparable in donor base, mission, and emphasis on less toxic treatment options for children with cancer.
• A Kids' Brain Tumor Cure Foundation: Pediatric brain tumor research funder that has co-funded multiple immunotherapy trials with TLC, including the MSKCC-led checkpoint inhibitor and CD40 trials. Highly comparable in focus, scale, and co-funding posture.
• Gold Ribbon Kids Cancer Foundation: Fellow member of the CARE FOR RARE Collaborative focused on pediatric brain tumors. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and grantmaking model for rare childhood brain cancer research.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tlcfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/TLCF.org
• Instagraminstagram.com/TLCfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ty-louis-campbell-foundation

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Ty Louis Campbell Foundation