The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation

What The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation does

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (PMCF) is a Canadian nonprofit charitable organization, founded in 1957 and headquartered in Toronto, that exists to raise philanthropic funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world's top-five cancer research and treatment centres and a part of the University Health Network. The Foundation operates no clinical or research programs of its own; its function is fundraising and donor stewardship on behalf of the Cancer Centre, which employs 2,146 researchers across 307,100 square feet of research space and treats over 200 cancer types.

Revenue is generated through a diversified portfolio across four lottery programs (Home Lottery, Cottage Lottery, Payday For Life, and Sweepstakes), six peer-to-peer fundraising events (the Ride, Ride North, Road Hockey, Walk, Journey, and Cricket), individual donations (monthly, one-time, in-memory, in-celebration), major and transformational gifts (the Foundation secured a $50 million gift from Peter Gilgan in April 2022 — the largest single gift for early cancer detection in North America), planned/legacy giving, gifts of securities, corporate sponsorships (BMO, Longo's, Johnson & Johnson, Starlight Investments), and branded merchandise through the Carry The Fire Shop. The Foundation reports it is Canada's largest cancer charity and has raised over $250 million through its flagship Ride event over 15 years.

The Foundation's go-to-market is a hybrid of consumer-style transactional fundraising (lotteries at ~$100/ticket), community-led peer-to-peer events, and high-touch major-gift cultivation directed at HNW individuals and corporate partners. Donor engagement is structured through graduated recognition societies — Till & McCulloch Society ($1M+ cumulative), J.C.B. Grant Society (legacy), and Inner Circle ($1,000–$49,999) — and supported by a personalized donor portal (PMCF Connect), a Carry The Fire podcast, and broad social media presence. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and led by President & CEO Miyo Yamashita; revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation

Legal name

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation

Website

https://thepmcf.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation is a Toronto-based nonprofit that raises philanthropic funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre through lotteries, peer-to-peer events, and major-gift cultivation, operating as Canada's largest cancer charity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Fundraising

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH), Lottery Beneficiary/Fund Administration & Grant Management Services (MPAEAFAN)

Keywords

• Cancer charity fundraising
• Charitable lottery programs
• Peer-to-peer fundraising events
• Major gift philanthropy
• Planned giving services

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Home Lottery Program: World-leading home lottery program offering chances to win homes, cash prizes, and luxury items. 100% of net proceeds benefit cancer research and patient care at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
2. Cottage Lottery: Specialized lottery program offering cottage properties as prizes, attracting supporters interested in recreational properties.
3. Payday For Life Lottery: Lottery offering $3,000 per month for life and bonus cash prizes.
4. Donations - Individual: One-time and monthly donations from individual donors across various giving options including general donations, major gifts, monthly giving, in-memory, in-celebration, and tribute donations.
5. Major Gifts and Transformational Gifts: Leadership-level donations from high-net-worth individuals and families, including 9-figure gift capabilities and society recognition for cumulative million-dollar donors.
6. Planned Giving / Legacy: Wills, estates, and planned giving programs allowing donors to include the Foundation in their estate planning.
7. Gifts of Securities and Stocks: Donors can contribute stocks and securities directly, offering tax advantages.
8. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partnerships and sponsorships for fundraising events including Ride, Road Hockey, Walk, and other events.
9. Shop Merchandise: CTF-branded merchandise through Carry The Fire Shop supporting cancer research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation is a registered charitable organization that raises philanthropic funds for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. It generates revenue through individual donations (one-time, monthly, major, planned/legacy), lottery programs (Home Lottery, Cottage Lottery, Payday For Life, Sweepstakes), peer-to-peer fundraising events (Ride, Walk, Road Hockey, Cricket, Journey), corporate sponsorships, and merchandise sales through the Carry The Fire Shop.

Product overview

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation is Canada's largest cancer charity, operating a diverse portfolio of fundraising programs and events. The organization runs multiple lottery programs (Home Lottery, Cottage Lottery, Payday For Life, Sweepstakes), organizes peer-to-peer fundraising events (Ride, Ride North, Walk, Road Hockey, Cricket, Journey), manages a donor portal (PMCF Connect), and produces content through the Carry The Fire Podcast and merchandise shop. These programs collectively support Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world's leading cancer research and treatment centres.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Carry The Fire: Brand campaign conveying hope for a world free from the fear of cancer, implemented across all public engagement and fundraising initiatives
• Princess Margaret Home Lottery
• Princess Margaret Cottage Lottery
• Payday For Life
• Princess Margaret Sweepstakes
• Carry The Fire Shop
• Doves of Hope
• Till & McCulloch Society
• J.C.B. Grant Society
• Inner Circle
• Gerald Kirsh Humanitarian Awards

Products and services

• Princess Margaret Home Lottery A home lottery program offering chances to win luxury homes, cash prizes, and vehicles while supporting cancer research at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Tickets typically priced at $100 each.
• Princess Margaret Cottage Lottery A cottage lottery program offering chances to win waterfront cottage properties and cash prizes in support of cancer research.
• Payday For Life A lottery game offering winners $3,000 per month for life, supporting life-saving cancer research and care at The Princess Margaret.
• Princess Margaret Sweepstakes A sweepstakes program offering exclusive, unforgettable experiences while supporting cancer breakthrough research.
• The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Ride A two-day cycling adventure spanning over 200 km between Toronto and Niagara Falls, raising funds for cancer research.
• The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Ride North A one-day boutique cycling event with 40 km, 100 km, and 160 km routes across Muskoka.
• The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Walk A half-marathon walk through Toronto's iconic neighbourhoods supporting life-saving cancer research.
• The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Road Hockey The world's largest road hockey fundraiser supporting cancer research at The Princess Margaret.
• The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Cricket Event Canada's street cricket fundraiser supporting life-saving cancer research.
• The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Journey A family-friendly, dog-friendly walk/run fundraiser taking place in downtown Toronto.
• Carry The Fire Shop CTF-branded merchandise shop supporting world-leading cancer research and care.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5-year survival rate improved from 50% (1980s) to approximately 63% today in Canada
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pass It Along FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPass It Along Foundation powers The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Ride North, a one-day boutique cycling event with 40km, 100km and 160km routes across Muskoka.
• Longo'scoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLongo's fuels The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Road Hockey event, described as the world's largest road hockey fundraiser in support of cancer research.
• Johnson & JohnsoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJohnson & Johnson presents The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Ride, a two-day cycling adventure spanning over 200km between Toronto and Niagara Falls.
• Starlight InvestmentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStarlight Investments presents The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation Journey, a family-friendly, dog-friendly fundraiser with 1km, 3km or 5km walk/run in downtown Toronto.
• Segal Custom BuildersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom builder for the Spring 2026 Princess Margaret Home Lottery grand prize showhome.
• PCM NowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCustom builder for Spring 2025 Home Lottery grand prize showhome in Oakville.
• Linwood Custom HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilder for cottage lottery prizes including Georgian Bay and Muskoka properties.
• Adela Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationBiotech company founded on cell-free DNA technology invented at UHN based on research from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Developing blood test for early cancer detection using technology discovered by Dr. Daniel De Carvalho and Dr. Scott Bratman.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• BC Cancer Foundation: Provincial fundraising foundation for BC Cancer, Canada's other major cancer centre. Comparable model — single-institution fundraising, major gifts, events — but confined to British Columbia.
• Alberta Cancer Foundation: Fundraising arm for Alberta's cancer programs; operates lottery programs and events regionally. Comparable structure to PMCF but with an Alberta-only footprint.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer charity across research, patient support, and advocacy. Overlaps with PMCF on research funding and donor mindshare but with a much broader portfolio and US-only mandate.

Direct peers

• SickKids Foundation: Canada's leading pediatric hospital fundraising foundation, also in Toronto. Directly comparable operating model — major-gift cultivation, lottery programs, peer-to-peer events, donor recognition societies.
• Canadian Cancer Society: Canada's other leading national cancer charity, funding research and support programs across cancer types. Most directly comparable Canadian peer in mission, donor-base, and lottery/event fundraising tactics.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Development Office): Philanthropy operation for one of the world's top-ranked cancer centres. Comparable scale of individual/corporate/legacy giving, and similar model of fusing fundraising with premier research brand.
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund: Harvard-affiliated cancer centre whose Jimmy Fund runs one of the world's best-known peer-to-peer event/charity infrastructures. Closest US analog to PMCF's Ride, Road Hockey, and Walk model.

Others

• Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada: Canada's largest non-cancer health charity. Comparable operating model — lottery programs, major gifts, planned giving, peer-to-peer events — competing for the same Canadian donor wallet but in cardiovascular disease.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/thePMCF
• YouTubeyoutube.com/thepmcf
• Facebookfacebook.com/thePMCF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-princess-margaret-cancer-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/thePMCF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation