PURPLE NEXT PROJECT INITIATIVE

What PURPLE NEXT PROJECT INITIATIVE does

Project Purple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Seymour, Connecticut, founded in 2011 (listed 2010 in one source) to combat pancreatic cancer through a dual mandate of direct patient financial aid and research funding for early detection and curative treatments. The organization serves pancreatic cancer patients, their families and caregivers, survivor advocates, volunteer runners/fundraisers, and corporate sponsors, with programs including Patient Financial Aid, Blanket of Hope, Nutrition Assistance Program, Informational Resources, and a Cancer Risk Assessment tool. Revenue is generated entirely through a donation-based model comprising individual one-time and recurring contributions (suggested tiers $25–$500 or custom), peer-to-peer fundraising tied to RunTeam marathon participation across major U.S. and international races (Berlin, Chicago, Detroit, NYC, Boston, Marine Corps, London), an annual Charity Golf Classic, corporate sponsorships (with Tavros Capital & Charney Companies as title golf sponsor), and merchandise sales through a Shopify storefront. Cumulative programmatic impact includes over $5.5 million deployed to research grants and over $1.5 million to patient aid, serving 1,500+ families, with recent research partnerships at Hartford HealthCare ($750K, Connecticut's largest screening program), Weill Cornell Medicine, UT MD Anderson, Georgetown University, and University of Cincinnati ($375K each), and a 4-Star Charity Navigator rating confirming strong accountability standards.

Name

PURPLE NEXT PROJECT INITIATIVE

Legal name

Project Purple

Website

https://projectpurple.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Purple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides financial aid to pancreatic cancer patients and funds research into early detection and curative treatments, funded through individual donations, marathon-based peer-to-peer fundraising, an annual Charity Golf Classic, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pancreatic Cancer Nonprofit Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Pancreatic cancer research
• Patient financial aid
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Cancer awareness programs
• Research grant funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Seymour

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations made through the website, with options for one-time or monthly contributions at set amounts ($25, $50, $100, $500) or custom amounts.
2. Event Fundraising: Runners and participants raise funds through marathon and race participation, with supporters donating to their individual fundraising pages.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support events like the Charity Golf Classic, with title sponsors and divot/hole sponsorships.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise through shop.projectpurple.org, powered by Shopify e-commerce platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Project Purple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides direct financial and emotional assistance to pancreatic cancer patients and their families (Patient Financial Aid, Blanket of Hope, Nutrition Assistance, Informational Resources, Cancer Risk Assessment) and funds pancreatic cancer research through grant awards to medical institutions. It sustains these programs via individual donations, Run Team marathon fundraising, corporate sponsorships of its annual Charity Golf Classic, and branded merchandise sales.

Product overview

Project Purple is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting pancreatic cancer through three core mission areas: patient financial aid, awareness, and research funding. The organization operates a portfolio of programs including Patient Financial Aid, Blanket of Hope, Nutrition Assistance Program, and Informational Resources to directly support patients and families. Fundraising initiatives include the Run Team program where participants complete marathons and races to raise awareness, the annual Charity Golf Classic, and an online merchandise shop. The organization funds pancreatic cancer research through grants to medical institutions and maintains community engagement through the Project Purple Podcast featuring survivor and caregiver stories. Project Purple has invested over $5.5 million in research and over $1.5 million to patient aid programs, supporting over 1,500 families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Patient Financial Aid Financial assistance programs that provide grants to pancreatic cancer patients and their families to help cover medical and living expenses incurred during treatment. Intended for individuals diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and their immediate family members.
• Blanket of Hope Comfort program that provides blankets and supportive items to pancreatic cancer patients while they are undergoing treatment, intended for individuals in active treatment.
• Nutrition Assistance Program Program that helps pancreatic cancer patients maintain proper nutrition during treatment, intended for patients and families managing the nutritional side effects of therapy.
• Cancer Risk Assessment Online tool that helps individuals understand their potential risk factors for pancreatic cancer based on personal and family history, intended for members of the general public who want to assess their risk.
• Informational Resources Educational materials and resources covering pancreatic cancer symptoms, treatment options, and coping strategies, intended for patients, families, and the broader pancreatic cancer community.
• Research Grants Program Grant program that funds pancreatic cancer research at universities and medical institutions, with awards ranging from $375,000 to $750,000 supporting early detection, KRAS mutation studies, and treatment resistance research. Intended for academic medical centers and research scientists.
• Run Team Program Fundraising program in which participants run marathons and other races on behalf of Project Purple, raising awareness and funds via personal fundraising pages. Races include the BMW Berlin Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Detroit Marathon, NYC Marathon, Boston Marathon, and London Marathon.
• Charity Golf Classic Annual fundraising golf tournament that brings together supporters, survivors, and corporate sponsors to generate donations and sponsorships for Project Purple's research and patient aid programs.
• Project Purple Podcast Weekly podcast featuring survivor stories, caregiver experiences, and discussions about pancreatic cancer research and advocacy, intended for the broader pancreatic cancer community, donors, and supporters.
• Project Purple Shop Online merchandise store (powered by Shopify) selling branded apparel and products whose proceeds support Project Purple's mission, intended for individual supporters and the general public.

Named customers6 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

Integration8 records

Partnerships

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

• Weill Cornell Medicine (Dr. Despina Siolas)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Project Purple awarded $375,000 Pancreatic Cancer Research Recovery Grant to Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Despina Siolas leads KRAS study investigating how tumors create fibrotic and immunosuppressive barriers. This investment supports critical research into mutations found in 93% of pancreatic tumors.
• University of CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Project Purple awarded $375,000 grant to University of Cincinnati scientists tackling pancreatic cancer, specifically targeting KRAS mutations.
• UT MD AndersoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Project Purple awarded $375,000 grant to UT MD Anderson to combat treatment resistance in pancreatic cancer.
• Georgetown UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Project Purple invested $375,000 Research Recovery Grant at Georgetown University to accelerate pancreatic cancer research.
• Hartford HealthCarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 January 2025Project Purple granted $750,000 to Hartford HealthCare to create the state's largest pancreatic cancer screening program. Partnership includes high-risk pancreatic cancer detection program enabling early diagnosis and better patient outcomes.
• Tavros Capital & Charney CompaniesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Title sponsors for the 3rd Annual Golf Classic for Pancreatic Cancer, supporting fundraising efforts for research and patient aid.
• PanCanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDwars family participated in PanCan's PurpleStride Iowa and other events as part of their advocacy efforts.
• Angels for ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity that works as liaison between patients and health systems to obtain hard-to-find chemotherapy medications. Helped Ryan Dwars continue treatment during drug shortage.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: The largest US cancer nonprofit, funding research across all cancer types including pancreatic. Comparable as a cancer-research funder and patient support provider, but operating at national scale and across all cancer types rather than focusing on pancreatic cancer specifically.

Direct peers

• Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation: Chicago-based pancreatic cancer foundation funding research and supporting patients. Directly comparable as a regional pancreatic-cancer nonprofit combining research grants with patient family support, competing with Project Purple for mid-size research grants and event-driven fundraising.
• National Pancreas Foundation: Nonprofit supporting patients with all pancreas-related diseases (pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, pediatric disease). Comparable as a pancreas-disease patient-support and research-funding organization, though broader in disease scope than Project Purple.
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN): The largest US nonprofit dedicated to pancreatic cancer, funding research and providing patient services through PurpleStride walks and other programs. Directly comparable to Project Purple as a pancreatic-cancer-specific charity with both research funding and patient support missions, but operating at materially larger scale.
• Lustgarten Foundation: Largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research in the US, supporting research through a network of academic medical centers. Directly comparable as a pancreatic-cancer-focused nonprofit that primarily funds research at elite institutions, though with a narrower patient-aid scope than Project Purple.
• Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research: Long-standing pancreatic cancer nonprofit funding research and providing patient support through UCLA-affiliated programs. Comparable as a disease-specific organization combining research grants with patient-family services, similar in scale and mission to Project Purple.

Others

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Elite US cancer research and treatment institution. Comparable as a destination institution for pancreatic cancer research funding and patient care — the type of organization Project Purple would consider as a research grant recipient or strategic partner.
• World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition: Global coalition of pancreatic cancer nonprofits coordinating World Pancreatic Cancer Day and awareness campaigns. Adjacent peer as a coordinating body for pancreatic cancer charities including Project Purple; a potential collaboration partner.

Emerging players

• Let's Win Pancreatic Cancer: Online pancreatic cancer resource hub connecting patients with treatment options and clinical trials. Comparable as a pancreatic-cancer-focused organization, but oriented around content and clinical-trial navigation rather than direct patient financial aid and research grants.
• Alliance of Families Fighting Pancreatic Cancer: Smaller pancreatic-cancer nonprofit focused on supporting families and funding research. Comparable as a family-focused pancreatic cancer charity with a research-funding component, but at a smaller scale and more family-advocacy oriented than Project Purple.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/projectpurple4pc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@project_purple
• Facebookfacebook.com/projectpurple4pc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-purple
• Instagraminstagram.com/projectpurple
• TikToktiktok.com/@projectpurple4pc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 PURPLE NEXT PROJECT INITIATIVE