The Kennedy Foundation for Cancer, Immunology and Degenerative Diseases

What The Kennedy Foundation for Cancer, Immunology and Degenerative Diseases does

Kennedy NeuroMed Research Foundation is a Canadian Registered Charity (Business number 850425174RR0001, established November 1, 2016) headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. Originally operating as The Kennedy Foundation for Cancer, Immunology and Degenerative Diseases, it rebranded to Kennedy NeuroMed Research Foundation to sharpen its focus on neuro-medical research while continuing to fund cancer and degenerative disease work. The foundation operates a donor-to-research-project matching platform that allows individual donors, corporate sponsors, and grassroots advocates to direct contributions to specific research campaigns in three focus areas: Cancer (with a featured Triple Negative Breast Cancer campaign targeting a $10,000 in-vitro testing goal), Neuroimmunology (complement therapies), and Degenerative Diseases (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis). It also maintains a General Account for operational expenses and discretionary funding of vetted cutting-edge proposals.

The foundation's core 'product' is a charitable giving platform paired with a stage-based research funding model. Rather than underwriting entire multi-year research scopes, the foundation funds research at stages to accelerate time-to-result, with the board vetting proposals and donors selecting where funds are directed. The website functions as the primary 24/7 donation and project-tracking interface, supplemented by an email newsletter, social media, and a Warrior volunteer community program organized around a 'Power of One' model (communicate, donate, action with purpose). Published scientific credibility is anchored by a 2016 paper in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease on saliva-based Alzheimer's diagnosis, which was the most-read paper by Medical Geneticists that month per Medscape, and a March 2018 feature in the JAD 20th Anniversary Edition.

The organization is founder-led by Krista Kennedy and governed by a board with strong scientific credentials, including Dr. Steven Pelech (UBC Professor, founder of Kinetek Pharmaceuticals and Kinexus Bioinformatics), Dr. Patrick L. McGeer (National Academy of Inventors Fellow and leading Alzheimer's researcher), and Dr. Douglas N. Bell (retired Scripps Clinic head and neck surgeon). Revenue comes exclusively from donations, corporate matching, and sponsorships, with no pricing model or commercial revenue. The foundation adheres to the Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethics and Donor Bill of Rights. Scale signals are modest: only one Founding Sponsor is named (Georgia Love Photography), no headcount is disclosed, no funding rounds exist, and there are no patents, awards, or technology integrations beyond the Squarespace-hosted website.

Name

The Kennedy Foundation for Cancer, Immunology and Degenerative Diseases

Legal name

Kennedy NeuroMed Research Foundation

Website

https://thekennedyfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kennedy NeuroMed Research Foundation is a Vancouver-based Canadian Registered Charity that operates a donor-matching platform directing individual and corporate contributions to vetted research projects in cancer, neuroimmunology, and degenerative diseases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Medical Research Funding

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAL

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAI

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGACAA

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

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

Keywords

• Medical research funding
• Charitable donations
• Cancer research
• Neuroimmunology research
• Degenerative disease research

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream through individual donations, corporate matching, and sponsorship programs. Donors can direct funds to specific research projects or the General Account for operational expenses and flexible funding allocation.
2. Sponsorship Programs: Corporate sponsorships including Founding Sponsor tier for companies wanting to support medical science research.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kennedy NeuroMed Research Foundation operates a donor-to-research project matching platform that channels charitable donations into vetted cutting-edge medical science research projects. Donors select specific research campaigns (Cancer/TNBC, Neuroimmunology/Complement Therapies, Degenerative Diseases including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis) or contribute to the General Account for operational flexibility, with stage-based funding designed to accelerate research outcomes.

Product overview

Kennedy NeuroMed Research Foundation operates a donor-matching platform that connects supporters to medical science research projects across three focus areas: Cancer (specifically Triple Negative Breast Cancer), Neuroimmunology (Complement Therapies), and Degenerative Diseases (including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and Multiple Sclerosis). The platform allows donors to designate their contributions to specific projects or the General Account, which provides flexible funding for cutting-edge research proposals. The foundation is a Canada Revenue Agency Registered Public Charity established in 2016.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) Research A fundraising campaign supporting in-vitro testing of Triple Negative Breast Cancer cell lines against a new non-toxic compound to assess effectiveness against this aggressive form of breast cancer.
• Neuroimmunology Complement Therapies Research A fundraising initiative supporting complement therapies research focused on the immune system's role in cancer and degenerative diseases, building a funding pool to attract qualified research applications.
• Degenerative Diseases Research Research funding for degenerative diseases including Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis, supporting successful research proposals aligned with the foundation's goals.
• General Account A multipurpose donation fund that covers operating expenses while allowing the board to seek cutting edge research projects, providing flexibility to redirect funds to projects needing additional support to complete funding goals.
• Donor-to-Research Project Matching Platform A charitable giving platform that matches donor interest to specific medical science research projects, allowing donors to select projects, follow outcomes, and track contributions through a transparent funding model.

Quantifiable outcome

• Registered as Canadian charity (Business number 850425174RR0001) since November 1, 2016
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Georgia Love PhotographyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a Founding Sponsor providing support to the foundation. Located in Vancouver, BC.
• Association of Fundraising ProfessionalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation follows the Association of Fundraising Professionals Code of Ethics and Donor Bill of Rights.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research: A high-profile nonprofit that funds Parkinson's disease research through donor contributions and a transparent grantmaking model. Directly comparable as a disease-specific medical research grantmaker with strong donor-directing ethos, though operates at significantly greater scale.
• Breast Cancer Society of Canada: Canadian charity focused specifically on funding breast cancer research through donor contributions. Directly comparable as a Canadian-domiciled, disease-specific research grantmaker competing for the same donor base interested in cancer research funding.
• Cancer Research Institute: US-based nonprofit dedicated to funding immunotherapy and cancer immunology research through donor contributions. Highly comparable as a research-focused grantmaking foundation operating in the cancer and immunology space overlapping with Kennedy Foundation's neuroimmunology and cancer focus.

Broad incumbents

• Alzheimer's Association: Largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's research globally, with a donor-funded grantmaking model that closely mirrors Kennedy Foundation's approach to funding degenerative disease research. Comparable as a competing destination for donors interested in Alzheimer's and dementia research.
• Canadian Cancer Society: Canada's largest national charity dedicated to cancer research, support, and advocacy. Directly comparable as a donor-funded medical research organization that funds cancer research grants, but operates at vastly larger scale and a broader mission than Kennedy Foundation's cancer-specific focus.
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society: Large US-based nonprofit funding MS research and providing patient services through donations. Comparable as a disease-specific research grantmaker where MS is one of Kennedy Foundation's focus areas, representing a competing donor destination.

Regional players

• BC Cancer Foundation: British Columbia-based charity that funds cancer research and care at BC Cancer. Directly comparable as a regionally focused Canadian medical research grantmaker with headquarters in Vancouver, competing for the same local donor and corporate sponsor base.
• ALS Society of Canada: Canadian charity funding ALS research and patient support through donations. Comparable as a Canadian-domiciled disease-specific medical research grantmaker, though focused on ALS rather than Kennedy Foundation's disease focus areas.
• Pancreatic Cancer Canada: Canadian charity focused exclusively on funding pancreatic cancer research through donations. Comparable as a small, disease-specific Canadian medical research grantmaker facing similar scale challenges to Kennedy Foundation in attracting donor attention against larger incumbents.
• Alzheimer Society of Canada: Canadian national charity funding Alzheimer's research and providing support services across Canada. Directly comparable as a Canadian-domiciled donor-funded medical research charity with headquarters overlap, competing for the same Canadian donor base interested in Alzheimer's and dementia research.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-kennedy-foundation-for-cancer-immunology-and-degenerative-diseases

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Kennedy Foundation for Cancer, Immunology and Degenerative Diseases