TO CELEBRATE LIFE BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION

What TO CELEBRATE LIFE BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION does

To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996 and headquartered in Kentfield, California. Originally formed as the Marin Breast Cancer Committee by ten women from a breast cancer thriver dance class, it adopted its current permanent name in 2006. The foundation operates exclusively as a grant-making entity, raising charitable contributions through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, a signature annual gala ("Stepping Out To Celebrate Life"), community fundraisers, and third-party giving platforms, then redistributing those funds as grants to Bay Area nonprofit organizations that provide direct and emergency services to underserved breast cancer patients.

The foundation's core service is its annual grants program, which in the 2026 cycle awarded $270,000 to 16 Bay Area nonprofit organizations. Grant awards generally range from $5,000 to $15,000 per organization per annual cycle (April 1 through March 31), supporting emergency financial assistance, diagnostic testing, patient navigation, complementary holistic therapies, meals and transportation, and support groups. Since inception, the foundation has granted over $7.6 million to 68 nonprofit organizations across the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma counties). A Medical Advisory Board of UCSF and Marin Cancer Care physicians provides clinical oversight, and the foundation holds GuideStar Platinum transparency recognition.

The organization is volunteer-driven, with a Board of Directors executing operational responsibilities and a small contracted part-time support team. The signature Stepping Out gala, held annually at the Marin Center Exhibit Hall in San Rafael, raised $645,000 at the September 2025 30th anniversary event. The foundation has won consecutive Marin IJ Reader's Choice Awards for Best Charity Nonprofit Gala from 2018 through 2026. There is no technology platform or AI component; operations run on standard nonprofit tools (DonorPerfect, Constant Contact, WordPress).

Name

TO CELEBRATE LIFE BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION

Legal name

To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation

Website

https://tocelebratelife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) grant-making nonprofit founded in 1996 that raises funds through donations and its annual Stepping Out gala to award grants to Bay Area nonprofits providing emergency and direct services to underserved breast cancer patients across the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Breast Cancer Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG)

Keywords

• Breast cancer grants
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Cancer patient support
• Community grantmaking
• Bay Area charity

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The foundation receives donations from individuals through online portals, mail-in checks, and monthly giving programs. Donors can give one-time or recurring gifts, tribute gifts in honor or memory of loved ones, and legacy gifts.
2. Annual Gala and Fundraising Events: The signature annual gala 'Stepping Out To Celebrate Life' generates revenue through ticket sales, auction items (live and silent), sponsorships, and model participation. The 30th anniversary gala in September 2025 raised $645,000.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support the annual gala and general foundation operations at various levels including Premier Partner, Partner, Benefactor, Patron, Supporter, Friend, and Contributor tiers.
4. Third-party Fundraising Programs: Partnership with ShopRaise (over 1,200 retailers), giveX/eScrip (grocery partner cards), and CarEasy (vehicle donations) provides additional donation revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit grant-making foundation that raises funds through donations and events (primarily an annual Stepping Out Gala) and channels those funds into grants for Bay Area nonprofit organizations serving underserved breast cancer patients. Grantee-funded services include emergency financial assistance, diagnostic testing, patient navigation, support groups, complementary holistic therapies, and meals and transportation vouchers.

Product overview

To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization operating primarily as a grant-making entity rather than a technology product company. The foundation's core offering is its Breast Cancer Grants Program, which funds Bay Area nonprofit organizations providing emergency and direct services to underserved breast cancer patients. The portfolio includes the annual Stepping Out Gala as the signature fundraising event, plus various direct service programs such as emergency financial assistance, complementary holistic therapies, diagnostic testing services, patient navigation, meals and transportation vouchers, and support groups—all channeled through their network of grantee organizations serving the nine-county Bay Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stepping Out To Celebrate Life: The signature annual gala fundraiser featuring an inspirational fashion show with volunteer models who are breast cancer thrivers, held at the Marin Center Exhibit Hall in San Rafael, California.
• Stepping Out

Products and services

• Breast Cancer Grants Program
• Stepping Out Gala
• Patient Stories Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $7.6 million in grants awarded since 1996
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered community partner, media partner, premier partner, partner, core partner and minor.

• Kaiser Permanentecommunity partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Generous 2026 sponsor from Giving Marin Community Partnership - a partnership of North Bay's most community-minded businesses supporting marketing space for nonprofits.
• Bay Area Bluestonecommunity partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Generous 2026 sponsor from Giving Marin Community Partnership supporting nonprofit visibility.
• Ghilotti Bros., Inc.community partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Generous 2026 sponsor from Giving Marin Community Partnership supporting nonprofit visibility.
• Marin Independent Journalmedia partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Media partner through Giving Marin Community Partnership, providing advertising space for nonprofit coverage.
• Northern Pacific Roofingcommunity partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Generous 2026 sponsor from Giving Marin Community Partnership.
• Nugget Marketscommunity partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Generous 2026 sponsor from Giving Marin Community Partnership.
• Toyota Marincommunity partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Generous 2026 sponsor from Giving Marin Community Partnership.
• Volvo Cars Marincommunity partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Generous 2026 sponsor from Giving Marin Community Partnership.
• Jeanne Sciutti Capurropremier partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Premier Partner sponsor for the 2025 Stepping Out Gala, contributing at the highest sponsorship level to support breast cancer grants in the Bay Area.
• Harbor Point Charitable FoundationpartnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Partner-level sponsor for the 2025 Stepping Out Gala supporting the foundation's mission to fund breast cancer services.
• Price Simms Family DealershipspartnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Partner sponsor supporting the 2025 Stepping Out Gala fundraising efforts.
• Marin Probation (Pink Patch Project)community partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Community partner organizing fundraising events benefiting To Celebrate Life through the Pink Patch Project.
• Uber Healthcore partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner with Pink Ribbon Good to provide free round-trip rides to breast cancer treatment appointments through Uber Health platform, ensuring patients arrive safely at appointments.
• ShopRaiseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party fundraising partner allowing supporters to shop at over 1,200 participating retailers on the free ShopRaise mobile app, with up to 10% of purchases donated to the foundation.
• giveX (formerly eScrip)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrocery partner program where supporters use registered cards at local participating grocery stores to raise funds for To Celebrate Life.
• CarEasyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVehicle donation partner that handles pickup, sale, donation receipt, and tax documentation for car donations benefiting the foundation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF): The largest private U.S. funder of breast cancer research and outreach; comparable in mission area but operates nationally and concentrates on research rather than the Bay Area direct-service grantmaking model that defines To Celebrate Life.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF): National nonprofit providing mammography, patient navigation, education, and hope kits to underserved women — overlapping in mission (breast cancer patient support for underserved communities) and donor base but with a national footprint and broader service mix.
• Avon Foundation for Women: Long-standing breast cancer-focused philanthropic arm historically funding screening, patient support, and research — comparable in cause area and grantmaking-for-services model, though now operating at a more limited scope following the closure of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade.
• Susan G. Komen (Bay Area / Greater Central Valley / Northern Nevada affiliate): National breast cancer-focused nonprofit with regional affiliates that fund local services, research, and patient support — directly comparable in mission (breast cancer grantmaking) and model (event-driven fundraising plus local grant awards), but operating at vastly greater geographic and financial scale than To Celebrate Life.

Direct peers

• Bay Area Cancer Connections: Bay Area-based nonprofit providing financial assistance, counseling, and education to breast and gynecologic cancer patients — overlapping geographic footprint and service mix, and is itself a current To Celebrate Life grantee.
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer: National nonprofit providing direct services, education, and support to people impacted by breast cancer; closely comparable to To Celebrate Life's grant-funded patient services (navigation, support groups, financial assistance) though at a larger national scale.
• Pink Ribbon Good: Breast cancer nonprofit providing free meals, rides to treatment, and house cleaning to patients — directly comparable service mix to To Celebrate Life's grant-funded programs, and is also a current To Celebrate Life grantee, validating model overlap.
• Young Survival Coalition: Breast cancer-focused nonprofit delivering direct support, education, and community to patients — overlapping with To Celebrate Life's patient-navigation and support-group funding focus but specializing in younger patients.

Emerging players

• Sharsheret: Community-based breast cancer organization serving Jewish women and families with culturally tailored support, counseling, and financial assistance — comparable to To Celebrate Life's emphasis on underserved and community-specific patient populations.

Regional players

• Susan G. Komen® San Francisco Bay Area Affiliate (legacy): Historical regional Komen affiliate operating in the same nine-county Bay Area geography as To Celebrate Life, funding local breast cancer screening, treatment and navigation services — the most direct geographic and mission peer prior to consolidation.

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tocelebratelife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/to-celebrate-life
• Instagraminstagram.com/tocelebratelifebreastcancerf

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 TO CELEBRATE LIFE BREAST CANCER FOUNDATION