The V Foundation Canada funds cancer research

What The V Foundation Canada funds cancer research does

The V Foundation Canada is the Canadian arm of The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a U.S. nonprofit (founded 1993 in Cary, NC) that operates as a registered Canadian charity (818632911 RR0001) with a presence in Toronto and the vcanada.org domain. The foundation's core product is cancer research grant funding: it has directed over $458 million to cancer research since inception, including an $800,000 translational research grant awarded in 2024 to Dr. Gelareh Zadeh at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and University Health Network. Its second core offering is the Hockey Fights Cancer™ partnership program, operated jointly with the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) since 1998 and now "powered by the V Foundation" — a cause-marketing and fundraising engine spanning all 32 NHL Clubs, the annual All-Star Weekend, and the broader hockey community, which raised $8.2 million in the 2024-25 season (double the prior year) and over $44 million cumulatively since 1998.

The foundation is funded almost entirely by charitable donations from individuals, corporate sponsors (including AstraZeneca as the presenting sponsor for Hockey Fights Cancer™ powered by the V Foundation in 2024-25), and cause-marketing partners. It applies a distinctive economics model in which 100% of direct donations flow to cancer research and programs, with administrative expenses covered by the foundation's endowment. Customer segments span individual donors (tax-deductible giving), corporate sponsors (cause-marketing, brand visibility with the NHL audience, ESG/social-responsibility positioning), and cancer patients/survivors as ultimate beneficiaries. Its go-to-market is event-driven and community-led: in-person NHL events and grassroots fan participation drive awareness, multi-channel social media (Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, TikTok) and email amplify reach, and the DonorDrive platform processes online donations with 128-bit SSL encryption.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight and conventional: a WordPress CMS, the DonorDrive donation processing platform, Google Analytics for web analytics, Wordfence and iThemes Security for site security, CloudFlare for content delivery, and Vimeo/YouTube for video content. There is no proprietary platform, no software product suite, and no AI/ML capability disclosed. The organization's principal intangible asset is brand — anchored by Jim Valvano's iconic 1993 ESPYS speech, the registered "Victory Over Cancer®" trademark, and third-party endorsements including Charity Navigator top-rating and the Candid GuideStar Transparency Seal.

Name

The V Foundation Canada funds cancer research

Legal name

The V Foundation for Cancer Research

Website

https://vcanada.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The V Foundation Canada, a registered Canadian charity and arm of The V Foundation for Cancer Research, funds cancer research through grants and the Hockey Fights Cancer™ partnership with the NHL and NHLPA, directing over $458 million to research since 1993.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Research Funding

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Cancer research funding
• Charitable donations
• Nonprofit foundation
• Cancer research grants
• Hockey fights cancer

Headquarters

HQ city

Morrisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: The foundation raises funds through direct donations from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and cause marketing programs. 100% of direct donations go directly to cancer research programs, as administrative expenses are covered by the V Foundation's endowment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The V Foundation Canada is a registered Canadian charitable organization (818632911 RR0001) that funds cancer research through competitive grant programs. Since 1993, the foundation has funded over $458 million in cancer research, with 100% of direct donations going to research because administrative expenses are covered by the foundation's endowment. It also serves as the official North American charitable partner of Hockey Fights Cancer™, a cause program co-founded by the NHL and NHLPA.

Product overview

The V Foundation for Cancer Research is a charitable foundation (not a technology company) that funds cancer research. The organization operates as a single unified offering centered on grant funding for cancer research, supplemented by the Hockey Fights Cancer partnership program with the NHL and NHLPA. Donations are processed through the DonorDrive platform. There are no separate software products, modules, or platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hockey Fights Cancer: A cause program founded in 1998 by the NHL and NHLPA to unite players, teams and fans in support of those affected by cancer. Now powered by the V Foundation and has raised over $44 million since inception.

Products and services

• Cancer Research Grant Funding The V Foundation funds game-changing cancer research through competitive grant programs, having funded over $458 million in cancer research since 1993. Grants are awarded to scientists and research institutions conducting innovative cancer research.
• Hockey Fights Cancer™ Partnership Program A flagship cause marketing partnership with the NHL and NHLPA uniting players, teams, and fans to raise funds for cancer research. Has raised over $44 million since 1998 and $8.2 million in the 2024-25 season alone, double the previous year.
• Charitable Donation Program A direct donation program enabling individuals and corporate sponsors to contribute voluntary tax-deductible charitable contributions to fund cancer research. 100% of direct donations are allocated to cancer research and programs, with administrative expenses covered by the foundation's endowment.

Quantifiable outcome

• $458+ million in cancer research funded since 1993
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• National Hockey League (NHL)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Official charitable partner for Hockey Fights Cancer in North America. NHL contributes to fundraising through games, events, and team participation. In the 2024-25 season, Hockey Fights Cancer raised $8.2 million through this partnership.
• National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Co-founder of Hockey Fights Cancer with NHL since 1998. NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh, a childhood cancer survivor, helps champion pediatric cancer research grants.
• AstraZenecamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Hockey Fights Cancer powered by the V Foundation for the 2024-25 season. AstraZeneca supports cancer research as a pharmaceutical company committed to oncology.
• Princess Margaret Cancer CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecipient of $800,000 translational research grant through Hockey Fights Cancer. Dr. Gelareh Zadeh leads the research at UHN's Krembil Brain Institute. This represents the first research grant through the Hockey Fights Cancer V Foundation partnership.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LIVESTRONG Foundation: Cancer-focused nonprofit historically funded through donations and cause marketing with major sports ties. Comparable mission, donor base, and brand-driven fundraising approach.
• Stand Up To Cancer: Charity that funds collaborative cancer research via donations and high-profile entertainment/sports partnerships. Comparable as a cancer-research grantmaking nonprofit leveraging celebrity and media for fundraising at scale.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Childhood cancer research charity funded through grassroots donations, events, and corporate sponsorships. Comparable as a cancer-focused grantmaking nonprofit with an event-driven GTM motion.
• American Cancer Society: The largest US nonprofit dedicated to cancer research, education, advocacy, and patient support. Directly comparable as a national cancer-research funding charity operating on donations and competing for the same donor pool.
• Susan G. Komen: Major breast cancer-focused nonprofit that funds research and community programs via donations and corporate partnerships. Highly comparable operating model to the V Foundation, including cause-marketing and event-based fundraising.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital / ALSAC: Leading pediatric cancer research and treatment charity, funded primarily through donations and large-scale cause-marketing campaigns. Comparable donation-driven funding model and pediatric cancer focus that the V Foundation has begun supporting.

Emerging players

• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network: Disease-specific cancer charity funding research and patient services via donations. Comparable as a focused cancer research grantmaker with a strong community-driven fundraising model.

Broad incumbents

• National Cancer Institute: The US federal government's principal agency for cancer research and training. Comparable as the largest single cancer research funder in the US, providing context for the scale of private foundation grantmaking.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Major cancer treatment and research institution that funds research partly through philanthropy. Comparable as a large-scale cancer research recipient and fundraiser, though operates its own hospital rather than as a pure grantmaker.

Regional players

• Canadian Cancer Society: Canada's largest national cancer charity, funding research and support services. Comparable as a cancer research funder operating in the same Canadian donor market the V Foundation Canada is entering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/TheVFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/thevfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/thevfoundation
• TikToktiktok.com/@thevfoundation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The V Foundation Canada funds cancer research