← Back to US Funders Directory

Breast Cancer Research Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$74.8M
Grant Range
$200K - $0.3M
Decision Time
3mo

Breast Cancer Research Foundation Inc (BCRF)

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $74.75 million (2025-2026)
  • Success Rate: Invitation-only (not publicly disclosed)
  • Decision Time: 2-3 months (June review to August decision)
  • Grant Range: Up to $250,000 annually
  • Geographic Focus: International (16 countries)

Contact Details

Address: 28 West 44th Street, Suite 609, New York, NY 10036

Phone:

  • Toll-free: 1-866-346-3228
  • Office: 646-497-2600

Email: bcrf@bcrf.org

Website: www.bcrf.org

Fax: 646-497-0890

Overview

Founded in 1993, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) is the world's largest private funder of breast cancer research. For the 2025-2026 cycle, BCRF awarded a record-breaking $74.75 million to support more than 260 scientists at leading academic and medical institutions across 16 countries. The organization operates with exceptional financial efficiency, directing over 91 cents of every dollar raised to breast cancer research and awareness programs. BCRF's mission is to prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world's most promising research. Under the leadership of President and CEO Donna McKay (who joined in April 2023), BCRF has maintained its commitment to funding innovative, high-impact research across the full continuum of breast cancer—from prevention and early detection to treatment and metastatic disease. The foundation has received a Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator with a 98% score.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Annual Research Grants: Up to $250,000 per year

  • One-year grants awarded October 1 through September 30
  • Renewable based on satisfactory progress, continued need, and fit within BCRF's research portfolio
  • Maximum 20% indirect costs
  • Paid in two installments (October and March)
  • Average grant size: $250,000

Evelyn H. Lauder Founder's Fund:

  • Dedicated specifically to metastatic breast cancer research
  • Has invested more than $48 million to date in metastatic breast cancer research

Precision Prevention Initiative:

  • Supports development of personalized prevention strategies
  • Integrates AI, large-scale data, vaccine technology, and biology

Priority Areas

Metastatic Breast Cancer (Highest Priority):

  • BCRF is the largest private funder of stage 4 breast cancer research worldwide
  • Approximately one-third of annual funding dedicated to metastatic disease ($24.8 million across 96 projects in 2025-2026)
  • Focus on understanding how cancer cells spread, identifying biomarkers to predict metastasis, and developing therapies to stop or slow progression

Prevention and Early Detection:

  • Precision prevention strategies for high-risk populations
  • Vaccine development for prevention
  • AI and contrast-enhanced mammography to improve screening
  • Hormone-based risk assessment

Treatment Innovation:

  • Better, more effective treatments for aggressive breast cancer forms
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors
  • Triple-negative breast cancer therapies
  • Translational and clinical research

Key Research Focus Areas:

  • Molecular basis of metastasis
  • Exercise and breast cancer development
  • Inherited breast cancer (genetics)
  • Artificial intelligence in detection and diagnosis
  • New PET/CT scan tracers
  • Risk-reducing interventions

What They Don't Fund

BCRF does not fund:

  • Research unrelated to breast cancer
  • General operating expenses (grants are for specific research projects)
  • Unsolicited proposals (invitation-only model)

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership

Donna McKay, President and CEO (joined April 2023)

  • Brings extensive experience from mission-driven organizations
  • Quote: "Our work is both deeply personal and profoundly collective. Each of us carries the stories of loved ones, family, friends, and colleagues affected by this disease. That urgency unites us. And it's why we bring together scientists, clinicians, advocates, and supporters—because only together can we drive the breakthroughs that will finally end breast cancer."
  • On the funding landscape: "As the research funding landscape faces total realignment, the imperative grows for innovative collaborations that invigorate the pipeline of life saving discoveries, and BCRF is uniquely positioned to bridge the widening gap."

Myra J. Biblowit, President Emeritus

  • Led BCRF for more than 22 years
  • Built BCRF into the world's largest private funder of breast cancer research

Kinga Lampert, Co-chair of Board of Directors

Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

  • Voluntary group of renowned breast cancer research experts
  • Responsible for identifying and inviting researchers to apply
  • Reviews all invited proposals
  • Makes funding recommendations to the Board of Directors

Board of Directors

  • Comprised of experts in their fields
  • Provides final approval for all funding decisions
  • Votes on SAB recommendations

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

IMPORTANT: BCRF does not have a public application process. The foundation operates on a strict invitation-only basis. Unsolicited requests for funding are discouraged.

The Invitation Process:

  1. The Scientific Advisory Board proactively identifies promising investigators
  2. SAB members invite proposals from researchers "who have made or are positioned to make critical headway in cancer research"
  3. Only invited researchers may submit applications
  4. BCRF supports "people, not projects"—researchers who make it through the selection process are empowered to pursue their most creative, innovative, and game-changing ideas

Application Requirements (for invited researchers only):

  • Brief project narrative
  • Lay summary suitable for public use
  • Annual budget (typically no more than $250,000 with maximum 20% indirect costs)
  • Budget narrative

BCRF's Philosophy: As stated on their website, BCRF gives "considerable latitude to investigators and creative collaborations are encouraged." The foundation prioritizes enabling "brilliant minds to pursue their biggest and brightest ideas."

Getting on Their Radar

Invitation Process: The Scientific Advisory Board uses their expertise and knowledge to seek out investigators whose thinking has demonstrated the potential to advance the prevention, understanding, and treatment of breast cancer. The SAB looks for researchers pursuing "new and creative projects related to breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and in need of critical seed funds."

Network and Visibility:

  • BCRF holds an annual Symposium and Awards Luncheon each October in New York City where grantees interact and present research
  • Being recognized in the breast cancer research community appears to be the primary pathway to invitation
  • Track record of innovative research and publications in breast cancer is essential

Decision Timeline

Annual Cycle:

  • Late Spring: Scientific Advisors invite proposals
  • June: Review of invited proposals begins
  • August: Funding decisions announced to applicants and their institutions (following Board of Directors approval)
  • October 1: Awards publicly announced
  • October (early): First installment payment
  • March (early): Second installment payment
  • September 30: Grant year ends

Total Timeline: Approximately 2-3 months from invitation to decision announcement

Success Rates

Success rate statistics are not publicly available, as BCRF operates on an invitation-only model rather than accepting open applications. However, the highly selective invitation process suggests that invited researchers have a strong likelihood of funding if their proposals meet BCRF's rigorous standards.

Current Portfolio: BCRF funds more than 260 scientists across 16 countries annually.

Reapplication Policy

Renewals: Grants are generally awarded for one year but may be invited for renewal "pending satisfactory progress, continued need and fit within BCRF's overall research portfolio."

Reporting Requirements:

  • Annual progress reports required
  • Final financial report required following close of grant year
  • Grant recipients must provide both narrative and financial progress reports twice a year

Application Success Factors

Since BCRF uses an invitation-only model, traditional application success factors differ from open grant competitions. However, based on BCRF's stated priorities and funded research, the following factors appear critical:

1. Demonstrated Excellence and Innovation

  • Track record of groundbreaking research in breast cancer
  • Positioning to make "critical headway in cancer research"
  • Pursuit of "creative new directions in clinical and translational breast cancer research in need of seed funding"

2. Alignment with Strategic Priorities

  • Research addressing metastatic breast cancer (highest priority—one-third of funding)
  • Prevention and early detection innovations
  • Treatment advances for aggressive breast cancer forms
  • Use of emerging technologies (AI, precision medicine, vaccines)

3. Creative and Collaborative Approach

  • BCRF emphasizes that "considerable latitude is given to investigators and creative collaborations are encouraged"
  • The foundation supports researchers, not just projects, empowering them to pursue their most innovative ideas

4. Clear Need for Seed Funding

  • BCRF specifically targets researchers "in need of critical seed funds"
  • Focus on enabling new and creative projects that may not yet have established funding

5. Examples of Recently Funded Work

The following projects illustrate BCRF's funding priorities:

  • Dr. Jack Cuzick: Assessing blood hormone levels to predict breast cancer risk and identify women who will benefit from risk-reducing anti-estrogen drugs (measuring hormone levels in over 100,000 women)

  • Dr. Jennifer Ligibel: Investigating the link between exercise, irisin, and breast cancer development

  • Dr. Nancy Davidson (Fred Hutch): Expanding use of immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat breast cancers ($225,000)

  • Dr. Mary-Claire King (University of Washington): Research on inherited breast cancer ($225,000)

  • Dr. Hannah Linden (Fred Hutch): Clinical trial investigating new PET/CT scan tracer

6. Quality of Proposal Materials (for invited applicants)

  • Clear, compelling project narrative
  • Accessible lay summary that communicates significance to non-experts
  • Realistic budget with clear justification

7. Institutional Support

  • Affiliation with leading medical or academic institutions
  • Demonstrated institutional capacity to support research

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is invitation-only: BCRF does not accept unsolicited applications. The Scientific Advisory Board must invite you to apply. Building visibility and reputation in breast cancer research is essential to being considered.

  • People over projects: BCRF explicitly states they "support people and not projects." They seek researchers with track records of innovation who will be empowered to pursue their most creative ideas.

  • Metastatic breast cancer is the top priority: Approximately one-third of all funding ($24.8 million) goes to metastatic breast cancer research. Projects addressing stage 4 disease have strong alignment with BCRF's strategic focus.

  • Seed funding for innovation: BCRF targets "critical seed funds" for "new and creative projects." They're looking for groundbreaking work that may not yet have established funding streams.

  • Speed and efficiency: The timeline from invitation (late spring) to decision (August) to funding (October 1) is relatively fast at 2-3 months for decision and approximately 5 months total.

  • Renewability matters: While grants are one-year, they can be renewed based on progress. Strong reporting and demonstrated impact can lead to sustained funding relationships.

  • Financial efficiency focus: With 91+ cents of every dollar going to research, BCRF maximizes the impact of each grant. Budgets should reflect efficient use of funds with indirect costs capped at 20%.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory