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Elsa U. Pardee Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.7M
Grant Range
$81K - $0.2M
Decision Time
3mo
Success Rate
10%

Elsa U. Pardee Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4.7 million (2022)
  • Success Rate: ~9-10% (28 awards from ~300 proposals)
  • Decision Time: 2-4 months depending on cycle
  • Grant Range: $81,000 - $187,000 (typical average ~$150,000)
  • Geographic Focus: United States (non-profit institutions)
  • Application Cycles: 3 per year (fixed deadlines)

Contact Details

Website: https://pardeefoundation.org/

Mailing Address: PO Box 2767, Midland, MI 48641

Application Portal: Online application system available at pardeefoundation.org

Overview

Established in 1944 under the will of Mrs. Elsa U. Pardee, who died of cancer that same year, the Foundation was created with a $1 million trust fund "for the promotion of the control and cure of cancer." Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded approximately $110.5 million to over 300 institutions across the United States. The Foundation pioneered an innovative approach by funding cutting-edge proposals from emerging scientists who lacked established credentials—distinguishing it from traditional funders. Since 1951, the Foundation has also operated the Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds, providing approximately $36 million in direct financial assistance to cancer patients facing financial barriers to treatment. Today, approximately two-thirds of grants support cancer research initiatives, while one-third supports patient treatment assistance in Midland and surrounding counties plus selected locations. The Foundation evaluates more than 300 proposals annually through a Medical Committee of specialists.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Cancer Research Grants: $81,000 - $187,000 (typical average ~$150,000) One-year grants supporting innovative cancer research projects. Applications accepted through online portal on a fixed-deadline, three-cycle-per-year basis. No specified grant maximum; amounts must be reasonably supported by project scope. Indirect costs capped at 5% of total request.

Pardee Cancer Treatment Funds Direct financial assistance to cancer patients in Midland and surrounding Michigan counties, plus selected other locations. Approximately one-third of annual grants support this program. (Not available for competitive application—administered separately)

Priority Areas

What They Fund:

  • Researchers new to the field of cancer research
  • Established research investigators examining new approaches to cancer cure
  • Innovative, small-scale, short-term projects difficult to fund elsewhere until preliminary results are obtained
  • Post-doctoral researchers on the tenure track with a tenured mentor
  • Research directed toward identifying new treatments or cures for cancer
  • Projects focusing on cancer detection, treatment, or cure

Recent funded research topics include:

  • Targeting ncRNA for metastatic breast cancer (University of Alabama)
  • RAF inhibition for neuroblastoma treatment (Baylor College of Medicine)
  • Single cell RNA analysis of tumor-immune interactions in early-stage lung cancer (Boston University)
  • Sphingolipid metabolism in synovial sarcoma (Idaho State University)
  • Immune surveillance mechanisms in obesity-related cancers (Duke University)
  • PIM kinase inhibition combination therapies (Northwestern University)
  • miR-204-5p targeting in head and neck cancer (Virginia Commonwealth University)

What They Don't Fund

  • Indirect costs exceeding 5% of total request
  • Multi-year projects (only one-year grants awarded)
  • Projects lacking clear relevance to cancer detection, treatment, or cure
  • Institutions that have failed to submit required final progress and financial reports from previous grants

Governance and Leadership

The Foundation operates as a family-run private foundation governed by a board that includes positions for President, Vice President, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Secretary. To manage the increasingly complex proposal evaluation process, the Foundation established a Medical Committee composed of specialists in cancer research who review and assess grant applications. Board members and reviewers are volunteers located across the United States and do not maintain office hours at the Foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Application Method: Online portal at pardeefoundation.org

Application Cycles: Three fixed deadlines per year

  • December 15 (for May board review, June 1 project start)
  • April 30 (for September board review, October 1 project start)
  • August 31 (for December board review, January 1 project start)

Critical Submission Details:

  • Applications may be saved and edited until submission
  • Important: Once submitted, applications cannot be changed or updated
  • All Principal Investigators and key personnel must be listed
  • Comprehensive current and pending grants information required (Title, Role, Grantor, duration, amount, time committed, overlap with Pardee application)
  • Failure to provide complete pending/active grants information results in removal from review

Required Elements:

  • Project description with clear relevance to cancer detection, treatment, or cure
  • Budget justification (no maximum amount, but must be reasonable for project scope)
  • Indirect costs capped at 5% (applications exceeding 5% overhead usually not considered)
  • Tuition costs are permitted

Decision Timeline

  • Application deadlines: December 15, April 30, August 31
  • Final review: Board meetings in May, September, December
  • Notification: Email sent to Principal Investigator with copy to grant coordinator following final review
  • Overall timeline: Approximately 2-4 months from submission to decision depending on cycle
  • Project start dates: June 1, October 1, or January 1 (depending on cycle)

Success Rates

The Foundation evaluates more than 300 proposals annually and awards approximately 28-31 grants per year, suggesting a success rate of approximately 9-10%. Recent award years:

  • 2022: 28 awards
  • 2021: 28 awards
  • 2020: 31 awards

This is a highly competitive funding opportunity.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation does not provide reviewer feedback or comments to applicants, as reviewers and board members are volunteers across the U.S. who don't maintain office hours. However, the Foundation encourages applicants to submit an online application if they believe their project fits the Foundation's charter—suggesting that reapplication is permitted. No specific waiting period is documented for unsuccessful applicants.

Important: Institutions that fail to submit required final progress and financial reports from previous grants become ineligible for future funding consideration.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Stated Priorities: The Foundation "particularly welcomes innovative, small-scale, short-term projects which may be difficult to fund elsewhere until some interesting results are obtained." This is a critical statement revealing their niche: they fund high-risk, high-reward preliminary research that larger funders may overlook.

Strategic Positioning:

  • New investigators: Priority given to researchers new to cancer research—if you're making a career transition into oncology, emphasize this
  • Established investigators with new approaches: If you're an established researcher, emphasize the novelty of the approach rather than your track record
  • Innovation over credentials: The Foundation pioneered funding "emerging scientists who lacked established credentials"—focus your application on the innovative potential of the research, not your CV

Budget Considerations:

  • While there's no stated maximum, recent awards range $81,000-$187,000 with an average around $150,000
  • The 5% indirect cost cap is firm—applications exceeding this are "usually not considered"
  • Budget must be "reasonably supported by the scope of the project"—justify every line item clearly

Application Completeness:

  • Incomplete current/pending grants information will result in removal from review—this is non-negotiable
  • Ensure all key personnel are listed with their roles, commitments, and potential overlaps
  • Since applications cannot be edited after submission, review exhaustively before finalizing

Project Relevance:

  • "Project relevance to cancer detection, treatment, or cure should be clearly identified"—make this connection explicit and prominent
  • Recent funded projects span diverse cancer types (breast, lung, neuroblastoma, sarcoma, multiple myeloma, head and neck) and approaches (ncRNA, kinase inhibition, immune surveillance, metabolism)—breadth of interest is clear

One-Year Timeline:

  • Projects must be completable in one year—design achievable, focused aims
  • The Foundation seeks projects that will generate preliminary data for larger grant applications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Position as high-risk, preliminary research: Frame your project as innovative work that needs seed funding to generate data for larger grants—this is the Foundation's sweet spot
  • Emphasize novelty over credentials: Whether you're new to cancer research or proposing a new approach, highlight what's innovative and potentially difficult to fund through traditional mechanisms
  • Keep indirect costs at or below 5%: This is a firm requirement; budget accordingly from the start
  • Submit complete applications the first time: No post-submission edits allowed, and incomplete pending grants information results in automatic removal
  • Choose your cycle strategically: Three annual cycles provide flexibility—select the timeline that best fits your project start needs
  • Plan for high competition: With ~9-10% success rate, ensure your project truly fits the "innovative, small-scale, difficult to fund elsewhere" criteria
  • Be prepared for no feedback: Unsuccessful applicants receive no reviewer comments, so reapplications must rely on your own assessment of weaknesses

References

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