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National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet
  • Reviewed: 05/27/2011

Donations to the National Cancer Institute

Key Points

  1. Can donations be made to the National Cancer Institute?

    The National Cancer Institute (NCI), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is a federal government research agency funded by congressional appropriations. Although NCI does not solicit funds or participate in fund-raising activities, the Institute has been authorized by Congress to accept donations and bequests to support its mission. 

  2. How are donations made?

    All donations are handled through the NCI Gift Fund. Donation checks or money orders are made payable to the “National Cancer Institute” and sent to:

    The Director
    The National Cancer Institute
    Building 31, Room 11A-16
    9000 Rockville Pike
    Bethesda, MD 20892

    A donation letter should be sent along with the check or money order indicating that the donation is to be used for research at NCI. NCI will send an acknowledgement letter if the name and address of the donor is provided. Dollar amounts are not included in the letter of acknowledgement. The donation letter should include the following information:

    Name (contact person)
    Company Name (if applicable)
    Street Address
    City, State, and ZIP Code
    Telephone Number (optional) 

  3. Can donations be made in memory or in honor of a person?

    Yes. Donations can be made in memory or in honor of a person. The donation letter should include the name of the person who is being remembered or honored, plus the name(s) and address(es) of the individual(s) (honoree, spouse, or family member) to be notified of the donation. Dollar amounts are not included in the letter of acknowledgement. 

  4. Can donations be made for a specific type of research?

    All donations are applied toward projects in support of cancer research as determined by the NCI Director. However, donors may request that their donation be used to support a specific type(s) of cancer research. Such requests should be included in the donation letter.  

  5. How are donations used?

    Donations are deposited in the NCI Gift Fund and used for special projects in support of cancer research. Projects supported through the Gift Fund vary from year to year depending on the needs of the Institute. Special fellowships to train young scientists in cancer research, equipment purchases for clinical laboratories, support for workshops and conferences on subjects of special importance to cancer research, and the printing of pamphlets about cancer for the general public are some examples of projects supported through the Gift Fund. Donations are also used for the NIH Clinical Center’s “Patient Emergency Fund,” which is used to assist patients in financial need. (Donations can also be made directly to the NIH Clinical Center for this purpose.) 

  6. Is more information available about donations to NCI?

    Information about how to donate and the donation process is available on the NCI Office of Budget and Finance Web site 1. The Office of Budget and Finance may also be contacted by telephone at 301–496–5803, by e-mail, or at the following address:

    Office of Budget and Finance
    The National Cancer Institute
    Building 31, Room 11A-16
    9000 Rockville Pike
    Bethesda, MD 20892

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Glossary Terms

cancer (KAN-ser)
A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.
National Cancer Institute (NA-shuh-nul KAN-ser IN-stih-TOOT)
The National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's principal agency for cancer research. The National Cancer Institute conducts, coordinates, and funds cancer research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer. Access the National Cancer Institute Web site at http://www.cancer.gov. Also called NCI.
National Institutes of Health (NA-shuh-nul IN-stih-TOOTS … helth)
A federal agency in the U.S. that conducts biomedical research in its own laboratories; supports the research of non-Federal scientists in universities, medical schools, hospitals, and research institutions throughout the country and abroad; helps in the training of research investigators; and fosters communication of medical information. Access the National Institutes of Health Web site at http://www.nih.gov. Also called NIH.

Table of Links

1http://obf.cancer.gov/contribute/giftfund.htm
2http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/NCI/research-funding
3http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/NCI/NCI
4http://obf.cancer.gov