American Cancer Society INC EIN 13-1788491

American Cancer Society INC

EIN  13-1788491 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Atlanta, GA Founded 1922
Form 990 (PDF) Compare with another nonprofit →
Verified accurate 7/4/26 · see original filing: IRS
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Size
$100M+
What they do
Improves the lives of cancer patients and families through scientific research, advocacy for equitable healthcare policies, and direct patient support services.
Leadership
Karen E Knudsen PhD · Chief Executive Officer, Outgoing · $2.0M
Money in and out
$724.2M revenue, $791.9M expenses
Bottom line
80% program efficiency

Improves the lives of cancer patients and families through scientific research, advocacy for equitable healthcare policies, and direct patient support services. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $724.2M in revenue, $791.9M in expenses, and $1.3B in net assets.Pt I

Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$724.2M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$791.9M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$1.3B
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): −$67.7M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.80 Management & general $0.04 Fundraising $0.16
Program efficiency
80%
of spending reaches programs0% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
13.6mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▼ -14% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
-9%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +38% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$724.2M
FY2024▲ +10%
Expenses
$791.9M
FY2024▲ +5%
Total assets
$1.7B
FY2024▼ -3%
Total liabilities
$450.9M
FY2024▼ -15%
Total revenue
$724.2M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$791.9M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$1.3B
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19−$67.7M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$1.7B
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B80%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 319
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 419
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

4 program services account for $735.2M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Patient Support

The american cancer society, inc. (acs) offers programs and services to help individuals during and after cancer treatment. We provide the latest, evidence-based cancer information and are available 24/7 to help people facing cancer find services and resources, whether they want to understand their diagnosis and treatment options, learn…

$381.8Mprogram expense
02

Research

Acs launches innovative, high-impact research to find more - and better - treatments, uncover factors that may cause cancer, and improve quality of life for people facing cancer. We fund research grants and conduct cancer research studies to help accelerate the pace of progress.

$202.1Mprogram expense
03

Patient Support

The american cancer society, inc. (acs) offers programs and services to help individuals during and after cancer treatment. We provide the latest, evidence-based cancer information and are available 24/7 to help people facing cancer find services and resources, whether they want to understand their diagnosis and treatment options, learn…

$103.2Mprogram expense
04

Advocacy

Acs promotes policies that build healthier communities, create safer workplaces, and provide greater, more equitable access to quality medical care. Advocacy efforts include, but are not limited to, grants to affiliates. As acs' nonprofit, nonpartisan affiliate, the american cancer society cancer action network, inc.

$48.1Mprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CAmerican Cancer Society INC
EINHdr · item D13-1788491
Principal addressHdr · item CAtlanta, GA
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.cancer.org
Year of formationHdr · item L1922
State of legal domicileHdr · item MGA
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFDiseases & Disorders (G300)
Ruling yearIRS BMFNov 1942

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a19
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b19
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chief Executive Officer, Outgoing
$2,015,611Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial & Strategy Officer
$1,150,466Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Scientific Officer
$1,011,912Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Organizational Advancement
$977,147Pt VII · Sec A
Chief People Officer
$950,673Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Patient Officer
$868,358Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Legal and Risk Officer, Outgoing
$677,507Pt VII · Sec A
Senior EVP, Field Operations
$641,450Pt VII · Sec A

Karen E Knudsen PHD’s $2.0M as Chief Executive Officer, Outgoing is at the 93rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 45 $100M+ diseases & disorders nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Karen E Knudsen PHD$2,015,611
Karen E Knudsen PHD$1,293,396$945,590
Kael Reicin$1,150,466$430,565$330,618
Kael Reicin$1,024,247$792,527
William L Dahut$1,011,912
Michael L Neal$977,147$459,767$375,776
Jung H Kim$963,222$429,441
Andre C Bokhoor$950,673

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$689.7M · 95%
Investment income$36.7M · 5%
Contributions & grants95%$689.7M
Investment income5%$36.7M
Program service revenue$777K
— government grantsLn 1e$3.2M
Total revenueLn 12$724.2M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.80 Management & general $0.04 Fundraising $0.16
Program services80%$632.0M
Management & general4%$34.6M
Fundraising16%$125.2M
Total functional expensesLn 25$791.9M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$45.3M
Total assetsLn 16$1.7B
Total liabilitiesLn 26$450.9M
Total net assetsLn 32$1.3B
Months of cash on handcomputed0.7

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $851.0M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $791.9M · Less non-cash grants $38.9M · Cash operating expenses/yr $753.0M
13.6 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $632.0M · Total expenses $791.9M
80%
Management & General
Management & general $34.6M · Total expenses $791.9M
4%
Fundraising
Fundraising $125.2M · Total expenses $791.9M
16%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $116.4M · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $659.4M
$0.18 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $689.7M · Total revenue $724.2M
95%
Government reliance
Government grants $3.2M · Total revenue $724.2M
0%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $777K · Total revenue $724.2M
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $36.7M · Total revenue $724.2M
+5%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $777K · Total expenses $791.9M
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $724.2M · Prior year $656.8M
+10%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $576.3M · FY2024 $724.2M
+6%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $1.3B · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $724.2M · Expenses $791.9M
-9%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $1.7B
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $1.3B · Total assets $1.7B
74%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $760.5M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) $45.3M · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $1.7B
46%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Karen E Knudsen PHD · Reported title CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, OUTGOING · Highest reported compensation $2.0M · Total expenses $791.9M
0%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $330.7M · Total expenses $791.9M
42%
Fundraising vendors
Fundraiser cost ratio
Paid to fundraisers $13.5M · Gross raised $87.3M
15%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 80%
Overhead ratio 4%
Fundraising cost ratio 18%
Revenue growth 10%
Investment management fee ratio 0%
Legal fee ratio 2%
Accounting fee ratio 0%
Fundraising fee ratio 1%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 41 funders →
Grants paid · 3,445 grants · $844.0M · 2020–2024
Mass General Brigham IncorporatedMA · FY2024$9,837,685
Oregon Health & Science UniversityFY2024$4,598,554
Yale UniversityCT · FY2024$4,516,757
Washington UniversityFY2024$4,213,500
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences CenterFY2024$4,125,000
Mass General Brigham IncorporatedMA · FY2024$3,681,743
Ut Southwestern Medical CenterFY2024$3,452,000
University of Alabama at BirminghamFY2024$3,204,500
Dana-Farber Cancer InstituteMA · FY2024$3,193,000
Medical University of So CarolinaSC · FY2024$3,171,000
U of Tx MD Anderson Cancer CtrFY2024$2,952,234
Duke University Health System INCNC · FY2024$2,520,500
See all 3,445 grants →

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024 (Latest)$724.2M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$656.8M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$674.5M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$734.4M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$576.3M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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