- Can donations be made to the National Cancer Institute?
The National Cancer Institute (NCI), a component of the National Institutes
of Health, is a Federal Government research agency funded by congressional
appropriations. Although the NCI does not solicit funds or participate in
fund-raising activities, the Institute has been authorized by the U.S. Congress
to accept donations and bequests to support its mission.
A number of private cancer organizations operate locally and nationally in
the United States, and many of them have similar names. Some of these groups
may suggest NCI or the NCI’s Cancer Information Service as a source
of information on cancer. However, none of these organizations are affiliated
with the NCI.
- 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 the NCI. The NCI will send
an acknowledgement letter of the gift 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)
- 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.
- Can donations be made for a specific type of research?
All donations are used for cancer research projects as determined by the
NCI Director. However, a donation can be designated for a certain type of
cancer research. This request should be made in the donation letter.
- How are donations used?
Donations are deposited in NCI’s 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. Projects that have
been supported through the Gift Fund include special fellowships to train
young scientists in cancer research, equipment for clinical laboratories,
workshops and conferences on subjects of special importance to cancer research,
and the printing of pamphlets about cancer for the general public. Donations
are also used for the National Institutes of Health (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).
- Can donations be deducted on income tax?
Yes. Donations to the Institute are deductible for income, gift, and estate
tax purposes under the Internal Revenue Code.
- Is more information available about donations to the NCI?
Information on how to donate and the donation process is available on the
NCI’s Office of Budget and Finance Web site at http://obf.cancer.gov/contribute/giftfund.htm
on the Internet. The NCI Office of Budget and Finance may also be contacted
by telephone at 301–496–5803, by e-mail at perezv@mail.nih.gov,
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
