Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF)

Runs Prostate Cancer Foundation through competitive investigator, team, and translational grants focused on prostate cancer outcomes.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is a U.S.-based philanthropic funder founded in 1993 by Michael Milken. It has funded more than 2,250 projects across the US, UK, Canada, and other countries, with cumulative awards above $1 billion. The record places it as the world's leading philanthropic funder of prostate cancer research.

Its portfolio is built around annual competitive grants: Young Investigator Awards for early-career scientists, Challenge Awards for team science, TACTICAL Awards for large high-risk translational work, Creativity Awards for novel ideas, Dream Teams for cross-disciplinary consortia, and PCF-VA Awards for veterans. The 2026 cycle lists Young Investigator Awards at $75,000 per year for three years, Challenge Awards at $4.5 million, TACTICAL Awards at $5 million to $10 million over three to five years, and Creativity Awards at $300,000 over two years.

PCF is strongest for investigators working on lethal prostate cancer who can show a clear biological or translational case and assemble the right mentorship or team structure. Young Investigator Awards favor postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty, usually age 35 or younger, while TACTICAL and Challenge Awards favor larger scientific teams. Annual deadlines and a standing interest list show a recurring, disciplined grant rhythm rather than one-off philanthropy.