Mccance Foundation Trust

The McCance Foundation Trust applies a venture capital approach to philanthropy, reflecting founder Henry McCance's career as Chairman Emeritus of Greylock Partners, one of the oldest and most successful VC firms. The foundation focuses on two core areas: alleviating poverty for disadvantaged children (primarily through education reform) and medical research on diseases affecting the McCance family, particularly Alzheimer's disease. Henry McCance co-founded Cure Alzheimer's Fund in 2004, which has raised over $200 million and applies VC-style funding models to breakthrough research. The foundation is run by Henry, his two daughters, his son-in-law, and a Harvard Business School professor as trustees — a tight family-and-advisors structure typical of venture philanthropists. The foundation does not maintain a public application process or active website, suggesting all grantmaking flows through the family's networks and personal identification of opportunities.

The McCance Foundation Trust distributed $5.4 million across 165 grants in 2023, with approximately $91 million in assets. This represents a roughly 6% payout rate with a high number of awards, suggesting a mix of smaller research grants and larger institutional commitments. The average grant of approximately $33,000 indicates many modest awards, likely research grants and educational program support, alongside some larger anchor investments. The connected Cure Alzheimer's Fund raises over $30 million annually and has cumulatively funded over $200 million in Alzheimer's research, making the McCance philanthropic ecosystem considerably larger than the foundation's 990 filings alone suggest. The foundation's venture capital approach means it likely seeks high-impact, measurable outcomes from its investments rather than general operating support.

McCance occupies a unique position as a family foundation applying venture capital methodology to both education reform and medical research. Unlike the Barr Foundation (Boston's largest), which accepts open applications across broad themes, McCance operates through personal networks and targeted investments. Its education reform focus overlaps conceptually with New Schools Venture Fund, though at smaller scale. The McCance-connected Cure Alzheimer's Fund has become one of the most significant private funders of Alzheimer's research nationally, making the total McCance philanthropic footprint far larger than the foundation's assets alone suggest.

The McCance Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024. Cure Alzheimer's Fund, co-founded by Henry McCance, has surpassed $200 million in total research funding and continues to raise over $30 million annually for Alzheimer's disease research. Henry McCance serves on the board of the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, named in recognition of the family's contributions to neurological research. The foundation distributed $5.4 million across 165 grants in 2023, maintaining its dual focus on education reform for disadvantaged children and medical research. The foundation's website (mccance.org) appears to be a parked domain on Hostinger, suggesting the foundation operates without a public-facing digital presence — consistent with its invitation-only, network-driven grantmaking model.

1. There is no open application process: The McCance Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals through a public portal. All grantmaking appears to flow through the McCance family's personal and professional networks. 2. Connect through institutional relationships: The foundation's trustees include McCance family members and a Harvard Business School professor. Organizations connected to HBS, Greylock Partners' portfolio, or the Cure Alzheimer's Fund network may have pathways to the foundation's attention. 3. Emphasize measurable outcomes: Henry McCance's venture capital background means the foundation likely values quantifiable impact metrics, rigorous evaluation, and clear theories of change. Frame proposals in terms of ROI on philanthropic investment. 4. Focus on education reform or medical research: The foundation has two clear lanes — poverty alleviation through education reform for disadvantaged children, and medical research (especially neurodegenerative diseases). Proposals outside these areas are unlikely to gain traction. 5. Consider the Cure Alzheimer's Fund pathway: For Alzheimer's and neurodegenerative disease researchers, Cure Alzheimer's Fund (curealz.org) is the more accessible entry point, as it operates as a public charity with clearer engagement mechanisms than the private foundation.