The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Foundation serves
as the connecting link for public policy, community, and business
leaders and is committed to strengthening and expanding the fight
against cancer in Texas.
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Below is the Op Ed from CPRIT Foundation Vice Chair Barbara Canales
that ran in the Houston Chronicle today. The
CPRIT Foundation
continues to operate under a process of integrity,
intelligence and
efficiency. We are encouraged by the strength and
confidence of
our Board, staff, and supporters.
Cancer Agency Committed to Clarity, Transparency
In
recent months, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of
Texas
has come under the scrutiny of state leaders and Texas citizens.
In
an effort to make all facts known and available to the public, the
CPRIT Foundation - the nonprofit created to support the mission
of the
institute - has found it imperative to make its role and
purpose clear.
First,
it is crucial to know that no taxpayer money is used to support
the
activities of the CPRIT Foundation. The foundation is funded
entirely by
private donations.
In
an effort to provide complete transparency, a list of foundation
donors
has been made public and provided to members of the
Texas Legislature,
other public officials and members of the media.
Originally,
the foundation adopted a donor bill of rights to protect
the
confidentiality of its donors. This is standard practice for
foundations
so that contributors are not added to call lists or
targeted by other
organizations seeking financial support. However,
in light of recent
developments, the foundation took this important
step.
It
is also important to note that the foundation plays no role in the
institute's grant application or review process. It has made every
effort available to the foundation to address potential donor
conflicts,
including prohibiting foundation donors from receiving
grants from the
institute.
In fact, contributions have been returned in cases where it has been determined a possible conflict may exist.
The
CPRIT Foundation was established by the Legislature for good
reason; to
support the work of the institute by supplementing
executive salaries,
coordinating an annual scientific conference
and promoting cancer
prevention and research efforts alongside
business and community
leaders. The foundation exists solely
for these administrative purposes.
As organizations other than
CPRIT have found, this model is necessary,
and not uncommon,
in achieving goals that are restricted by state agency
regulations.
For
example, the state Legislature correctly contemplated that
CPRIT would
not be able to attract the caliber of scientists needed
to make it a
first-class institute with the salaries allowed by the
state of Texas.
To recruit the best scientific minds in the country,
CPRIT needs to
offer a competitive salary, and that is only achieved
by having a
separate foundation that can supplement that
compensation.
The
CPRIT Foundation also coordinates and directs CPRIT's annual
conference
using private funds. This conference attracts the most accomplished and
highly respected scientists in the world and
nearly 1,000 attendees to
our state to discuss the most advanced
and cutting-edge developments in
cancer prevention and research.
Throughout
the year, the foundation staff also travels across the
state to conduct
meetings with advocates and community leaders.
The foundation also
organizes Cancer Day at the Capitol to raise
awareness among state
legislators and has coordinated an annual
meeting in Washington to build
relationships to recruit support
and federal grants into our state.
The
consulting firm selected to direct the efforts of the foundation,
JHL
Company, was chosen because of its proven success in
fundraising and
project management for both public and private
entities.
The
retainer for their services, which includes all operating
expenses and
overhead associated with the foundation, is
less than 17 percent of the
foundation's total income over a
three-year period. This is comparable
to other, similar foundations.
Members
of the CPRIT Oversight Committee and the CPRIT
Foundation Board of
Directors serve as uncompensated volunteers.
I serve on both, within the
parameters of the original bylaws,
because of my own personal
connection to this terrible disease.
As
an organization created to supplement the efforts of such an
important
cause, the foundation is committed to providing clarity, transparency
and anything else that will help the institute continue
its hard work in
the fight against cancer.
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