Dear CPRIT Foundation Supporter:
As you may be aware, there have been several recent news reports
focused on the efforts of the CPRIT Foundation. I think it is important
to you as a donor and supporter of the Foundation that I correct
misrepresentations in these media reports and ensure that you have the
facts relating to our activities, especially relating to our
expenditures.
1. The Foundation was authorized by the legislature in 2009. The
Foundation was established to support salary supplements to two CPRIT
Institute executives and to further the mission of CPRIT. This is
similar to every major state university.
2. The CPRIT Foundation is entirely privately funded thanks to the
generosity of donors like yourself. The Foundation receives no state or
public funding.
3. The CPRIT Foundation has no connection to the CPRIT
institute grant review/approval process that is conducted by
out-of-state expert reviewers. No CPRIT Institute grantee is a donor to
the Foundation.
4. Regarding the foundation’s expenditures, we have always strived to
control costs and be judicious with the support we have received.
Contrary to what has been reported, less than 17% of the Foundation’s
income has been spent in administrative costs. This number is similar to
other comparable foundations.
5. While our expenses have increased incrementally over the past two
years, so have our activities in support of the CPRIT Institute. We are
in solid financial condition with a year-end cash on hand balance of
over $900,000.
The CPRIT Foundation serves as a state-wide collective voice for
cancer related public policy issues in Texas as well as a platform to
connect public and private entities committed to strengthening and
expanding the fight against cancer in our state.
A few of the efforts of the Foundation over the past three years have included:
-
Coordinating
and directing a major annual scientific exchange of innovative and
game-changing ideas in cancer research and prevention. Started from
scratch just three years ago, the CPRIT conference is attended annually
by nearly 1000 scientists and prevention experts from across the
Country.
-
Working
with business and community leaders to create and promote cancer
prevention programs. Regional education and awareness events have been
created to promote the mission of CPRIT.
-
Working
to recruit more resources to Texas for cancer efforts by leveraging
relationships with Federal agencies and private foundations.
-
Working
to facilitate one voice in public policy in the fight against
cancer. The CPRIT Foundation has coordinated advocacy meetings for all
cancer advocates to communicate their specific public policy efforts
with each other and recruit support from each other.
-
Coordinated
and directed an annual Federal awareness day in Washington arming our
Texas Congressional delegation with basic information about CPRIT and
the fight against cancer in Texas.
-
Coordinated
cancer awareness day inviting participation by all cancer advocacy
groups in conjunction with the Texas legislative session.
I
am proud of the work the CPRIT Foundation has done in the past three
years and will not let media misrepresentations divert us from our
mission. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you, again,
for your continued support of the CPRIT Foundation.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Stevens
Executive Director
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