American Brain Tumor Association
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Community Education and Outreach
The American Brain Tumor Association is a trusted resource for brain tumor patients, caregivers and health care professionals around the country. Our program managers respond to requests from patients and families seeking assistance in understanding a diagnosis or treatment, or in navigating the complexities of the health care system. From a wide range of publications to webinars and educational programs, our goal is to ensure that brain tumor patients, their families and those who care for them have the tools and information they need to better understand their diagnosis and treatment options.
The ABTA provides:
§ Educational information and support services for pediatric and adult patients at www.abta.org
§ Printed publications – Specific brain tumor information from diagnosis through treatment are available for free to patients and families. Most are downloadable in Spanish.
§ Professionals are available to provide care consultations by phone or by email, and assist patients and caregivers find the specific information, resources and tools that meet their needs.
§ An online support community that connects patients, families, friends and caregivers for support and inspiration. Members join for free with access to the site 24/7.
§ ABTA “TrialConnect” is a clinical trial matching service for those patients interested in enrolling in a clinical trial.
§ Monthly webinars on topics of interest (adult and pediatric) for brain tumor patients, families and health care professionals. Webinars are recorded and can be viewed at any time on the ABTA website.
§ An annual national, patient-centered conference that provides patient and caregiver information as well as the opportunity to interact with ABTA supported researchers and network with others.
§ Outreach to and collaboration with health care institutions across the country to provide the latest information and resources on brain tumor treatment and care.
§ Updates on brain tumor care and treatment through our newsletter, monthly electronic communications, and regular website postings at www.abta.org.
Research Funding
Patients are the core of the American Brain Tumor Association’s research funding program.
Each grant funded by the ABTA is selected because of the way it supports our mission of advancing the understanding and treatment of brain tumors with the goals of improving, extending and, ultimately, saving the lives of those impacted by a brain tumor diagnosis.
An independent, multi-level, external review process ensures that ABTA grants are awarded to the brightest and most forward thinking researchers. Our prestigious Scientific Advisory Council and grant reviewers are the leadership of the brain tumor community. Many were recipients of ABTA funding earlier in their careers.
Through the funding of early career scientists, the ABTA is seeding the field with talented young investigators who have the potential to change our understanding of the causes, effects, diagnosis and treatment of brain tumors. We support innovative discovery science that is developing new drugs, new imaging techniques, and advanced methods of diagnosing brain tumors. We collaborate with other research funders, both in and out of the brain tumor field, to expand the understanding of this disease while learning from other diseases. We support research that will improve the quality of life of brain tumor survivors and their caregivers.
The American Brain Tumor Association’s Research Funding Program:
Supports early career development through:
· BASIC RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS
$100,000 two-year training awards for new and early career scientists wishing to learn brain tumor research skills.
Through these awards, the ABTA is seeding the field with new brain tumor researchers. An ABTA Fellowship is a highly regarded, and often the first, award of a new investigator’s career. To date, we have brought 250 researchers into this field via ABTA Fellowships. Many transitioned into leaders of brain tumor research laboratories and treatment programs, and now serve as mentors to new scientists entering the field.
MEDICAL STUDENT SUMMER FELLOWSHIPS
· $3,000 summer stipend grants which allow medical students to spend a summer in a brain tumor research laboratory.
These awards are one of the most exciting areas for the ABTA to fund as they are so meaningful to these enthusiastic students embarking on their careers. The experience makes this disease better understood as medical students visualize tumor cells while learning the scientific skills needed to one day solve the diseases.
Supports early career development through:
DISCOVERY GRANTS
· $50,000 one-year awards in support of new concepts with the potential to change the way brain tumors are diagnosed or treated.
Discovery Grants, while considered the most “high risk/high impact” of our funding areas, carry the highest opportunity for reward and innovation. Concepts supported through this grant must be capable of changing the way brain tumors are diagnosed or treated. Funding has been provided for the development of new drugs, new approaches to visualizing tumors, and advanced approaches to tumor detection.
Supports collaborative funding opportunities:
COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES
Jointly sponsored feasibility and clinical research studies which increase the impact of our research funding in these areas. These grants provide support to projects more effectively performed across multiple organizations or funders.
Where we work
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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
1. RESEARCH FUNDING: Increase career development & support for brain tumor researchers
2. ADVOCACY: Increase voice of those impacted in public and health policy decisions
3. ACCESS: Increase patient & caregiver access to information
4. PROVIDERS: Increase clinician awareness of issues faced by brain tumor patients and families
5. POINT OF DIAGNOSIS: Increase clinician use of ABTA resources
6. CAPACITY: Ensure ABTA’s capacity for impact
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
RESEARCH - Support scientists working on brain tumor research
PUBLIC EDUCATION & ADVOCACY - Amplify the voice of the brain tumor community
PATIENT & CAREGIVER ACCESS Reaching patients when and where they need us
HEALTHCARE OUTREACH Increasing knowledge of frontline healthcare professionals about brain tumors and ABTA resources
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The American Brain Tumor Association has created a three-year strategic plan that reflects our commitment to increasing research funding; increasing the quality of information available to patients and their caregivers; increasing the number of newly diagnosed who get information they need in a timely way so they can make informed treatment decisions; and serving as the voice of the brain tumor community.
The plan represents the combined insights and shared commitment of ABTA’s Board, staff, donors, funders, and other stakeholders. It lays out how we will advance our mission with unity of purpose. We have built it from a position of strength and a desire to serve. It challenges us to come together and bring our best talents and our enduring passion to improve, extend, and save lives.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
ABTA's research funding is very well respected across multiple constituencies.
Our patient/caregiver and health care professional education gets strong marks; distribution is the only question. All programs need to have a more national footprint in order for the organization to reach more people, in more places in more meaningful ways.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
American Brain Tumor Association
Board of directorsas of 9/1/2015
Jeff Fougerousse
Vernon Hills Park District
Barbara Dunn Partner
Barnes & Thornburg, LLP
Brian Olson Financial Advisor
Edward Jones
James Zhang Head of Clinical Development and Medical Affairs
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Companies
James Reilly Director, Talent Management
Walgreens
Jay Krames Director of Ethics and Compliance
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Susannah Davis Director of Business Development
McQueary Henry Bowles Troy
Alison Miller Manager of Patient Safety
Sinai Health Systems
Jeffery Smith Executive Director
Diversity Best Practices
Craig Stokely President
The Stokely Partnership
Carla Varner Director of Legal Affairs
Guggenheim Partners LLC
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes