Launching UnlockingBrainTumors.org - Guiding Considerations
By Mike Tancredi for UnlockingBrainTumors.org
January 21, 2008

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Launching a charitable organization is, ideally, a well-considered endeavor. When UnlockingBrainTumors.org was being formed, it faced the questions that every other would-be charitable effort must answer, in establishing its relevance. Among them are: 1) Can you make a positive contribution to the community that will add to, rather than distract from, existing efforts; 2) Can you develop a structure and operating model that maximizes your contribution?

There are, in truth, many ways to answer these questions, and we firmly believe that the largest charitable organizations on down to the smallest can make a positive difference, and can successfully contribute. So as a fledgling organization with no employees, aiming to grow into one that has a goal to ultimately raise $53 million, UnlockingBrainTumors.org, we know we have some work to do. Because there is no shortage of valuable resources in the brain tumor community, we have worked to determine the ways we can be of most value.

A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION

There is no shortage of valuable resource organizations in the brain tumor community. Spanning a continuum that includes support, community, technical information, brain tumor awareness, medical monitoring, research funding and science, the brain tumor community is well represented. UnlockingBrainTumors.org believes it can add to this significant presence with a somewhat unique proposition: to exist with complete dedication to efficient and rapid fundraising to that will immediately benefit research in the brain tumor community.

To be clear, each of the many organizations in our community is dedicated to fundraising and awareness and has a rich history of doing so. Being newer to the party, UnlockingBrainTumors.org has thus had the opportunity to serve as a portal to these wonderful organizations - using our modest reach and network to add to the linkage so important to brain tumor survivors and their families, while simultaneously raising funds that can then be channeled directly to these organizations for research. We feel that this singlemindedness, reflected in our Mission statement, can make a positive contribution to our community.

AN EFFECTIVE OPERATING MODEL

Just as important as believing we can indeed make a positive contribution is the way we go about it. UnlockingBrainTumors.org's vision is to work to maximize its effectiveness and impact by keeping its operating costs very low, operating primarily through the efforts of volunteers, and aiming to send 95% of every donated dollar directly to research funding. We are aiming to be recognized among the very best charities with our efficiency, and this will be a guiding principal. Toward this end, we will continue to expand opportunities for volunteers to assist us, to leverage our national network of colleagues, associates and friends and limit the operational cost per dollar raised, and to leverage pre-existing resources to build on, rather than compete with, the host of well established organizations in the brain

EARLY INDICATORS OF SUCCESS

Though UnlockingBrainTumors.org was only formed in the fall of 2007, we have reason to believe that our message and approach is resonating. We have worked to coalesce an excellent array of beneficiaries that we believe can operationalize our raised funds for critical research. We have sought an advice from leading physicians, scientists and community knowledge workers to sharpen our strategy. We have heard from survivors and the families of loved ones who believe in what we are doing and want to help make a difference. And we have quickly found success in formally launching our organization, gaining 501(c)3 status, raising funds and quickly channeling them to beneficiaries.

We have a lot of work to do and money yet to raise, but we are confident that with the proper approach to contributing to the brain tumor community, that we can truly play an important role in unlocking brain tumors.