Rheumatology Research Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

FOUNDATION PROGRAMS SUPPORT RESEARCH INVESTIGATING THE BROAD SPECTRUM OF RHEUMATIC DISEASES, INCLUDING but not limited to: JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS, OSTEOARTHRITIS, PEDIATRIC SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, SCLERODERMA, SPONDYLOARTHROPATHIES, SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS, AND VASCULITIS. PLEASE SEE SCHEDULE O FOR A CONTINUATION OF PROGRAM SERVICES. The Rheumatology Research Foundation maintains an extensive awards and grants portfolio, with 22 support mechanisms for rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals in the U.S. Each grant application contains very specific eligibility and review criteria (details regarding these requirements are available at www.rheumresearch.org). All applications undergo rigorous peer review in their assigned study section, and are scored and ranked according to the review criteria and overall merit of the proposal. All study section recommendations are sent to the Foundation's Scientific Advisory Council for qualification before being presented (blinded) to the Foundation Board of Directors for final approval. After the awards are made, all recipients are required to complete funding contracts with institutional sign-off, and must also submit annual reports on their progress, including financial reconciliation and assurance of compliance with Foundation policies (available on the website). All reports are reviewed by the Foundation's Scientific Advisory Council to ensure compliance with programmatic, scientific, fiscal, and administrative polices and requirements. If a recipient is found to be in compliance and making reasonable progress (i.e. meeting project benchmarks), the next year of funding is approved for disbursement. If not, the award may be terminated. Such programmatic oversight allows for excellent stewardship of Foundation funds. In additional to regular oversight as described above, portfolio review are conducted every five years to ensure that funding mechanisms are effectively meeting the Foundation's goals outlined in the strategic plan. In addition, the Rheumatology Research Foundation abides by the following conflict of interest guidelines: Guidelines for awarding of Foundation awards and grants I. The Foundation will not permit and external entities to select (or influence the selection of) recipients of Foundation awards or grants. II. The Foundation will appoint independent committees to select recipients of Foundation awards or grants based on peer review of grant applications. III. The Foundation will not require recipients of Foundation awards or grants to meet with external entities. IV. The Foundation will not permit any external entity that supports Foundation awards or grants to require intellectual property rights or royalties arising out of the grant-funded research. V. The Foundation will not permit any external entity that supports Foundation awards or grants to control or influence manuscripts that arise from the grant-funded research. The Foundation provides funding to help recruit students and residents into the subspecialty and supports investigators and practitioners working in the field of rheumatology. Grants are awarded for different training opportunities, from undergraduate students to established investigators, building a more capable, robust team of rheumatology professionals around the nation. In the last five years, researchers receiving Foundation funding have published 451 papers, received $133.5M in related NIH funding, and given 69 scientific presentations at the ACR Convergence meeting. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to advancing treatment for people living with rheumatic disease and is the largest private funding source of rheumatology research and training in the United States. The organization has received a 4-star rating, the highest offered by Charity Navigator, for sixteen consecutive years based on good governance, sound fiscal management, and commitment to accountability

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 94.9%; rating input score 95
• Program expense ratio: 84.6%; rating input score 85
• Fundraising efficiency: $7.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 13.7%; rating input score 74; 74th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 4.48; rating input score 83; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 2%; rating input score 77; 77th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 1.4% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.7% per year; rating input score 100; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 1.9% per year; rating input score 100; 17th percentile among comparable filings