Tower Cancer Research Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

In 2023, tower funded four new career development research grants for four promising young physician scientists located at ucla, uci and ucsd. Research areas focus on innovative therapies such as: the use of ph to target glioblastoma cells in hopes to improve treatment for this deadly disease; using a model of skin cancer, a new tool to track cancer cells in their natural habitat to find how lymphatic vessels shield cancer cells and aid their spread to other parts of the body; targeting liver-metastatic pancreatic cancer by identifying weaknesses that can be exploited to slow the growth of tumors in the liver or possibly prevent the establishment of metastasis from happening in pancreatic cancer; stem cell reprogramming of anti-tumor t cells to make til therapy a more effective treatment. In addition, tower continued funding mul-ti-year senior investigator grants. Total scientific grant expenditures in 2023 topped $700,000. Investing in novel ideas of young investigators and experienced senior investigators allows us to leverage our donor dollars to have maximum impact. In 2023 alone, tcrf researchers reported nearly $3m in follow-on funding, dozens of grants, publications academic awards, two clinical trials, and so much more.our clinically-grounded survivorship support programs, hosted by magnolia house, align with the challeng-es faced by patients, survivors, and the whole cancer community. We provide integrative health and well-ness support and education, through free fitness, therapeutic, and holistic classes, that empowerpeople to develop a physical and emotional toolkit to meet the challenges of cancer from diagnosis to survivorship. In 2023, tower invested over $500,000 in survivorship programs. In 2013, magnolia house survivorship support program offered 20 classes and had 500 visits in the first year. In 2023, magnolia house offered over 1500 classes/services and received over 20,000 participant visits. In response to covid19, we continued offering classes online via zoom which has expanded the demographics in which we service and enabled us to increase our class capacities. We added outdoor programming at local parks which have been well received. Even with an increase in class capacities, many of our classes had a wait list which highlights both the quality in the programs we offer and the void that exists, especially with the iso-lation many cancer patients experience. Participants view magnolia house survivorship support program as a lifeline that provides not only enhanced quality of life but a community of friendship, encouragement, and comfort as well. One example that reflects the impact of magnolia house, is the survivor 2 thriver peer to peer fundraising campaign we launched in the summer of 2023. Our goal was to raise $5,000. Magnolia house participants raised $30,000 through this campaign, highlighting the depth of community and impact of the magnolia house program.tower's community partnership grant review committee is composed of expert volunteers who review applications in depth and then meet to discuss grant applications from cancer support organizations across southern California. In 2023, we funded $200,000 in community partner grants and continued to refine our review process with a new grant management system, new and experienced peer grant reviewers, and a needs assessment to reflect a more targeted focus on funding organizations that support underserved and under resourced communities allowing us to extend our support to those most in need of care.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 80%; rating input score 80
• Program expense ratio: 69%; rating input score 69
• Fundraising efficiency: $4.95 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 88.2%; rating input score 88; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 21.3%; rating input score 21; 13th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 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: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -15.6%; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.89; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.63; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8.4%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 2.1% per year; rating input score 100; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1.7% per year; rating input score 100; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -1.3% per year; rating input score 0; 9th percentile among comparable filings