Frequently Asked Questions

1. What type of organization is the JDCA?
2. What is the mission of the JDCA?
3. What is the JDCA’s relationship with donors?
4. Does the JDCA solicit or raise money?
5. Does the JDCA handle donor money?
6. Who works at the JDCA?
7. Does the JDCA conduct scientific type 1 diabetes research?
8. What is a “coverage universe” and how were the four charitable organizations that are under coverage selected?
9. Does the JDCA cover any charitable organizations abroad?
10. What is the JDCA’s relationship with the charitable organizations within its coverage universe?
11. Who writes the JDCA surveys?
12. How will the JDCA employ its goal orienting approach?
13. Will the JDCA be commenting on breakthrough research?
14. Will the JDCA be evaluating and/or promoting the potential of scientific project?

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1.)    What type of organization is the JDCA?

The JDCA is a new 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization focused solely on facilitating the delivery of a Practical Cure for type 1 diabetes by 2025.  The JDCA is unique among type 1-related organizations because we provide independent and objective research and analysis on several major type 1 charitable research foundations/organizations.  As an independent information provider, we conduct proprietary research and report our findings and conclusions without bias toward any charitable foundation or research approach.  We operate free of conflicts of interest and receive no compensation from the organizations discussed in our reports.

The JDCA takes a business-like approach in our assessment of the prospects for developing a Practical Cure for type 1.  The strategies and operations of the charitable research foundations/organizations we follow will be studied, analyzed and commented on within the context of the potential to develop a Practical Cure by 2025.

2.)    What is the mission of the JDCA?

Our singular mission is to direct donor contributions to the charitable organizations that most effectively fund research with the goal of delivering a type 1 Practical Cure by 2025.

3.)    What is the JDCA’s relationship with donors?

Establishing and building a close relationship with the donor community is of paramount importance to the JDCA.  We will work diligently to become viewed as a close and trusted advisor to donors, and an organization that can be viewed as providing reliable and insightful information to guide donors in their support of charities.  Reports on a variety of cure-related topics will be regularly published with the intent of better informing donors about the organizations they support and the progress toward a Practical Cure.

We seek to create an Alliance of cure-minded donors and will do this primarily through information sharing.   As the JDCA builds its capabilities and reputation, we will offer advice to donors on how to maximize their chances of contributing to research that can deliver a Practical Cure by 2025.  Advice will be shared with people across all donation ranges.

4.)    Does the JDCA solicit or raise money?

The JDCA neither solicits nor accepts outside contributions.  The JDCA’s operations are funded entirely by a charitable foundation created by our Founder, Brian Kelly.  Information provided by the JDCA is available free of charge.  Additionally, no money is raised for the purpose of re-distribution to type 1 research organizations.

5.)    Does the JDCA handle donor money?

No, the JDCA does not handle donor contributions.  The JDCA seeks to identify the most effective avenues for donors and organizations to allocate their money in order to maximize the chances of developing a Practical Cure by 2025.  Assistance will be provided to individual donors on the stipulations they should require when directing their donations.  The JDCA will provide letters (such as our Donor Action Letter) and other materials to accompany donations.  As our Alliance membership and support grows, we will add resources based on the desires and needs of donors.

6.)    Who works at the JDCA?

Senior personnel at the JDCA have direct involvement with type 1 diabetes.  Both the Founder and the Director of Research Analysis have children with type 1.  The JDCA was founded by Brian Kelly, a parent whose child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2006.  He, like all parents and people afflicted with type 1, wants to see a cure for type 1.  He founded the Juvenile Diabetes Cure Alliance in order to speed the progress toward a Practical Cure.  For more information, see additional comments in his Founder’s Letter.

Peter Miselis, CFA, the JDCA’s Director of Research, has two young adult children that were diagnosed many years ago.   Peter heads the research effort and conducts independent research and analysis primarily on four important type 1 charitable research foundations/organizations.  In addition to the four organizations frequently discussed in our reports, Peter also maintains a working knowledge of other research institutions.  Our Marketing and Outreach team, lead by Cara Murphy includes Stoyan Zaimov, Nick Masercola and Drew Guarini.   For more information, please refer to  About Us.

7.)    Does the JDCA conduct scientific type 1 diabetes research?

The JDCA does not conduct scientific research relating to type 1.  We have no relationships with scientists or research organizations that could potentially create a conflict of interest.  We do, however, have an arms-length relationship with people in the type 1 and scientific communities that enables us to better understand the relevance and practicality involved in the science of cure research.  The JDCA does not possess any prejudice towards specific scientific approaches, research methodologies or the charitable organizations that we research and analyze.

8.)    What is a “coverage universe” and how were the four charitable organizations that are under coverage selected?

Our coverage universe is a list of charitable research foundations or organizations on which the JDCA will perform ongoing independent research.  Four organizations currently comprise our coverage universe:  the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Research Foundation Institute, the JDRF and Joslin.  The JDCA concentrates its diligence on these organizations because they engage in and are amongst the largest public fundraising organizations, provide audited financial statements and fund or conduct important research relating to the development of a type 1 cure.
The JDCA publishes reports on a regular basis on the organizations in our coverage universe with commentary based on our proprietary research and analysis.  Reports may take the form of discussing an organization individually or they could be a broader discussion of a type 1 cure-related topic that encompasses multiple charitable organizations.  Reports are written within the context of the development of a Practical Cure by 2025.

9.)    Does the JDCA cover any charitable organizations abroad?

The JDCA is currently focusing its attention and efforts on the four aforementioned U.S.-based charitable research foundations/organizations.  In the future we may consider formal coverage of foreign-based charitable organizations.

10.)   What is the JDCA’s relationship with the charitable organizations within its coverage universe?

The JDCA has no relationship with the organizations under coverage that would call into question the JDCA’s independence and objectivity.  Obtaining in-depth knowledge of the organizations requires that we frequently communicate with senior personnel to obtain information regarding their strategies and philosophies.
The JDCA is working to become a liaison between donors who contribute for a cure and the charitable organizations.  As membership in the Alliance grows, the JDCA will assist donors to communicate their donation intentions to the charitable foundations in a unified fashion, whereby the JDCA will be empowering the “Voice of the Donor for a Cure.”

11.)   Who writes the JDCA surveys?

Surveys are structured and questions are scripted internally at the JDCA.  Surveys are just one way in which we conduct “consumer/donor” research and gather data on a variety of type 1 diabetes cure-related topics.  We view the surveys as providing another piece of empirical evidence that may support or refute our initial beliefs and findings.

12.)   How will the JDCA employ its goal orienting approach?

The JDCA will build its credibility and reputation with donors by sharing insightful, informative and timely research on important cure related topics.  We aim to consistently communicate our message in our published reports, on our website and through social media.  Establishing and building a credible reputation requires time and the JDCA is working diligently to build trust within the donor community.

13.)   Will the JDCA be commenting on breakthrough research?

The JDCA will be commenting on newsworthy progress regarding human clinical trials and other relevant research as that information becomes public.  We will provide insightful analysis and disseminate our conclusions to the donor community in a timely fashion.  The focus of the JDCA’s first several published reports is on issues that are fundamental to pursuing and funding Practical Cure research.

14.)   Will the JDCA be evaluating and/or promoting the potential of scientific project?

The JDCA will evaluate research projects and clinical studies on the basis of the potential to result in a Practical Cure by 2025.  Ideally, cure research will have the potential to deliver a result that meets the JDCA’s definition of a Practical Cure.
We will not be promoting specific scientific projects to the charitable research foundations/organizations.  Instead, the JDCA will rely on the charities to identify potential projects, researchers to design and pursue such projects that can meet our definition of a Practical Cure and the charities to adequately fund those projects using the financial support provided by donors who are contributing for a Practical Cure.