Last Friday the JDCA accepted an invitation to a breakfast meeting in New York with Derek Rapp, JDRF CEO, and John Brady, Chairman of the JDRF International Board, to discuss JDRF current and future priorities. The conversation was straightforward and open.
One major area discussed was JDRF’s commitment to research grant funding. Regular readers of JDCA publications are well aware that the past several years of historical financial numbers point to a steady decrease in the priority level of research funding. This information was presented objectively and discussed frankly.
The main counterpoint shared by the JDRF leaders is that many strategic changes advocated by the JDCA are already occurring but will take some time before they become apparent on the public financial statements. Rapp and Brady also made the point that they have only been in these positions together for just over a year and that change takes time.
The JDCA will continue to monitor JDRF efforts and measure them against what donors for a cure expect when they make substantial contributions of time and money. We will of course share all relevant financial and research information as it becomes publicly available
