The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is the nation’s largest funding source for research dedicated solely to breast cancer. Local affiliates run races, raising money, for the purpose of advancing research, education, treatment and screening. Since its formation in 1997, the Chicagoland Area Affiliate has funded breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs for the medically underserved in its local community and has given additional money to the Komen Foundation Award and Research Grant Program to help fund breast research programs in the Chicagoland Area service region*. Seventy-five percent of the net proceeds raised through the Chicagoland Area Race for the Cure® and additional fund raising events have been invested locally. The remaining twenty-five percent of net proceeds raised were contributed to the Komen Foundation’s National Grant Program, which funds research and education programs.

The purpose of the Grant Committee of Chicagoland Area Affiliate is to annually plan and publicize the availability of grant funds, review and recommend funding for grant proposals to the chapter’s Board of Directors and administer grants approved by the Board. Since Fiscal 1998, grant proposals were reviewed, representing $9.2 million in funding requests. Over the past nine years, $5.5 million has been awarded to local organizations by the Chicagoland Area Affiliate to fund education, screening and treatment programs. To date, the Chicagoland Area Affiliate has contributed $1.4 million to the National Research Grant Program and an additional $85,000 to fund local research grants submitted to Komen Foundation Headquarters. Specifically, $817,206 was awarded in Fiscal 2007; $1,259,682 awarded in Fiscal 2006, $726,928 awarded in Fiscal 2005, $796,433 awarded in Fiscal 2004, awarded $468,841 in Fiscal 2003, $667,291 in Fiscal 2002, $328,700 in Fiscal 2001, $224,847 in Fiscal 2000, $213,067 in Fiscal 1999, and $35,000 in Fiscal 1998. This represents 60% of all grant requests received.

The reviewers for Fiscal 2007 represented a range of stakeholders in the grant process. The group included 7 individuals, 4 of whom had previously reviewed and 3 were new reviewers. Occupations of the group varied within the health care industry. Of the seven, five were educated at the doctoral level in their respective professions. The other two non-healthcare reviewers were from business professions. Additionally, demographics included a number of important constituencies. All reviewers were female with one being a breast cancer survivor. Two reviewers are African-American, with the remaining individuals being Caucasian. Reviewer ages spanned from the mid-thirties to the mid-sixties.

* In addition to the twenty-five percent of net proceeds contributed by Komen Affiliates to the Komen Foundation Award and Research Grant Program, Komen Affiliates can contribute dollars to Komen Headquarters to help fund superior-rated research grants within any state that their service area covers. Please note that all research grants are funded through the Komen Foundation Award and Research Grant Program at the Komen Headquarters in Dallas, TX. For further information, please visit www.komen.org.