Guess what! Koman Reverses!!

Here's SGK's Press release: http://ww5.komen.org/KomenNewsArticle.aspx?id=19327354148

And Here's someone's (Ray Goforth) astute translation of same:

Paragraph 7: Thanks to the anti-stem cell research, anti-birth control people who like our decision. 

Oops!  It takes thousands of good decisions to build an organization, and only one bad one to tear it down!

Review Komens financial statement and you will quickly realize that the reason the organization was formed, to find a cure, spends only 20% on research.  Administration costs are high, cash accounts are lucrative,  investments are good and retirement account are funded.  Retirement contribution of employer are not available to all employees only a few upper management people.  Nasty little secret.  

Cash accounts are bursting with all the volunteers money through their hard work and excitement in hoping to find a cure soon.  Komen staff is also happy especially on pay day and bonus day.  They also hope someone finds a cure because their contribution to find the cure is like a pimple on the bootie of a nat.  

PP uses very little of the amount given to them for breast cancer screening. Unless Komen specifies the funds are only for screening funds can be used for any other health concern including abortion.  Hopefully, Komens recent debacle will open the eyes of contributors to donate to organizations that actually use the money for research and not other administration greed.   

American Greed may be interested in showcasing this non-profit and expose it for what it really is-a very nice way to earn a six figure income for many women in the organization and build a very nice retirement account in solid investments funded by donations.   A cure-that would be a nice but not necessary as long as everyone keeps walking and walking and walking.  

Hello everyone,

 I think what bothers me most is that Nancy Brinker got up on nat'l TV (NBC) and told Andrea Mitchell (herself a BC survivor) that Karen Handel had nothing to do with the decision to defund PP.  Then Karen Handel ADMITS she had a lot to do with the decision!  I don't appreciate the lies told to me and everyone else.  I've lost all respect for SGK.  Don't believe I've heard any other "apologies" about the apparent deception- have you?  They will get no more $$ from me!

Hi Hillck,

Re, "... there are many things that SGK does on a national level that I disagree with. There are many things I think they should improve. But, it's just not necessary to trash the bits they do right, and all of that occurs on the local level. No need to throw the baby out with the bath water. If they would reorganize based in what they do right, they might be able to salvage their reputation. Unfortunately, I don't think Ms. Brinker is looking much further than the end of her nose right now. "

Yes, yes, yes!   

hcllc 

Unfortunately, you are incorrect about me being wrong.  Read the notes to the financial and review the last 6 years of financial information. 

Do grants specify where money is to be spent? Yes.

Do funders have the right to change the use of fund line items at the request of the recipient? Yes.

 Is that legal? Yes.  

Is that common accounting practise for non-profits? Yes

Is there a time limit on the grant monies to be implemented, sometimes, are all grant money and donation spend that year, no. 

When a non profits grants money to organization who do not share their goal can be a very big problem for the organization.  Last time I check, Planned Parenthood is not about finding a cure and admitted it used very little of the grant from Komen for screening.  So, it is not hard to figure out where the rest of the money went.  Unless, of course, they returned the money to Komen which was not used for screening.

 I have a feeling that did not happen and is a very strick regulation with use of funds in grant distribution to recipients.  If you do not spend the grant for which it was given, or have a waiver to spend it another way, you have to return it or no more money for you.   

Before an organization gets a draw down, a budget of spend funds is compared against the original grant budget and should be in compliance with the terms of the grant.  Sounds like Komen dropped the ball and allow funds donated to Planned Parenthood to be used for other purposes. Big No No

Planned Parenthood investigation by the government will reveal who gave them grants, the terms of the grants and how the funds were used.  Before they get caught in their own misuse of donated funds, Komen tried to bail and now say they will change the terms of the new grant application from Planned Parenthood in the future.  Hoping to be forgiven.  I gues they subscribe to asking for forgiveness than asking for permission.

Unless, Komen has already committed to funds being distributed to Planned Parenthood, listed in the financial statement, hopefully no more funds will go  the organization.  

Non profits operate under very strict rules for gathering donations for their goal, what ever that may be.  But, to organize, under on set of rules and start acting as a foundation with money to give away for any purpose with out checking where the money would be used is unconscionable.

Monies collected for curing cancer need to be used for that purpose. Or the people who spend their time raising millions of dollars for this organization need to give their money to a organization that will actual use the money for research we all anticipate daily.

I would recommend that you reserve your comments on whether I am correct or not correct in my statements.  Until you write grants. budgets, set policy, perform policy compliance, understand rules and regulation of grants both Federal, state, in-kind and donated funds, created financial statements or performed an audit. you have no bases for our statement that what I say is untrue.  

Buy your statement it is obvious you have done none of the above.  I find it offense and misleading to the people who read this thread when a person makes a statement just to be talking or has very limited knowledge or experience in the field of comment.  

Read the financial statement for the last 6 years with notes and read between the line in the notes 

Komen spends very little on research shown by their own financial statements.  But, as I said before, their administrative salaries are healthy, benefits packages are strong, and they even have money to invest in bonds and dividends to secure the administrators future retirement.  That is not finding a cure and is not in line with what donation are intended for-finding a cure. 

The people who make this organization successful are the free labor force-all the one who keeping walking and walking every year.  Hoping for a cure.  The amount Komen spends on research is embarrassing compared to the amount all the cancer patients bring in from the walks. 

Kadia ... I'm curious about this too.

AMP47, you earlier seem to have suggested that PP did not spend their Komen grant on clinical breast exams or mammos, if I read your post correctly. That's basically a charge of fraud, and I don't see any evidence of that (much less an admission from them).



The discussion on the news as I recall talked about the amount of the Komen grants to PP (around $600K),and the number of clinical breast exams and mammos this $ helped make happen. Here are stats from PP:



"Over the past five years, Planned Parenthood health centers with Komen program funding have provided nearly 170,000 clinical breast exams out of the more than four million clinical breast exams performed nationwide at Planned Parenthood health centers, as well as more than 6,400 mammogram referrals out of 70,000 mammogram referrals."



I totally agree with you about Komen, though.

hillck

You make my point on draw down request. Every grantor/funder requires supporting expenditures as they relate to the grant budget.  If Komen knew by audit how their funds were being used, and were feeling "warm and fussy" about the application of their funds, then why did Komen decided to defund Planned Parenthood?  hmmmmm someone must have smelled a rat.  

Sounds like some one at Komen has been asleep at the wheel until someone slapped them in the face and told them to look the other way or their Federal, state and private funds are about to dry up...ooops Darn the game of politics.  Kind of like what you suggest: misuse of funds means you do not get anymore.  So now Komen is trying to find that warm fussy bunny who has illuded the management.  

I think the question is why Komen is providing funds to an organization that does not do breast cancer research?    Organizations write grants to secure funds for activities, programs, etc that are in line with each funders goals. Are you suggesting that Komen was well aware of the mis use of funds detailed in the grant application and decided to approved  using the grant money for services other that mammograms?  But, when the governments case heated up, Komen decided to bail before their little secret was exposed?  Does Planned Parenthood do breast cancer research?  I do not think so.  

Being aware of how many mammograms given is absolutely essential to any well managed program.  I am pretty sure 1+1 still equals 2.  Each mammogram cost money and is applied againt grant funds.  Funders are very interested in how the funds are used.  If your attitude that keeping track of how many mammos given is BS you have never dealt with the financial part of tracking the financial reporting of a grant.  Without being able to track expenditures according to grant budgets,  no more money for you.  

A receipient of a grant who could not provide that information would, as you suggest, receive no more money.  Not sure that works with being silly and I would like to me a fly on the wall when you tell the grantor they were being silly with their request  of a head count.  Might be breaking new ground in grant requirements. 

Thank you for the compliment about my astute assumptions on the behalf of Planned parenthood deceptive spending spree, But unfortunately you give me to much credit.  Planned Parenthood offered the information themselves. They did use some of the monies for mammograms, but admitted it was not much.   All of the major news channels carried the story and Internet sites were a buzz about the deception. 

When ever I hear the word silly, it reminds me of jello that is trying to find a position to become firm, solid and still.  No assumption was made, by me Planned Parenthood provided the information themselves.  Unless you find them to be silly for providing information that they did use the money for mammograms, but it was not very many mammograms, the government for being silly for investigating them for misuse of funds, and Komen to be silly for announcing they were not going to continue funding because they smell a rat.  

Current events is about the SCK national organization, not the local level off shoots.  Komens National level breast cancer research is an insult to all the hard working volunteers who are working hard to raise money to find a cure.  Especially, when looking at the amount of money brought in through the walks many women make annually.  

They raise money for finding a cure-not sure what you do not understand about that. Sounds pretty specific to me in fund application.  According to your own words, if funds are diverted to other programs, then no more money for you.   

Komen is no different than any other non-profit and is subject to the same strick regulation both Federal and State: whether local, regional or national are the same.  Local start up have more trouble operating due to lack of talent in administration and money.  But fall under the umbrella of the national corporation,  Unless, you are revealing that your local affiliate is flying by the seat of their pants and make their own rules.  I certainly hope not.  

I appreciate your argument and was glad to see you have been involved with local organization in helping women.  Although, I do not agree with your statement that I do not know what I am talking about - I really do.  I am a strong believer in people being able to express their own opinion-that old free speech thing and remain friends.  

I will be making more inquiry's with my friend who is a Senator as this latest debacle with Komen has motivated me to get involved politically and apply my professional knowledge to make sure the funds that are raise for breast cancer research is awarded to breast cancer research organizations who do not harbor nasty little secrets for use of funds and quit taking money from the very vulnerable breast cancer women who want to find a cure not fund high price executive and organizations that do not even come close to the goals of breast cancer research. 

Ok, since it was brought up again, I'd like to present a different perspective on this "abortion is 3% of PP's business".  Yes, 3% of the number of PP clinic procedures/consults are abortion.  But the revenue gained from abortion is where the truth is told.

I got this from PP website:

"Nationwide, the cost at health centers ranges from about $300 to $950 for
abortion in the first trimester. The cost is usually more for a second-trimester
abortion. Costs vary depending on how long you've been pregnant and where you
go."

In 2009 PP preformed about 332,278 abortions.

I'll use $500 per abortion procedure, although logic would tell us PP is making nearly double that on many abortions, and even substantially more if the abortion occurs in the 2nd trimester.

So simple math tells us that in 2009 PP made at least $166,139,000 in revenue from abortions alone.

Looking at PP 2009 report online, it looks like their total revenue for 2009 was $1,100,800,000.  This means that at least 15% of their total revenue comes from abortion alone.

Now, if you look at the revenue PP made from their "Health Centers" in 2009 you will see that it was $404,900,000.  By looking at PP 2009 report it would make sense that abortion revenue would be included in the Health Center revenue.

If that is the case, abortion makes up 41% of their "Health Center" revenue.

So yes, abortion is only 3% of the cases PP sees, but it is 41% of their revenue at their "Health Centers".

For me the shame of it is that Komen spends so little on research. I read only 15%. I've been wondering why, with all the money donated, we are no closer to cure. Now I understand. Komen is not looking for a cure. They are looking to sustain their existence for the benefit of some people who work there. And it is being done on the backs of the volunteers who were deceived into thinking the fund raising would help.