RESEARCH TO IMPROVE SURVIVAL & QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS WITH BREAST & COLORECTAL CANCER.

Through design, implementation, management and reporting of clinical trial results, the NSABP Founda

Goal One: Conduct innovative research yielding improved diagnostics, better treatments and increased survivability for patients with breast or colorectal cancers. Four new trials started in the past 12 months.

Goal Two: Through its membership network of over 700 collaborating clinical site locations, the NSABP actually designs and performs clinical research to develop new and improved diagnostic and treatment tools.

Goal Three: The NSABP launched a full-scale turn over of senior executives in June of 2020. The new executive team is focused on performance and accountability in meeting commitments and achieving results.

The senior executive team engaged a consultant (Aspirant) to evaluate the organization's need for development. The evaluation identified a highly "siloed" culture that was not optimal to a productive work environment. In 2020, a two day seminar was conducted by Aspirant with our senior executives, directors and supervisors to identify workplace personality profiles and provide guidance for improving communications and collaboration among our leadership to achieve better results. The senior executive team implemented recurring "town hall" meetings to provide transparency and improve communications, intended to inform all staff of the strategic "big picture" and how individual staff contributions impact the overall mission, health and future of the NSABP Foundation. The town hall meetings occur at least three times per year and have been appreciated by the staff as a means of employee engagement. Several other staff engagement activities were executed in 2020 and 2021.

In the spring of 2020, NSABP replaced its entire senior executive team which led to multiple changes. This occurred during a significant stock market decline and a global pandemic. NSABP changed its investment portfolio manager through an RFP process that resulted in the selection of PNC Financial as its manager, reducing expense and improving performance. NSABP implemented a remote working standard within days of Pennsylvania's "lock-down", which allowed the organization to continue meeting its operational commitments. NSABP implemented new computer systems during the pandemic to increase productivity and enhance performance. These included widespread distribution of laptops to our staff, using Office 365 with TEAMS, implementing NetSuite accounting software and increasing cloud-based data storage capability. Utilizing established relationships, NSABP was able to give its staff early access to COVID 19 vaccinations, in accordance with Pennsylvania's essential worker provisions. The staff was very appreciative. To improve and maintain employee engagement, TEAMS-based Town Hall meetings were established and a modified "return to work" posture was implemented in July, 2021. Concurrent with return to work, several employee appreciation events were executed. These included an ice cream social and free tickets to a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game. When the Delta Variant caused a regional peak of infections, a "flexible work from home" model was implemented and remains in place at the present time (October 2021). It is notable that five new clinical trials have been started during past year, and one major trial achieved its accrual target in May of 2021. In FY21, NSABP achieved a positive change in net assets for the first time since FY14. In November, 2020 changes were made to NSABP's Board Membership. The Board now includes 7 members, only two of which are on the NSABP's payroll, which should improve the NSABP Charity Navigator Board Composition score.