Two New York City-based organizations that fight lung cancer — Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) and Uniting Against Lung Cancer (UALC) — have merged. The move was approved by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. The new organization will retain the name Lung Cancer Research Foundation.
“This merger allows us to combine our expertise, resources and network of committed individuals to increase our impact and help close the funding gap for lung cancer research,” said Pippa Gerard, LCRF board chair, in a statement.
Founded in 2005, LCRF had total revenue of $1.3 million in 2013, while the 14-year-old UALC took in $2.8 million in 2014, according to the organizations’ most recent federal Forms 990. The two nonprofits have collectively issued some 250 grants totaling more than $17 million.
The two board chairs, Gerard and Mary Ann Tighe (UALC), began conversations about a year ago regarding melding the two organizations. “Both organizations have in place highly respected scientific research programs and scientific advisory boards,” said Executive Director Nancy Sanford. “The boards realized that they both had similar missions and it was in that spirit that they came together.”
Gerard is president of the new board and Tighe is vice chair. The merger was approved on May 20 by the New York Attorney General’s office, and “The staff from both teams are fully integrated and operating together,” said Sanford. The two teams had been working together for the past eight months, she said.
The new organization is housed in LCRF’s Midtown Manhattan headquarters. UALC’s headquarters was closed. “This decision was reached based on space requirements for the combined staff,” Sanford said. Sanford declined to comment on if there have been layoffs.
