Broad Medical Research Program, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America to merge together

The Broad Medical Research Program, which funds innovative early-stage research into inflammatory bowel disease, will merge with the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), the two organizations announced today.

The Broad Medical Research Program was started by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation in 2001 to encourage research into the cause, treatment and cure of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The program aims to fund pilot research so that scientists can test their initial ideas and generate preliminary data in order to qualify for larger grants from other organizations. Broad has awarded more than $43 million in grants to scientists and researchers, who have gone on to receive more than $142 million in new research funding from other organizations. The National Institutes of Health has been the largest source of continuation funding, with CCFA providing nearly 11 percent of additional grants.

"Edye and I want to ensure that promising research into IBD continues until we find a cure, and we believe that the CCFA is the ideal partner to continue this mission," said philanthropist Eli Broad. "We started this program because we believe in the importance of funding innovative research. Our investment has more than tripled in continuation funding, so we have demonstrated the benefit of funding pilot research."

The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of the 1.4 million American adults and children suffering from Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The foundation maintains a presence across the United States, with chapters offering support groups, educational programs, and fundraising events. CCFA is one of the largest private funders of IBD research and has invested more than $200 million into the treatment and cures of IBD. To continue the Broad program, the CCFA has made a commitment to raise at least $2 million a year, which will be matched by The Broad Foundation for the first three years. The program will transfer to CCFA on Jan. 1, 2014 and will continue to be operated out of Los Angeles until July 2014 when it will relocate to CCFA's New York headquarters. The program will be called the Broad Medical Research Program at CCFA.

"We are pleased to continue the Broad Medical Research Program's work in funding pilot research projects, its international review of research proposals and its practice of making rapid funding decisions," said Richard Geswell, president and CEO of CCFA. "It is our goal to expand the program beyond the first three transitional years so we can advance research that holds the promise of treating and ultimately curing these debilitating diseases."

Over the past 12 years, Broad has awarded one- and two-year grants to 383 investigators - half of whom are internationally based. The program accepts grant applications, which are then reviewed by leading investigators in each research area. More than 2,700 reviewers from 44 countries have participated in the review process. To expedite the research, applications are accepted year-round, and funding is distributed within three months of application.