Mission
Providing non-medical, financial assistance to adults undergoing cancer treatment in Florida to allow them to focus on fighting cancer.
Ruling year
2007
Executive Director
Lynn Rasys
Main address
5985 Silver Falls Run, Suite 210
Bradenton, FL 34211 USA
Formerly known as
Gulf Coast Oncology Foundation, Inc.
EIN
20-4616813
NTEE code
Raising & Fund Distribution (Pun)
ate Grantmaking Foundations (Tri)
Raising & Fund Distribution (Tun)
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The American Cancer Society estimates that there are 150,500 new cases of cancer this year in Florida. Out-of-pocket medical costs paired with loss of income due to treatment can cause a financial strain on a cancer patient. Undergoing cancer treatment is stressful enough without adding the weight of financial hardship. FCS Foundation wants to lift this burden off of Florida cancer patients by providing them with non-medical financial support so they can focus on what really matters - fighting cancer and continuing their medical treatment.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Financial Assistance
Applicants come to Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation to request financial assistance with their non-medical, essential, living expenses. The foundation pays up to $2000 of bills per calendar year for individuals who qualify financially, are currently undergoing treatment for cancer, and who currently reside in the State of Florida.
Clinic Volunteer Program
In addition to our in-office volunteer program which provides administrative, fundraising and client support, we have a clinic volunteer program. Clinic volunteers provide non-medical support to cancer patients at FCS clinics. This can include delivering a snack or a drink, providing a warm blanket or simply lending a sympathetic ear to patients undergoing chemotherapy. The clinic volunteer program includes patient art therapy, pet therapy and music therapy to help relieve some of the stress that cancer patients are feeling during their clinic visits. Therapy dogs provide comfort, music soothes and the art therapy kits allow patients to be creative and relax while refocusing their thoughts.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of volunteers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with diseases and illnesses
Related Program
Clinic Volunteer Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Clinic volunteers provide non-medical support to cancer patients at FCS clinics, and in-person and virtual volunteers support the Foundation office assisting patients.
Total number of volunteer hours contributed to the organization
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Ethnic and racial groups, Parents, Widows and widowers, People with diseases and illnesses
Related Program
Clinic Volunteer Program
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Clinic volunteers provide non-medical support to cancer patients at FCS clinics. In response to COVID-19 we created a virtual volunteer program.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation strives to provide a respite from the financial burden incurred by individuals being treated for cancer, thus allowing them to focus on their health. The long-term goal is for continued growth and increased fundraising activities in an effort to ever turn away a qualified patient. Four key areas: 1) increase the amount of the annual grant award each year; 2) increase revenue through a variety of sources including brand awareness, donor cultivation and business partnerships; 3) Excellence in customer service with timely responses to patients and immediate response to inquiries and applications for assistance; 4) Volunteer Program expansion to all Florida Cancer Specialists facilities, corporate offices, and Foundation office through in-person and virtual volunteering.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The foundation was started as a result of funding from generous physicians who wanted to ensure their patients were taken care of emotionally as well as physically. The Foundation has implemented a comprehensive and strategic development plan that includes donor cultivation, direct mail and email campaign, special events, corporate partnerships, Friendraiser Dinner Series, Legacy of Hope Society, and peer-to-peer fundraising via social media channels.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
A significant resource to the foundation has been and continues to be the partnership with Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS). FCS physicians pay for the organization's operating expenses so that donations coming in to the foundation can go directly to those in need. The foundation has a robust volunteer program with Patient Support Volunteers in 54 clinic locations, as well as virtual volunteer program. Multiple fundraising events are held per year in key cities in Florida, and an increase in donor cultivation including the Legacy of Hope Society program.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The foundation has implemented an internship program for college students and a volunteer program for the foundation headquarters, including virtual volunteers. A strategic plan has been implemented with focus in three key areas: Revenue Generation, Client Services and Volunteer Program. Patient applications and volunteer applications are online via the Foundation's website. A marketing plan has also been implemented including digital marketing and social media.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
We serve cancer patients and work directly with them on their application status for financial aid, approval or disapproval of application, documentation needed, and updates on their grant award. We will also assist with completing their application if they do not have access to a computer.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
We have set a goal to ensure excellence in customer service by responding timely to phone calls and emails within 24 hours, and review new patient applications within one week.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation Inc.
Board of directorsas of 05/11/2023
Dr. Raul Storey
Florida Cancer Specialists
Term: 2011 - 2024
Dr Michael Diaz
Florida Cancer Specialists
Term: 2011 - 2025
Tom Uhler
Uhler and Vertich Financial Planners
Cory Person
John Shwiner
Retired
Maen Hussein
Florida Cancer Specialists
Cherylle Hayes
North Florida Regional Medical Center
Timothy O'Donohue
Castle Gate Farm, LLC
Praveen Reddy
Ocala Regional Medical Center
Patsy Sanchez
retired
Marjan Zaun
Florida Cancer Specialists
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 05/11/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
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