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History and Mission of Michael Reese Research & Education Foundation

The mission of the Michael Reese Research & Education Foundation is to continue the legacy of Michael Reese Hospital by supporting research, education, and community service through relationships that foster quality health care. Our vision is for the provision of excellent care for all patients, regardless of demographic conditions.

The Michael Reese Foundation realizes this mission through:

• Providing grants for translational research projects, addressing clinical issues, converting research to practical applications.
• Scholarships for diverse students to complete their health care education and fill the need within their communities.
• Connecting underserved patients with comprehensive care and other community support projects.

The Foundation was founded in 1991 by the Medical Staff of Michael Reese Hospital to assure safety net activities and grant programs could continue through the auspices of a non-profit foundation. Initially, the Foundation administered funding for research projects, supplemented educational expenses for house staff and founded and managed funds for community programs, including HIV Care and Women’s Health.

Then in 2009, after 127 years of providing excellent patient care, making significant research contributions, and acting as one of the top medical training centers in the country, Michael Reese Hospital closed. The Foundation Board of Directors decided to carry on the legacy of the hospital by investing in research, education and community service in the Chicago area.

The Foundation has continued the legacy of Michael Reese Hospital through the endowment of five named professors at the University of Illinois, and support of translational medical research programs centered at the University of Illinois, the University of Chicago, Loyola, Northwestern, and Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Education scholarships are provided to students in partnership with the Medical Organization for Latino Advancement and Rosalind Franklin University. Educational programming has been furthered through an endowed lectureship at the University of Chicago.

The next Executive Director (ED) of the Michael Reese Research & Education Foundation (MRREF) will have the opportunity to guide the organization through its current transition and into its next chapter. The next ED will succeed the previous ED that has held the position for over twenty years; with new leadership comes new considerations of operations as well as managing relationships with grantees and the Board of Directors. The foundation currently has a staff of two and a board of 10. The Foundation administers approximately $6 million dollars in operating program funding and $700,000 in charitable giving a year.

The current moment offers MRREF many opportunities including the codification of the foundation’s project processes and expanding the impact and reach of our giving. Another key opportunity is guiding decision making around operations as we reimagine the work of our clinic and women’s health initiatives.

Leadership and Board Development

Possess the hard skills and competencies to provide oversight for the operational and financial management of a complex, multi-faceted charitable organization.

• A strategic thinker and decision maker who creates a team environment, leads with positivity and strength and who is able to realistically/confidently navigate expectations of shared power through a healthy and intentional partnership with the Board of Directors.
• Experience in fundraising and the ability to plan long term to begin implementation of a plan for building a strong fundraising base.
  An authentic communicator who brings expertise in communicating a complex mission and building organizational branding.
• Experience in building and communicating brand identity will be essential, along with the ability to articulate an organization’s unique value in the market.
• Builds and sustains strong relationships with the Board of Directors, leading the creation of board processes and procedures, including orientation, onboarding, recruitment and retention.

Organizational Operations

Possess the hard skills and competencies to provide oversight for the operational and financial management of a complex, multi-faceted charitable organization.

• Manages the operations of MRREF with an emphasis on HIV Care, including the associated 340B program, and Women’s Health programs.
• Manage all philanthropic and research programs. Organize and manage all communications to the Board regarding reporting and progress of the charitable work.
• Minimizes risk through maintaining and monitoring compliance with organizationally/legally sound policies to ensure maintenance of all budgets and regulatory requirements.
• Evaluates and manages current infrastructure and technology to determine opportunities for efficiency through improved processes, policies, and utilization of current or implementation of new technology.
• Ensures new/existing programs operate with quality metrics for outcomes and program success that further MRREF’s mission and strategic plan.
• Manages staff through open communication, clearly defining roles and responsibilities and strategy aligned goals and objectives.
• Enhances and sustains a working environment that encourages collaboration, active listening and feedback and healthy, productive leadership.
• Financial Management
  • Defines key financial metrics for the overall organization and individual programs, leveraging the key data/metrics to build and manage the organizational budget which is aligned with the strategic mission of MRREF.
  • Oversees fiscal management that reasonably anticipates operating within the approved budget, ensures full resource utilization, and proper financial controls/processes and maintenance of the organization in a positive financial position.
  • Develops the financial acumen of all board members and staff in the organization to drive financial responsibility and accountability throughout the organization.

Organizational Mission and Strategic Direction

• Preserves the mission and vision of MRREF
• Provides leadership for the positioning of MRREF to execute effectively on its mission through creation of a clearly defined strategic plan communicated throughout all levels of the organization.
• Maintains strong working knowledge of industry trends and environmental factors affecting MRREF, including but not limited to changes to applicable federal/state/local laws, healthcare trends and grant opportunities.
• Creates new opportunities for MRREF to build strategic partnerships/relationships with organizations and individuals aligned with MRREF’s strategic vision and mission, including: health systems, local community groups, governmental agencies at all levels, foundations, academic centers for teaching and research and professionals and their associations committed to promoting equitable healthcare.
• Develops a plan to find ways to diversify funding sources beyond federal and local grants including, but not limited to, foundations, private donors/individual giving, and corporate support.