American Committee for the Weizman Institute of Science

In its mission statement, the American Committee for the
Weizman Institute of Science (ACWIS, www.weizman-usa.org/)
states that it “develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann
Institute of Science in Israel, one of the world's premier scientific
research institutions. The Weizmann Institute is a center of basic
interdisciplinary scientific research and graduate study, addressing
crucial problems in technology, medicine and health, energy,
agriculture and the environment.” The Institute is home to
more than 2,500 scientists, technicians and research students.

Following are two areas of research currently being conducted
at the Institute:
1)Breast Cancer Metastasis:
Professors Yosef Yarden and Sara Lavi are doing research on
predicting breast cancer metastasis. Metastasis is the main cause
of cancer death. Understanding the mechanisms that cause cells
to migrate from the initial site of cancer to a distant site is
important for developing treatment that will interfere with growth
of the cancer. Yarden and Lavi have identified a mechanism that can
predict the development of metastasis. This discovery is crucial to
developing new drugs that may prevent metastasis in breast cancer.
2)Keeping Memory Alive:
Professor Yadin Dudai, head of the Neurobiology Department,
recently discovered that long-term memory is a dynamic process
sustained by a molecular machine that never rests. They showed
that stopping the machine causes loss of some types of long-term
memory. This research opens new avenues for treating memory
problems. Dudai and his colleagues recently published their study
in the prestigious journal, Science.

According to Charity Navigator, www.charitynavigator.org/,
America’s leading charity evaluator, ACWIS has an overall
rating of three stars (four stars is the highest rating.) Charity
Navigator provides the following financial breakdown of ACWIS
based on 990 tax returns through 2006:

Overall Rating ***

Organizational Efficiency
Program Expenses 77.0%
Administrative Expenses 4.1%
Fundraising Expenses 18.7%
Fundraising Efficiency $0.14
(ACWIS spends $0.14 to raise $1.)
Efficiency Rating **

Organizational Capacity
Primary Revenue Growth 15.0%
Program Expenses Growth 3.3%
Working Capital Ratio (years) 1.66
(ACWIS can sustain itself for 1.66
years without generating new revenue.)
Capacity Rating ****

Organizational Capacity refers to an organization’s ability
to sustain itself over time. Charities that exhibit consistent
revenue and expenses growth are more likely to sustain its
programs and services over the long haul.

ACWIS has net assets of $488,073,000. The compensation
Of its executive vice president, Martin S. Kraar, is $356,400
(0.59% of expenses.)

For comparison purposes, the American Institute for Cancer Research
has been given an overall two star rating from Charity Navigator.

Next Week’s Blog: American Friends of the Hebrew University