Paula And Rodger Riney Foundation

The Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation is a hyper-focused, scientist-led grantmaker dedicated to accelerating cures for multiple myeloma and related plasma cell cancers, with a secondary interest in neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's). Rodger Riney, former CEO of Scottrade, founded it after his own multiple myeloma diagnosis and endowed it from the TD Ameritrade sale. Managing Director Bobby W. Sandage Jr., PhD has 35+ years in pharma and biotech venture capital, so pitches must speak to translational rigor, mechanistic novelty, and path-to-patient. The theory of change prioritizes: (1) direct gifts to top-tier myeloma research centers, (2) partnerships with the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) and International Myeloma Society (IMS), and (3) pipeline-building via Career Development Awards and Translational Research Grants for early-career scientists. Alignment signals: you run a lab or translational program at a leading cancer center, have a clear mechanistic hypothesis in myeloma, and can credibly shorten the timeline from bench to approved therapy.

Based on ~$55.6M in assets and the foundation's scientific-only focus, expect annual giving in the $2-3M range distributed across a concentrated portfolio of roughly 10-25 grants per year. Grant sizes cluster in two tiers: (a) individual investigator awards of $50K-$250K (Career Development Awards, Translational Research Grants via IMS), and (b) major program/institutional gifts in the $500K-$2M+ range to leading cancer centers. Geography is national — grants have historically flowed to major myeloma research hubs (Dana-Farber, Mayo, MD Anderson, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Washington University in St. Louis given the MO headquarters, and international IMS partners). Sector focus is narrow and deep: 80%+ into multiple myeloma and plasma cell dyscrasias, a smaller allocation toward Alzheimer's and Parkinson's drug development. No support for general health charities, patient services, advocacy without scientific output, direct care, or community programs outside of disease-research ecosystems.

The Riney Foundation sits in the disease-specific scientific research funder tier, comparable to other biomedical single-disease foundations in the $25M-$150M asset range. Its program-officer model and scientist-led governance are its closest peer signature.

Versus peers, Riney is distinguished by (1) deeper relative focus on multiple myeloma, (2) preference for direct relationship-based giving over competitive open RFPs, and (3) a neurodegeneration side-bet uncommon among single-disease foundations. It is smaller than MMRF but more concentrated — less bureaucracy, faster decisions if you know the managing director.

Rodger Riney remains actively involved as founder and trustee, and recent 990s show continued commitments to the International Myeloma Society partnership for Career Development Awards and the Translational Research Grant program — these are the foundation's flagship pipeline-building vehicles for early-career myeloma researchers. Grantmaking has expanded to include meaningful support for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's translational drug development in the last few years, reflecting Rodger Riney's expressed personal interest in neurodegeneration. Operationally the foundation remains lean: Managing Director Bobby Sandage, Director of Accounting Jenna McClary, and an office manager run the entire grantmaking operation from St. Louis. No public RFP or open application portal is maintained — outreach to researchers remains relationship-driven through Sandage and scientific advisors.

(1) Do not cold-email a generic letter of inquiry — Riney is invitation-and-relationship based, with no public RFP. Your path in is either (a) the IMS Career Development Award / Translational Research Grant (apply through IMS), (b) MMRF's collaborative channels, or (c) an introduction to Bobby Sandage, PhD from a myeloma PI or cancer center dev office. (2) Speak the language of translational pharmacology — Sandage's background is pharmacy + drug development + biotech VC. Lead with target biology, mechanism, IND or investigator-initiated trial pathway, and patient impact timeline, not general 'more research needed' framing. (3) For Alzheimer's / Parkinson's asks, emphasize novel therapeutic modalities (antibodies, small molecules, gene therapy) and clinical translation over basic neuroscience. (4) Washington University in St. Louis applicants have a natural geographic edge — the foundation is local. (5) Do not pitch patient services, survivorship programs, or general oncology capacity-building — stay in the lab-to-clinic pipeline. (6) Budget honestly for indirect costs (~10-20% range is typical for private foundations) and frame multi-year commitments as milestone-gated so Sandage can track scientific progress.