Realize

What Realize does

Realize (formerly the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation / CWGHR, renamed to Realize) is a Canadian registered charity headquartered at 1240 Bay Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, that operates as a national hub for research, advocacy, and capacity-building on HIV, rehabilitation, and episodic disabilities. The organization serves people living with HIV and other episodic health conditions (including multiple sclerosis, arthritis, diabetes, hepatitis C, chronic pain, some cancers, and mental illness), the employers and HR professionals who engage them, government agencies, and a network of community-based HIV/AIDS, disability, and rehabilitation organizations.

Its core outputs are not commercial software but a portfolio of programs, online tools, and research initiatives: the interactive Workplace Disclosure Decision Guide (disclosureguide.realizecanada.org), The Forum online resource platform, an Episodic Disability Toolkit, and national projects including PANACHE (national survey on aging with HIV), REVAMPED (employer awareness, funded by Employment and Social Development Canada), EPIC (social-innovation partnerships with employers), IDEAL Community Consultations (with 12 national partner organizations), FINESSED (post-secondary student support), the Episodic Caregiver Support Initiative, the Women Empowered Capacity Building Cohort, and a Long COVID and Work program. Distribution is content-led through the website, E-Updates newsletter, a podcast, social channels (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn), in-person and virtual events and forums, and a referral network spanning 40+ organizational members and partner organizations.

Realize does not sell products or services; it is funded by charitable donations, grants (e.g., from Employment and Social Development Canada and the Ontario Trillium Foundation), sponsorships, and membership dues, with all programs and resources provided free to beneficiaries. The organization is governed by a board under its charitable number 856995535RR0001, has no parent or equity ownership structure, and discloses no revenue or headcount in the source materials.

Name

Realize

Legal name

Realize

Website

https://realizecanada.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Realize is a Canadian national charity (formerly CWGHR) that conducts research, advocacy, and capacity-building on HIV, rehabilitation, and episodic disabilities, serving people with HIV and chronic episodic conditions, employers, HR professionals, and a network of community organizations across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HIV and Episodic Disability Advocacy Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI)

Keywords

• HIV rehabilitation support
• Episodic disability advocacy
• Workplace accommodation resources
• Disability employment research
• HIV aging programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Charitable donations and grants: Realize operates as a registered Canadian charity (Charitable number: 856995535RR0001) funded through charitable donations, grants, and potentially membership fees. The organization conducts research projects funded by government agencies and foundations.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Realize is a national Canadian charitable organization that delivers programs, online resources, decision guides, and applied research supporting people living with HIV and other episodic disabilities, with a particular focus on employment, workplace disclosure, accommodation, and aging. Its offerings include the Workplace Disclosure Decision Guide, The Forum by Realize, the Episodic Disability Toolkit, multiple research initiatives (PANACHE, REVAMPED, EPIC, IDEAL, FINESSED, ECSI), and tailored programs such as the Women Empowered Capacity Building Cohort and Long COVID and Work resources, all provided free of charge to beneficiaries.

Product overview

Realize (formerly CWGHR/Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation) is a national charitable organization that serves as a hub for inter-sectoral collaboration on HIV, disability, and rehabilitation. Rather than a unified software platform, Realize offers a portfolio of programs, online tools, and research initiatives. The core offerings include the interactive Workplace Disclosure Decision Guide (an online interactive tool for people with episodic disabilities) and The Forum by Realize (an online resource platform with factsheets and toolkits). These are complemented by multiple research and program initiatives addressing episodic disabilities including PANACHE (HIV and aging survey), REVAMPED (employer awareness), EPIC (employment partnerships), IDEAL (intersectionality consultations), FINESSED (student support), the Episodic Caregiver Support Initiative, and Long COVID and Work resources. The organization focuses on advocacy, education, and capacity-building rather than commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Workplace Disclosure Decision Guide Interactive online decision guide that helps people living with episodic disabilities, including HIV, navigate whether and how to disclose their health status at work, covering rights, risks, benefits, and practical considerations. Targeted at employees and job seekers with episodic disabilities.
• The Forum by Realize Online resource platform offering employment and workplace factsheets, toolkits, accommodation planning tools, and FAQs for people living with episodic disabilities and their employers.
• Episodic Disability Toolkit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million Canadians estimated to have an episodic health condition served by organization's advocacy and resources
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Ingenium - Canada's Museums of Science and InnovationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partner in 'Putting the 'A' in IDEAL in Canada's Museums' project - a 2024 survey of staff, interns and volunteers in Canada's museum sector on experiences of persons living with disabilities.
• Alliance for South Asian AIDS PreventioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023One of twelve national organizations partnered with Realize for IDEAL Community Consultations initiative examining intersectionality, episodic disability and access to health services, community supports and employment in Canada.
• Ase Community Foundation for Black Canadians with DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in IDEAL Community Consultations focusing on intersectional examination into living realities and access barriers for people with episodic disabilities.
• Asian Community AIDS ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in IDEAL Community Consultations examining intersectional considerations of health conditions, racial identity, and disability.
• Canadian Multicultural Disability Centre Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in IDEAL Community Consultations providing unique intersectional considerations of multicultural perspectives on episodic disability.
• CanAgecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in IDEAL Community Consultations focusing on aging perspectives and episodic disability access barriers.
• DisAbled Women's Network of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in IDEAL Community Consultations providing gender-based intersectional perspectives on episodic disability.
• National Educational Association of Disabled StudentscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in IDEAL Community Consultations focusing on education access and episodic disability considerations.
• Pride at Work CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in IDEAL Community Consultations providing 2SLGBTQIA+ perspectives on episodic disability and employment.
• YouthCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in IDEAL Community Consultations providing youth perspectives on episodic disability and access barriers.
• University of Manitoba - Department of Occupational TherapycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Led the multiphase development of the Workplace Disclosure Decision Guide. Dr. Gayle Restall led the research team that conducted environmental scans, surveys, and community consultations to develop the guide.
• George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in development of Workplace Disclosure Decision Guide. Patrick Faucher contributed to creating and refining the prototype.
• Centre for Families, Work & Well-Being at the University of GuelphcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2013Key partner in the Episodic Caregiver Support Initiative (ECSI), a yearlong developmental grant by the Ontario Trillium Foundation exploring needs of family/friend caregivers of individuals with episodic disability in Ontario.
• Ontario Home Care AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2013Partner in Episodic Caregiver Support Initiative (ECSI) focused on exploring caregiver support needs for episodic disability in Ontario.
• Ontario Episodic Disability NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2013Partner in Episodic Caregiver Support Initiative (ECSI) working to develop preliminary model/framework for caregiver support needs.
• Health GatewaycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2013Partner in Episodic Caregiver Support Initiative (ECSI) exploring needs of caregivers of people living with episodic disabilities.
• Employment and Social Development CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded the Workplaces REVAMPED project (Workplaces REcognizing the VAlue of eMPloyees with Episodic Disabilities) through the Opportunities Fund.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hivandrehab
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPX_1zY5vZnAWbKicj7Hl3A
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/HIVandRehab/340739632676755
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/realize-realise
• Instagraminstagram.com/hivandrehab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Realize