CIMVHR - Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research

What CIMVHR - Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research does

CIMVHR (Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research) is a non-profit research institute founded in 2010 and hosted at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. It operates as the national coordination hub for military, Veteran and family health research in Canada, connecting a network of 46 Canadian universities and more than 1,700 researchers with government funders (Defence Research and Development Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada, Canadian Armed Forces Health Services) and philanthropic partners (War Amps, Royal Canadian Legion, True Patriot Love Foundation, Wounded Warriors Canada). Its core activities include administering peer-reviewed research funding on behalf of funding organizations, publishing the open-access Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health (JMVFH) through University of Toronto Press, and hosting the annual CIMVHR Forum, which draws 500+ delegates and 200+ research presentations.%n%nThe institute earns revenue primarily through grants and contributions from government, industry, and philanthropic organizations, rather than commercial product sales. Key disclosed funding includes a $5M+ commitment from True Patriot Love Foundation, a $500,000 grant from War Amps in 2022 for a Veteran amputee research fund, and a 10-year $500,000 commitment from the Royal Canadian Legion in 2023 for doctoral scholarships. CIMVHR distributes these funds through its university network, manages a portfolio of scholarships (EHN Guardians, Legion Doctoral, Legion Masters, Dr. Mark Zamorski Award), and supports supplementary programs including the Student and Postdoctoral Engagement Community (SPEC, est. 2016), CIMVHR Fellows (est. 2016), the Canadian Children's E-books project (2025), and a 'Beyond the Battlefield' podcast.%n%nThe institute has 14 global affiliates across New Zealand, the UK, the US, Australia, and Israel. It is led by Scientific Director Dr. Nicholas Held (appointed 2024), Associate Scientific Director Dr. Stéphanie Bélanger, and Managing Director Paul Hook, with a team of approximately 22 employees. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, supported by Advisory Council and Technical Advisory Committee structures, and explicitly states it is not a service provider — its mission is to coordinate research, not deliver clinical services.

Name

CIMVHR - Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research

Legal name

Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research

Website

https://cimvhr.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CIMVHR is a non-profit research institute hosted at Queen's University that coordinates Canadian military, Veteran, and family health research across 46 universities and 1,700+ researchers, administering peer-reviewed funding and publishing the JMVFH journal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Military and Veteran Health Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAOAE

Military Graduate & Postgraduate Institutions (STEM/Defense Research)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Military Academies & Defense Universities

Keywords

• Military health research
• Veteran health research
• Research funding administration
• Academic research coordination
• Peer-reviewed journal publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research Funding Administration: CIMVHR acts as a conduit between the academic community and research funding organizations. On behalf of funding organizations, CIMVHR distributes requests-for-proposals to researchers through its network of universities and manages tasks through the scientific peer-review process to project completion.
2. Donations and Contributions: The organization accepts donations through Queen's University giving portal to support research initiatives and operations.
3. Funding from Partners: Government, industry, and philanthropic organizations provide funding for research, scholarships, JMVFH journal, conferences, and day-to-day operations. Major funders include War Amps ($500,000 grant in 2022), Royal Canadian Legion, True Patriot Love ($5M+ commitment), and others.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CIMVHR is a non-profit research coordination hub that connects 46 Canadian universities and 1,700+ researchers with funding organizations to advance military, Veteran, and family health research. It administers research funding on behalf of government agencies and philanthropic organizations, manages projects through scientific peer review, publishes the JMVFH peer-reviewed journal, and hosts the annual CIMVHR Forum conference. It also administers scholarships and awards programs and produces knowledge-translation resources such as children's e-books for military families.

Product overview

CIMVHR operates as a research coordination hub rather than a traditional product company. Its portfolio centers on three interconnected service pillars: (1) the Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health (JMVFH) as its flagship peer-reviewed publication; (2) the annual CIMVHR Forum as its primary knowledge-sharing platform; and (3) research funding administration connecting 46 Canadian universities with funding organizations. Supporting offerings include the SPEC student engagement committee, scholarships and awards program, the Canadian Children's E-books initiative, forum abstracts, and annual graduate webinars. The institute functions as the Canadian hub for military, Veteran and family health research, providing infrastructure to enable research, enhance accessibility, and foster collaboration among network members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JMVFH (Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health): The official peer-reviewed, online, open-access journal of CIMVHR, dedicated to advancing critical research in mental health, physical health, policy, and rehabilitation for military personnel, Veterans, and their families. First published in 2015.
• SPEC (Student and Postdoctoral Engagement Community)
• Children's Book Project

Products and services

• Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health (JMVFH) An online, open-access, peer-reviewed scholarly journal dedicated to advancing critical research in mental health, physical health, policy, and rehabilitation for military personnel, Veterans, and their families. First published in 2015 and published in partnership with University of Toronto Press. Available at utppublishing.com.
• CIMVHR Forum (Annual Research Conference) Annual in-person research conference delivering more than 200 research presentations to over 500 delegates. Brings together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and community leaders focused on military, Veteran, public safety personnel, and family health research across Canada and internationally.
• Research Funding Administration Managed-service offering in which CIMVHR distributes requests-for-proposals on behalf of research funding organizations to its network of 46 Canadian universities, then shepherds selected projects through scientific peer review to completion. Nearly 100 tasks have been awarded to researchers through this process.
• Scholarships and Awards Program Annual scholarships administered on behalf of research funding organizations, including the EHN Guardians Scholarship ($15,000), Royal Canadian Legion Doctoral Scholarship ($25,000/year for two years), Legion National Foundation Masters Scholarship ($15,000/year for two years), and Dr. Mark Zamorski Award ($10,000). Targets graduate and postdoctoral researchers in military and Veteran health.
• Student and Postdoctoral Engagement Community (SPEC) Professional development community established in 2016 for graduate and postdoctoral students in military, Veteran, public safety personnel, and family health research. Provides networking, professional development opportunities, and connection to national research bodies.
• Canadian Children's E-books for Military Families First evidence-based military children's storybooks available online and free in Canada, adapted from Australian research-based books with Canadian characters, settings, and cultural adaptations. Includes titles narrated by Chris Hadfield. Created with military, Veteran, and public safety personnel families across Canada.
• Annual Graduate Webinar Series Annual webinar series titled 'Issues in the Health of Military Personnel, Veterans and their Families' designed to empower the next generation of researchers and promote networking among graduate and postdoctoral students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 100 research tasks funded and completed through network
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Queen's UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Host institution for CIMVHR, providing administrative infrastructure and academic support. Queen's University is home to the institute's headquarters at 355 King Street West, Kingston, Ontario.
• Royal Military College of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal military university and member of CIMVHR network, contributing research expertise in defense and military health matters.
• Canadian Chiropractic Research FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting collaborative research and knowledge mobilization focusing on musculoskeletal health and well-being of military personnel, Veterans, and families.
• Perley HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre of excellence in long-term care and Veteran care. Partnering with CIMVHR on collaborative research and knowledge mobilization for aging Veterans.
• IBM Canada Ltd.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough Advanced Analytics Initiative with Babcock Canada, funding cutting-edge research using big data, data analytics, and machine learning for military health.
• Public Services and Procurement CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgreement since 2012 to assist with finding specialized research teams for DRDC, Canadian Forces Health Services, and Veterans Affairs Canada.
• ATLAS Institute for Veterans & FamiliesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute focused on Veterans and families, collaborating on mental health research initiatives.
• Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institute focused on public safety personnel mental health, collaborating on PSP mental health research.
• King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based global affiliate at King's College London, collaborating on international military health research. Co-hosted Military Families Day International Roundtable 2026.
• University of OtagominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Zealand university and global affiliate, collaborating on international Veterans health research.
• Anglia Ruskin UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK university with Veterans and Families Institute, collaborating on military family research including bereavement research.
• Uniformed Services University (USU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS military health university, global affiliate collaborating on international research.
• Phoenix AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralian center for posttraumatic mental health, global affiliate collaborating on mental health research.
• University of New England (Australia)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with Dr. Marg Rogers for children's e-books project, adapting Australian military family resources for Canada.
• Sheridan CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember college contributing to CIMVHR's academic network for research collaboration.
• Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Children's E-books project, providing funding and support for free online storybooks for military families.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT): Canadian research institute focused on public safety personnel mental health, listed as a CIMVHR partner. Directly comparable as a Canadian-themed research network addressing overlapping populations (military, veterans, PSP) with similar academic coordination model.
• King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR): UK-based academic research centre at King's College London focused on the physical and mental health of military personnel, veterans, and their families. CIMVHR is a global affiliate and co-hosts international roundtables with KCMHR, making it the most direct international counterpart.
• Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families: Canadian research institute focused on Veterans and families, collaborating with CIMVHR on mental health research. Operates in the same Canadian research-to-policy ecosystem serving the same Canadian military and Veteran population.
• Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University: US-based university-hosted institute dedicated to advancing the lives of veterans and military families through research, programs, and partnerships. Closest US structural analog to CIMVHR's university-based research coordination model.
• Phoenix Australia: Australia's national centre of excellence in posttraumatic mental health, established through government and academic collaboration. Listed as a CIMVHR global affiliate and operates an analogous research-to-policy translation model for military and first-responder populations.
• Uniformed Services University (USU): US military health university and CIMVHR global affiliate. Shares the model of university-based military health research and training, but at substantially larger scale as a federally chartered US institution.
• Centre for Veterans and Families Research, Anglia Ruskin University: UK university-based research group focused on military families including bereavement research, listed as a CIMVHR global affiliate. Direct structural analog focused on family research, with CIMVHR-listed collaboration.

Emerging players

• Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP): US-based military psychology training and research center providing continuing education to military and civilian providers. Comparable in being a research-to-practice translation organization for military mental health, though narrower in scope than CIMVHR.
• Veterans Research Alliance (UK): UK-based emerging network of military and veterans research organizations working to coordinate veteran health research across UK universities. Analogous to CIMVHR's role as a national coordination hub but at an earlier stage of development.

Broad incumbents

• Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine: Large US non-profit that manages military medical research portfolios and funds research on behalf of the US Department of Defense. Operates the same research administration function as CIMVHR but at far greater scale and within the US military medical system.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIMVHR_ICRSMV
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRz7LrYrqV8zwa-nD-1aH_Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/CIMVHR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cimvhr-icrsmv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CIMVHR - Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research