Midwest Nursing Research Society

What Midwest Nursing Research Society does

The Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership society founded in 1975, headquartered in Brentwood, TN, and governed by an elected Board of Directors with day-to-day operations managed by Parthenon Management Group. MNRS serves PhD-prepared nurse researchers, nursing faculty, doctoral/graduate/undergraduate nursing students, postdoctoral fellows, early career professionals, and schools of nursing across a 13-state Midwest region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Wisconsin), while remaining open to members nationally and internationally. Membership stands at 1,400+ individuals and a network of institutional members, with an annual research conference that draws over 900 attendees.

MNRS's core offerings center on four product lines: the peer-reviewed Western Journal of Nursing Research (published by SAGE, online-only since January 2025), the Annual Research Conference (51st edition scheduled for Grand Rapids, MI, March 31 - April 3, 2027), a research grants program with awards ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 across dissertation, seed, and post-dissertation categories, and an awards program recognizing lifetime achievement, distinguished contribution, new investigators, diversity/equity/inclusion, and distinguished service. The society's technology infrastructure is built entirely on third-party platforms — Hivebrite for the all-in-one member community (directory, forums, mentorship matching, sub-groups), Donately for donation processing, SocietyConference for conference and grant management, CareerWebsite for the Career Center, Threadless for merchandise, and SAGE for journal hosting — with no proprietary systems. Supporting programs include 20 Research & Implementation Interest Groups (RIIGs), the Emerging Scholars Network, a Mentorship Program, the MNRS Leadership Academy, webinars, and a Scientific Integrity Booklet.

MNRS generates revenue through individual membership dues (Regular $259, Student $129 or $190 two-year bundle, Emeriti $60, International $135), tiered institutional memberships (Silver $3,500, Gold $5,500, Platinum $12,000), conference registration fees, donations via the Gemstone Society donor recognition program (tiers from Turquoise up to $100 through Diamond at $5,000+), newsletter advertising (Top Placement $1,800, Bottom Placement $900), merchandise sales, and grants from external foundations including CANS, Sigma, Advocate Health, the Kevin & Mary Anthony Family, and the Buckwalter Estate. The go-to-market model is community-led, with member acquisition occurring through the website portal, conference attendance, academic institutional partnerships, member referrals, the Emerging Scholars Network, and outreach across a 13-state Midwest footprint.

Name

Midwest Nursing Research Society

Legal name

Midwest Nursing Research Society

Website

https://mnrs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MNRS is a 501(c)(3) professional society founded in 1975 that serves 1,400+ nursing researchers, faculty, and students across a 13-state Midwest region through an annual conference, peer-reviewed journal, grants, awards, and mentorship programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brentwood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual members (Regular, Emeriti, Student, International) and institutional members (Silver, Gold, Platinum tiers). Membership year runs July 1 to June 30.
2. Annual Conference Revenue: Registration fees and related revenue from the Annual Research Conference which draws over 900 attendees. Reduced prices for members.
3. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) organization, MNRS relies on donations and grants to cover operating costs, fund awards and grants, and support early career professionals. The Gemstone Society recognizes donors at Diamond ($5,000+), Ruby ($2,500-$4,999), Sapphire ($1,000-$2,499), Topaz ($500-$999), Emerald ($250-$499), Pearl ($100-$249), and Turquoise (up to $100) levels.
4. Advertising Revenue: Newsletter advertising placements - Top Placement at $1,800 and Bottom Placement at $900, reaching 1,100+ engaged readers.
5. Merchandise Sales: MNRS apparel and merchandise sold through third-party vendor Threadless, with proceeds supporting MNRS grants and member activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

MNRS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional membership society that advances nursing research through annual conferences, the Western Journal of Nursing Research (WJNR), research grants, awards, leadership development, mentorship, and a digital community platform. It serves 1,400+ nurse researchers, faculty, students, and institutions across a 13-state Midwest region.

Product overview

The Midwest Nursing Research Society (MNRS) is a professional membership organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services centered on advancing nursing science through collaborative engagement. The core offerings include the Annual Research Conference, the peer-reviewed Western Journal of Nursing Research (WJNR) published by SAGE, and various grant programs providing funding ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 for dissertation research, postdoctoral work, and seed research. The society supports career development through the MNRS Leadership Academy, Emerging Scholars Network, Research & Implementation Interest Groups (RIIGs), and Mentorship Program. MNRS members receive access to the Hivebrite community platform, the MNRS Member Hub, and the MNRS Career Center. The society also publishes the Scientific Integrity Booklet and offers prestigious awards recognizing contributions to nursing research. Membership is structured in multiple tiers including Regular, Student, Emeriti, International, and Institutional levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 900 attendees at annual conferences from across the United States
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sigma (Sigma Theta Tau International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMNRS/Sigma Research Grant partnership provides $3,500 funding for qualified nurses to contribute to nursing science advancement. One grant available per year. Both MNRS and Sigma membership required. Applications open January 1, 2026, deadline April 1, 2026, funding August 1, 2026.
• SAGE PublishingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial journal partnership for the Western Journal of Nursing Research (WJNR). SAGE publishes the journal which is the Official Journal of MNRS. SAGE provides Best Faculty Paper Award ($500) and Best Graduate Student Paper Award ($500) to recognize outstanding manuscripts.
• Council for Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMNRS/CANS Dissertation Grant provides up to $5,000 to support researchers in the Midwest advancing nursing science. Both MNRS and CANS membership required. Applications accepted September 24 - November 7, 2025.
• Advocate HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMNRS/Advocate Health Dissertation Grant supports dissertation research advancing nursing science and practice with funding up to $2,500. Both MNRS membership required.
• HivebritecoreTechnology or IntegrationHivebrite serves as MNRS's all-in-one community platform central hub for members. Features include searchable member directory, interactive forums, curated news/events/resources, messaging, sub-groups, mentorship matching, and collaboration opportunities. Hivebrite is trusted by 1,000+ organizations including WHO and American Heart Association.
• Parthenon Management Group (PMG)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExecutive office management partnership. PMG provides association management services including day-to-day operations, meeting planning, member services, and governance support. Stephanie Sartin, CAE serves as Director of Association Management.
• CCI Research FoundationminorOthersGrant opportunity provider for perioperative nursing projects. Accepts grant proposals online.
• Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationminorOthersGrand Challenges Explorations initiative accepting innovative global health solutions from researchers at any experience level or organization type.
• Robert Wood Johnson FoundationminorOthersNurse Faculty Scholars program helping junior nursing faculty advance careers through research opportunity support, mentoring, leadership training, and networking.
• Anna Lalor Burdick FoundationminorOthersFoundation objective to educate young women about human reproduction. Grantmaking emphasizes projects with realistic plans for financial self-sufficiency and collaborative projects.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National League for Nursing (NLN): National organization focused on nursing education with faculty development programs. Comparable to MNRS in serving nursing faculty but with broader education (not research) mandate.
• American Nurses Association (ANA): Largest U.S. professional nursing organization with national scope across practice, policy, and education. Overlaps with MNRS on nursing research advocacy and competes for the same nurse-researcher membership dollars.
• American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN): National organization for schools of nursing offering faculty development, research advocacy, and institutional engagement. Broader scope than MNRS but overlapping membership and competitive for institutional dues.

Direct peers

• Western Nursing Research Society (WNRS): Regional nursing research society serving the western U.S. Same model as MNRS: membership society, annual research conference, and member-focused grants/awards for nurse scientists.
• Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS): National nursing science organization and MNRS grant partner (MNRS/CANS Dissertation Grant). Directly comparable as both convene nurse researchers around scientific advancement, though CANS operates nationally.
• Sigma Theta Tau International (Sigma): Global nursing honor society and one of the largest professional organizations for nurses. Directly comparable to MNRS as both are membership societies serving nurse researchers and scholars, and Sigma is even an MNRS research grant partner.
• Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS): Regional nursing research society serving the southern U.S. Most direct comparable peer: same member model (academic nurse researchers), annual conference, grants, and journal affiliations, but geographically distinct.
• Eastern Nursing Research Society (ENRS): Regional nursing research society serving the eastern U.S. Closely mirrors MNRS in structure: nurse researcher membership, annual conference, and regional grants for nursing science advancement.

Others

• National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR): Federal NIH institute funding nursing research. Comparable in mission alignment (advancing nursing science) but not a member-based organization; NINR is a research funder and policy advocate that MNRS engages with directly.

Emerging players

• Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA): Specialty nursing organization serving hospice/palliative nurses, overlapping with MNRS's RIIGs (e.g., Palliative & End of Life Care). Comparable in member-driven grants, journal, and conference model but focused on a single specialty.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MidwestNursing
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheMNRS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midwest-nursing-research

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Midwest Nursing Research Society