Victoria Brain Injury Society

What Victoria Brain Injury Society does

Victoria Brain Injury Society (VBIS) is a Canadian non-profit charitable organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Victoria, British Columbia, delivering free support, education, advocacy, and housing services to brain injury survivors (TBI, ABI, stroke, and brain tumor survivors) and their families throughout the Capital Regional District. With a staff of 24, the organization runs a comprehensive program portfolio that includes Individual Case Management, weekly Peer Support groups (including a dedicated women's group), the Stronger Together Family Support program, the LIFT Youth Program for ages 16-25, structured educational courses (ABI 101, Coping Strategies), community outreach presentations, and the SHINE school-based brain injury awareness curriculum that has reached over 3,085 students across 106+ classrooms as of March 2024.

VBIS's differentiated offerings center on research-backed cognitive and complementary therapy programs: the Train Your Brain program deploys NeuroTracker, a 3D multiple object tracking cognitive training platform built in collaboration with the University of Victoria's Christie Lab, which has documented improvements in working memory, attention, and verbal fluency after a 5-week course. Additional specialized programs include a Housing Outreach Program, equine-assisted learning at Heart Lake Farm (in partnership with Together In Stride Foundation), Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Mindfulness, and a new Free Counselling Program launched in February 2025 in partnership with UVic's Masters of Counselling practicum.

The business model is donation-funded: every program is delivered at no cost to clients, with revenue derived from individual donations (one-time and recurring), corporate sponsorships and in-kind support, planned giving/bequests, and annual fundraising events such as the 'An Evening of Black and White... Because Gray Matters' gala, which raised $128,382 in 2025 and a record $167,000 in 2026. The organization is governed by a member-elected board, led by Executive Director Sharlene following the 2026 transition from Pam Prewett, and is registered as a Canadian charity (#122452121RR0001).

Name

Victoria Brain Injury Society

Legal name

Victoria Brain Injury Society

Website

https://vbis.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Victoria Brain Injury Society is a Victoria, BC-based non-profit that delivers free support, education, advocacy, and housing services to brain injury survivors and their families across the Capital Regional District, including case management, peer support, cognitive training, and youth programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Brain Injury Support Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurologic Rehabilitation Centers (Stroke/TBI/SCI/MS/Parkinson’s) (HLADAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neurologic Rehabilitation (Stroke, TBI, Parkinson’s, MS) (HSADAIAC), Trauma-Informed Care & Crisis Response (School-Based) (EDAKAMAF), Special Needs Skill-Building & Therapy Learning Apps (Autism, OT/PT, Life Skills) (EDAFAKAJ), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Brain injury support
• Cognitive rehabilitation
• Peer support programs
• Nonprofit health services
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Victoria

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Charitable organization funded primarily through donations from individuals. Donors can make one-time or monthly recurring donations via online portal, phone, or mail. All donations are tax-deductible (Charity #122452121RR0001).
2. Corporate Support: Partnerships with local businesses that provide sponsorships, in-kind donations, and support for events such as the annual gala. Corporate partners receive recognition and community engagement benefits.
3. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts and bequests from individuals who include VBIS in their wills or estate planning.
4. Fundraising Events: Annual gala events such as 'An Evening of Black and White... Because Gray Matters' generate significant fundraising revenue. The 2025 gala raised $128,382 and the 2026 gala raised $167,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Victoria Brain Injury Society is a non-profit charitable organization that provides free programs and services to brain injury survivors and their families in Greater Victoria, BC. Its core offering centers on Individual Case Management and is complemented by Peer Support groups, Family Support, the LIFT Youth Program, Brain Injury Courses (ABI 101, Coping Strategies), Train Your Brain cognitive training using NeuroTracker software, Creative Arts & Movement programs, Housing Outreach, a Free Counselling Program, Horse Assisted Learning, and the SHINE brain injury education program for youth.

Product overview

Victoria Brain Injury Society provides a comprehensive, integrated suite of programs and services for brain injury survivors and their families in Greater Victoria. The core offering centers on Individual Case Management providing one-on-one support, complemented by Peer Support groups (general and women's-specific), Family Support programming, and the LIFT Youth Program for ages 16-25. Educational services include Brain Injury Courses (ABI 101, Coping Strategies, Carrying On With Coping), Train Your Brain (NeuroTracker cognitive training), and SHINE educational presentations for youth. Creative Arts & Movement Programs encompass music therapy, art therapy, yoga, mindfulness, and walking groups. The Housing Outreach Program assists with housing access and skills training, while a new Free Counselling Program (partnered with University of Victoria) provides mental health support. Additional offerings include Horse Assisted Learning, Community Outreach presentations, and research collaboration through the Research Corner. All services are provided at no cost to clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LIFT Youth Program: A safe and welcoming place for people ages 16-25 living with a brain injury, providing peer support and building lasting friendships.
• SHINE
• Train Your Brain
• An Evening of Black and White... Because Gray Matters

Products and services

• Individual Case Management Comprehensive one-on-one case management providing personalized support, wayfinding, advocacy, and consistent monitoring for brain injury survivors to help them recover, adapt, and adjust to their new reality. Free of charge to clients in Greater Victoria.
• Peer Support Program Peer support groups connecting brain injury survivors with trained mentors who have lived experience of concussion and brain injury, offered weekly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, plus a dedicated Women's Peer Support Group on Monday mornings. Free of charge.
• Family Support Program The Stronger Together program provides a safe space for friends and family members of brain injury survivors to discuss issues relating to brain injury and their experiences, along with personalized one-on-one support for caregivers. Free of charge.
• LIFT Youth Program A safe and welcoming program for people ages 16-25 living with a brain injury, providing peer support, self-care resources, and community building to help youth navigate their concussion recovery journey. Free of charge.
• Brain Injury Courses Educational programs including ABI 101 (3-4 week introduction to brain anatomy and injury), Coping Strategies (24-week in-depth course), and Carrying On With Coping (biweekly drop-in for graduates), teaching brain function, injury effects, and coping techniques. Free of charge.
• Creative Arts & Movement Programs Creative arts and movement programs including Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Gentle Yoga & Stretch, Mindfulness practice, and Walking Group, offering alternative methods of rehabilitation and social connection. Free of charge.
• Train Your Brain (NeuroTracker) Weekly cognitive training using NeuroTracker 3D multiple object tracking software, developed in collaboration with the University of Victoria Christie Lab, to improve cognition and reduce brain injury-related symptoms by exercising working memory, attention, and visual tracking. Free of charge.
• Housing Outreach Program The Housing Outreach Program (HOP) provides access to safe, affordable housing for adults affected by brain injuries, offering assistance with housing barriers, budget training, emergency planning, and household maintenance skills, facilitated by a Housing Support Coordinator. Free of charge.
• Free Counselling Program Free one-on-one counselling sessions delivered by University of Victoria Masters of Counselling students as part of their practicum, providing mental health support tailored to acquired brain injury survivors.
• SHINE Program SHINE (Student Head Injury Neuro Education) is a 90-minute interactive presentation for youth in Grade 12 and community sports teams teaching about brain injury causes, dispelling concussion myths, and promoting injury prevention and safe recovery. Free of charge.
• Horse Assisted Learning Equine Assisted Learning program conducted in partnership with The Together In Stride Foundation at Heart Lake Farm, encouraging positive social skill development through objectively driven ground exercises with horses in a group environment. Free of charge.

Quantifiable outcome

• TBI survivors showed significantly reduced daily life challenges and brain injury related symptoms after 5 weeks of NeuroTracker training
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Victoria (Masters of Counselling program)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 February 2025Partnership pairs people with brain injuries in need of counselling with counselling students completing their Masters-level practicum. Students gain work experience while providing free one-on-one counselling sessions to VBIS clients, addressing the gap in mental health services tailored to acquired brain injury survivors.
• Together In Stride FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supports the Horse Assisted Learning Program at Heart Lake Farm. The foundation shares VBIS's passion for supporting community members living with brain injury and helps fund the equine-assisted learning sessions available to all VBIS clients at no cost.
• Christie Lab at University of VictoriacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner4+ year research partnership with Dr. Brian Christie's lab (PhD Faculty, Division of Medical Sciences, UVic) focusing on traumatic brain injury research through clinical and pre-clinical studies. This collaboration led to development of Train Your Brain and SHINE programs, with ongoing research including Mitacs Accelerate-funded cognitive training study.
• Taylor Snowden-Richardson (PhD Candidate, Christie Lab)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhD candidate instrumental in conducting research collaborations with VBIS, including cognitive training studies and the History of Concussion study recruiting participants aged 50-90.
• Dr. Brian Christie (UVic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhD faculty member in Division of Medical Sciences at UVic. His lab focuses on studying traumatic brain injury through clinical and pre-clinical research, and has been instrumental in developing research-backed programs at VBIS.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• March of Dimes Canada: National Canadian nonprofit providing rehabilitation services including acquired brain injury support, peer mentoring, and case management. Comparable in its free, community-based delivery model for brain injury survivors.
• Cridge Brain Injury Services: BC-based brain injury services program operated by the Cridge Centre for the Family, serving survivors in Greater Victoria. Directly comparable because it provides residential and community brain injury support in the same geography as VBIS.
• Stroke Recovery Canada (March of Dimes): Canadian stroke survivor support program offering peer support, education, and community reintegration services. Comparable as a brain injury-adjacent nonprofit serving acquired brain injury survivors with a similar peer-led service model.
• Brain Injury Canada: National Canadian brain injury association providing advocacy, education, and support to brain injury survivors and families. Directly comparable as a brain injury-focused support organization serving a Canadian population.

Regional players

• Ontario Brain Injury Association (OBIA): Provincial brain injury association serving Ontario survivors and families through peer support, education, and advocacy. Comparable mission and program structure, but operates in a different Canadian province than VBIS.
• Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA): US national brain injury advocacy organization providing information, support groups, and public awareness. Comparable in mission and program offerings, but serves a different country than VBIS.
• Headway (UK): UK-based brain injury association offering peer support, information services, and community programs. Comparable in mission and program model, but operates in a different country and healthcare system.

Others

• NeuroTracker (CogniSens Inc.): Provider of the 3D multiple object tracking cognitive training software used by VBIS in its Train Your Brain program. Comparable as the enabling technology partner for VBIS's flagship cognitive rehabilitation offering rather than a service peer.

Broad incumbents

• GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre: BC's largest rehabilitation hospital providing inpatient and outpatient brain injury rehab. Comparable in serving brain injury survivors in British Columbia, but operates as part of a broader publicly funded health authority rather than as a community nonprofit.

Emerging players

• BC Brain Wellness Program: Clinician-led program at UBC/Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health offering wellness programs for people with brain conditions. Comparable in offering brain-focused wellness and exercise programs in BC, but with a clinical-academic rather than community nonprofit model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VicBrainInjury
• Facebookfacebook.com/VictoriaBrainInjurySociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/victoria-brain-injury-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/victoriabraininjurysociety
• TikToktiktok.com/@victoriabraininjury

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Victoria Brain Injury Society