Report: Third Annual Meeting of the Dementia Research and Innovation Funders Alliance
Ottawa, Canada
November 18, 2025
Overview and Executive Summary
Over 20 member organizations of the Dementia Research and Innovation Funders Alliance ('the Alliance') and other partners in research convened in Ottawa on November 18, 2025, for the third annual meeting to:
- Review findings from the first Alliance-led mapping survey, as well as results from the environmental scan of Canada's dementia research landscape carried out by CIHR funded researcher Dr. Juanita Bacsu; and,
- Align priorities and define key strategic deliverables for 2026 and beyond to strengthen and advance the objectives of the Alliance.
Strategic themes and actionable priorities that emerged from discussions included:
- Identifying dementia research and innovation funding gaps and taking strategic action through the analysis of Alliance member contributions and investments reported in the first annual Alliance-led survey;
- Closing the implementation gap in dementia research and innovation by improving the translation of high-quality evidence into practice (uptake), and measuring that adoption (impact);
- Strengthening cross-sector partnerships and coordinating funding to maximize collective impact;
- Enhancing Alliance visibility through enhanced internal communications and focused external messaging; and
- Building a sustainable infrastructure with shared values across dementia research and innovation funders and community partners.
Using Data to Map the Dementia Research and Innovation Ecosystem
Mapping the Aging Brain Health and Dementia Research and Innovation Landscape in Canada
Dr. Juanita Bacsu, who was awarded a CIHR Planning and Dissemination Grant (Summer 2024) to undertake a mapping of the Canadian dementia research and innovation landscape, presented her findings to the Alliance. Dr. Bacsu's presentation focused on critical needs, gaps and actions in dementia prevention, advancing therapies and enhancing quality of life, in alignment with Canada's National Dementia Strategy (NDS).
Dr. Bacsu identified the following priority areas for research:
- Bridge Knowledge to Action: Implementation Gap
- Strengthen Diversity and Equity
- Research and Innovation: From Silos to Synergy
- Prioritize Lived Experience
To learn more, please visit Dr. Bacsu's webpage.
Data Insights: Alliance-Led Mapping of the Dementia
An inaugural survey was launched to Alliance Members in 2025 to collect 5-year baseline data (2020-2025). This will be compiled with annual survey data going forward to build the evidence base to support meeting the research and innovation goals of Canada's national dementia strategy, map the dementia research and innovation landscape and inform how the Alliance can shape future investments for collective impact (see appendix 1).
Recommendations stemming from the survey results include:
- Expanding funding to underrepresented regions to ensure better reach and more balanced funding distribution;
- Boosting core investments (i.e., training, knowledge mobilization);
- Leveraging existing data and insights brought forward to improve the annual members survey; and,
- Aligning priority research with emerging trends, such as early detection, health equity, biomarkers, artificial intelligence and digital health.
Key Takeaways
Discussion following the data presentations focused on the gap between the objectives of the research pillar of Canada's national dementia strategy and current funding, emphasizing equity, lived experience and scaling evidence-informed practices and programs.
The Alliance aims to identify opportunities for organizations to align investments and share resources by moving high level insights into practical, collaborative initiatives. There is strong interest in fostering cross-organization collaboration to maximize existing resources rather than seeking new funding.
Participants called for policy maker and clinician engagement to bridge the implementation gap, while also expanding training capacity and reaching important audiences through Alliance member activities. There was also discussion on how to strengthen communication and knowledge sharing, and how to expand the Alliance's reach and visibility across research, policy and community sectors.
Synthesizing Data and Supporting the Growth of the Alliance
Dr. Courtney Genge [Program Advisor Aging in Place Challenge program at National Research Council Canada] presented strategies to embed shared values into organizational processes of Alliance member and into the Alliance governance to strengthen collaboration and enhance impact across the dementia research and innovation funding landscape.
Key Takeaways
Alliance members emphasized the importance of embedding shared values, such as promoting transparency, knowledge stewardship, active engagement, equitable practices and meaningful recognition of lived and living experience, to achieve the Alliance's mission.
The Alliance explored developing key resources to foster and integrate these shared values into the work and governance structure of the Alliance, and to strengthen collaboration and reduce duplication. Learning from and building on the experiences of other similar organizations (e.g., Canadian Cancer Research Alliance) will be crucial in supporting the Alliance's growth, sustainability and overall impact.
Alliance Priorities for 2026 and Beyond
Based on the discussions at the Alliance annual meeting, the Alliance will:
- Enhance internal capacity and communication
- Refine and relaunch the annual Alliance-led data and mapping survey, create internal shared resources, such as a repository of best practices and funding opportunities and increase communication between members throughout the year, to maximize impact.
- Initiate virtual Alliance meetings to be held between the annual in-person meetings to increase engagement of Alliance members and to share deeper information about member organizations programs and planning.
- Strengthen visibility and branding
- Develop external-facing materials and activities, such as a unified web presence (e.g., website and digital platform), produce external communications (e.g., a series of op-eds), create partner and researcher video content, and host external webinars or newsletters.
- Establish a unified presence at key conferences, such as Canadian Science Policy Conference, and participate in other relevant events to share consistent, collective messaging and share information.
- Act on Alliance-led survey results and expand community engagement and partnerships
- Leverage insights gleaned from the Alliance-led data and mapping survey to identify and fill research and innovation funding gaps.
- Increase outreach to regional organizations and other research and innovation funders to expand membership in the Alliance and better represent the entire Canadian funding ecosystem.
- Address barriers to joint investments and implement strategies for deeper partnerships and collective impact through joint funding calls.
Conclusion
The annual meeting concluded with a strong call to transition from planning and discussion to concrete action, leveraging the Alliance's collective expertise to increase internal capacity and communication between members, enhance visibility and branding, and community engagement and partnerships.
Participants emphasized the need to prioritize activities that deliver the greatest value within limited resources, clarify the key impact questions guiding the Alliance's work related to aging brain health and dementia research in Canada, and ensure responsibilities are distributed equitably among members for sustained engagement and long-term commitment.
Appendix 1: 2025 Alliance Annual Survey Results
Mapping the Dementia Research and Innovation Ecosystem
The Alliance-led survey provides an annual snapshot of Canada's dementia research and innovation funding landscape. It highlights research and innovation trends and gaps, offering actionable insights to guide future investments.
Results from this survey are self reported by Alliance members.
Survey Objectives
- Evaluate progress on Canada's national dementia strategy research and innovation goals
- Map and analyze Canada's dementia research and innovation landscape
- Inform future investments and demonstrate impact
Key Survey Takeaways
The following survey insights can drive collective action, strengthen member connections and heal accelerate research and innovation:
- Balance geographic funding distribution through partnership and infrastructure
- Drive long-term impact through training, capacity building, and knowledge mobilization
- Prioritize prevention, early detection, and health equity
- Report and disseminate emerging trends in biomarkers, artificial intelligence and digital health
Respondents
- 15 out of 30 Alliance members (50%)
- Primarily located in Ontario (80%)
- Have a national funding portfolio (80%)
- Have been active in the ecosystem for >6 years (87%)
Funding in the 2024-2025 reporting period
April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025
Long description
- 34% Dementia Research and Innovation ($45,389,071)
- 66% Other ($88,254,148)
- Total organizational spending: $133,643,219
Responding Alliance members reported total organizational spending of over $133M. A third (> $45M) was allocated to dementia research and innovation.
Long description
- 37 New Funding Calls
- 200+ Principal Applicants
- 440+ New Projects
37 new funding calls related to dementia research and innovation were launched, funding over 200 Nominated Principal Investigators. In total, over 440 projects were active during the reporting period.
Long description
- 34% Quality of Life
- 32% Prevent Dementia
- 34% Advance Therapies
Investments were evenly distributed amongst the national dementia strategy objectives.
Long description
- Alberta: 4%
- British Columbia: 10%
- Manitoba: 1%
- New Brunswick: >1%
- Newfoundland and Labrador: >1%
- Nova Scotia: 2%
- Ontario: 69%
- Quebec: 13%
- Saskatchewan: 1%
- Territories: 0%
Funding was concentrated in Ontario (69%), followed by Quebec (13%) and British Columbia (10%).
Five-year Snapshot: Insights from 2020-2025
Over the past five years, responding Alliance members reported more partnerships on funding calls, increased committed funds and funding calls, and an overall increase in projects funded.
Committed funds represent the amount of funds an organization has allocated to spend towards funding activities and may be spent over multiple years.
Partnerships and Funding Calls
Long description
| Fiscal Year | Number of Partners on Funding Calls | Number of Funding Calls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 11 | 24 |
| 2021/22 | 10 | 21 |
| 2022/23 | 17 | 33 |
| 2023/24 | 27 | 40 |
| 2024/25 | 32 | 42 |
Committed Investments to Funding Calls
Long description
| Fiscal Year | Committed Funds by Alliance Members | Committed Funds by Alliance Members and Partners |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | $40,215,648 | $52,213,258 |
| 2021/22 | $27,295,491 | $32,060,034 |
| 2022/23 | $34,436,107 | $50,741,726 |
| 2023/24 | $46,208,100 | $68,173,528 |
| 2024/25 | $66,753,735 | $86,550,868 |
Including partner contributions
Total Investments by Type of Funding Call
Long description
| Fiscal Year | Strategic Research Funding Competition | Training and Capacity Building | Innovation Translation Research and Commercialization | Knowledge Mobilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | 2,760,000 | 3,904,060 | 17,363,298 | 0 |
| 2021/22 | 400,000 | 12,034,185 | 11,437,692 | 0 |
| 2022/23 | 17,029,000 | 1,206,890 | 19,173,198 | 876,434 |
| 2023/24 | 19,774,568 | 2,817,592 | 34,072,078 | 3,061,029 |
| 2024/25 | 30,210,230 | 2,703,942 | 20,911,350 | 2,496,025 |
Between 2020 and 2025, responding Alliance members reported a continuous increase in the total investments made in strategic funding calls, more prominent investments being made in knowledge mobilization and more varied investments in training and capacity alongside innovation translational research and commercialization.
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