named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
GROW: Garden for Resilience and Optimal Wellness
Therapeutic gardening program supporting Veteran resilience and wellness through engagement with nature and hands-on horticultural activities
THRIVE: Therapeutic Horticulture for Rehabilitative Intervention for Veteran Engagement
Nature-based therapy program in partnership with the New York Botanical Garden that uses horticulture to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression among Veterans while fostering social connection and personal growth
Whole Health
Person-centered wellness program offering Complementary and Integrative Health interventions including mindfulness, physical activity, nutrition, and coaching to support Veterans' long-term well-being and self-directed healing
Worried About a Veteran (WAV)
National suicide prevention initiative that equips families and friends of Veterans with tools to discuss firearm safety and mental health, guiding Veterans toward professional support
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Medical Research Funding 1 activity
- Administer extramural research funding for VA medical centersAdministers extramural funding to support biomedical, clinical, and rehabilitation research at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System, and the VA Bronx Health Care System through collaborations with academic institutions, government agencies, private companies, and foundations.
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Biomedical Research and Innovation 1 activity
- Conduct and support clinical and translational research in multiple medical specialtiesSupports research conducted by physician-scientists across specialties including Infectious Diseases, Neurology, Oncology, Psychiatry and Mental Health, Spinal Cord Injury, Urology, Endocrine, Renal, Gastrointestinal, Rheumatology, and Podiatry; conducts basic and translational research in areas such as spinal cord neurobiology, neuronal regrowth, and neuroplasticity.
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Neurological Disorder Research & Rehabilitation 1 activity
- Conduct clinical trials and cognitive research on neurological conditionsDesigns and conducts clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, mild cognitive impairment, blast-related traumatic brain injury, and resveratrol use in Alzheimer’s; previously led landmark trials on vitamin E and Selegiline; research also includes characterizing cognitive impacts of head injury, Sickle Cell disease, and mitochondrial disorders.
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Disease-Specific Clinical & Patient Education 1 activity
- Deliver health education and training for Veterans, caregivers, and VA personnelConducts health education activities to improve VA personnel performance and increase health awareness among Veterans and caregivers, particularly in diabetes and chronic disease management, delivered through VA healthcare providers trained in culturally competent care.
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Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
- Deliver therapeutic horticulture and whole health programming for VeteransOffers THRIVE, a four-week therapeutic horticulture program that reduces stress, anxiety, and depression while improving mood; provides graduates with a one-year family membership to the New York Botanical Garden; also offers Whole Health programming including mindfulness, physical activity, pain management, nutrition, wellness groups, photography, coaching, and music classes.
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Program Evaluation and Impact Research 1 activity
- Evaluate effectiveness of suicide prevention programsConducts pre- and post-launch evaluations, collects user feedback, and analyzes website traffic and resource downloads to assess the effectiveness of the Worried About a Veteran program.
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Cancer Research Funding 1 activity
- Fund quality improvement and research initiatives in oncology careFunds quality improvement initiatives for the oncology treatment clinic and supports cancer research to address funding gaps.
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Suicide Prevention Programs 1 activity
- Operate Worried About a Veteran suicide prevention initiativeLaunched "Worried About a Veteran" as a New York State pilot in 2022 and expanded it into a national suicide prevention initiative in 2024, producing multimedia educational tools including videos and expert interviews used nationally.
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Organizational Sustainability Management 1 activity
- Provide operational and financial management for research projectsManages day-to-day financial operations including accounts payable and receivable, payroll, human resources, revenue recognition, federal and state reporting, tax preparation, auditing, and financial lifecycle management for research and education projects since 2003.
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Cancer Patient Financial and Practical Support 1 activity
- Provide supportive services for Veterans undergoing cancer treatmentProvides meals, transportation, health education, nutrition guidance, and access to technology, equipment, and supplies for low-income Veterans undergoing cancer treatment and their caregivers.
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Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
- Support grant proposal development and award managementProvides end-to-end support for investigators in identifying, preparing, submitting, and managing grant proposals to secure funding from federal agencies, state departments, and private sponsors; manages systems for pre- and post-award grant administration to support increased research grant submissions.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$4.74M
Contributions & grants$4.64M98%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$95K2%
Other revenue$3K
expenses
Total expenses$5.93M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$3.75M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$5.95M
Cash$4.52M
Investments$0
Liabilities$450K
Net assets$5.50M
Liquid reserves9.1 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -1.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 10
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BALAVENKATESH KANNA MD MPH | CHAIRMAN | 5 | $385K |
| DAVID NG MD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $371K |
| MEENAKSHI ZAIDI MD | BOARD MEMBER | 5 | $324K |
| TIMOTHY HALL MD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $300K |
| GREGORY ELDER MD PHD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $267K |
| SHELDON BROWN MD | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $250K |
| DAWN M SCHAAL MS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | $203K |
| MARY SANO PHD | BOARD MEMBER | 4 | $192K |
| JOHANE SIMELANE MPH MS | EXECUTIVE DI | 40 | $163K |
| HEIDY SYKES BS | CHIEF ACCOUN | 40 | $114K |
board members · 3
- CANDACE GRANT MD — PUBLIC BOARD
- IRIS COOK PHD — PUBLIC BOARD
- PHYLLIS SCHNEPF MS — PUBLIC BOARD
relationships · 37
Who they work with
- ADCS Partner — Collaborated on a multicenter clinical trial of vitamin E and Selegiline for Alzheimer's disease
- Alzheimer Association Funder — Provided grant funding for research on Resveratrol
- Alzheimer's Disease Research Partner — Research collaboration led by Dr. Mary Sano
- Bronx VA Partner — Collaborates with Dr. Joe Geraci on the Veteran Sponsorship Initiative and other VA programs.
- Brown University Partner — Collaborated with VA researchers on the development of the first powered ankle-foot prosthesis.
- Department of Defense Funder — Federal agency that funds research grants managed by BVMRF.
- Department of Defense Government — One of the federal sources through which VA researchers may seek research funding.
- Department of Veterans Affairs Government — Legal and operational affiliation established through congressional authorization of nonprofit research corporations.
- Hudson Valley Health Care System Government — Expansion site for BVMRF-supported research and clinical trials.
- Humana Foundation Funder — Supports WAV through Face the Fight, a private-sector initiative.
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Partner — Collaborative relationship through shared leadership and research activities
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center Government — Oncology clinic where Mission Blue Skies provides support to Veterans undergoing cancer treatment.
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center Government — Primary site for BVMRF-conducted research and clinical trial implementation.
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center Government — Statutory affiliation through board membership and shared leadership roles
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center Partner — Collaborates with BVMRF on VA-approved research and education activities.
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center Partner — Located on shared campus with coordinated access; provides walking directions from its front gate to the BVMRF facility.
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center Partner — Partner institution where BVMRF administers research and education funding.
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center Partner — Partner institution where BVMRF administers research funding.
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center Partner — Primary affiliated medical center where BVMRF advances research and education.
- MIT Partner — Collaborated with VA researchers on the development of the first powered ankle-foot prosthesis.
- Mount Sinai School of Medicine Partner — Collaborative relationship through shared leadership and research activities
- National Institutes of Health Funder — Federal agency that funds research grants managed by BVMRF.
- National Institutes of Health Government — One of the federal sources through which VA researchers may seek research funding.
- New York Botanical Garden Partner — Partnership to deliver the THRIVE therapeutic horticulture program for Veterans at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center.
- New York State Department of Health Funder — State agency that funds research grants managed by BVMRF.
- New York State Department of Health Government — One of the state sources through which VA researchers may seek research funding.
- Reach Resilience Funder — Supports WAV through Face the Fight, a private-sector initiative.
- Teachers College, Columbia University Partner — Collaborates through Dr. Joe Geraci's role as faculty and co-founder of the Resilience Center for Veterans and Families.
- USAA Funder — Supports WAV through Face the Fight, a private-sector initiative.
- VA Bronx Health Care System Partner — Primary healthcare system supported by BVMRF for research and education.
+ 7 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Bench-to-Bedside Research Translationmethodology: bench-to-bedside_researchBy leveraging integrated electronic health records and a unified VA healthcare system, the organization accelerates the translation of basic science discoveries into clinical applications for Veterans, because tight linkages between research and care delivery enable rapid, evidence-based implementation.
- Collaborative Research Partnership Modelmethodology: collaborative_research_partnership_modelBy forming partnerships with VA medical centers, academic institutions, government agencies, and private industry, the organization amplifies the reach and impact of its research and education programs, because collaboration enables resource sharing, multidisciplinary inquiry, and broader dissemination of innovations.
- Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) for Suicide Preventionmethodology: calm-counseling-on-access-to-lethal-meansBy applying the evidence-based CALM model and engaging family members in intervention, the organization reduces suicide risk among Veterans, because practical, nonjudgmental counseling on lethal means safety—combined with social support—effectively disrupts crisis escalation.
- Culturally Competent, Veteran-Centered Education Deliverymethodology: culturally_competent_education_deliveryBy delivering health education through VA providers trained in culturally competent care, the organization enhances Veteran engagement and treatment adherence, because trust and shared experience increase relevance and understanding of medical information and self-management tools.
- Veteran-Specific Research Focusmethodology: veteran-specific_research_focusBy targeting research on health conditions prevalent among Veterans and aligning with VA priorities, the organization improves access to advanced medical treatments and technologies for Veterans, because this focused approach enables translation of scientific discoveries into clinically relevant care within an integrated healthcare system.