National Association Of Veterans Research And Education Foundations

NAVREF'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE THE SUCCESS OF THE VA-AFFILIATED NONPROFIT RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CORPORATIONS.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT: IN COLLABORATION WITH VA OFFICE OF RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, NAVREF INITIATED THE ACCESS TO CLINICAL TRIALS FOR VETERANS (ACT FOR VETERANS) PROGRAM. THIS IS A MULTIYEAR EFFORT DESIGNED TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH GREATER ACCESS TO INDUSTRY SPONSORED CLINICAL TRIALS AND MAKE VA A PARTNER OF CHOICE FOR INDUSTRY SPONSORED TRIALS. GIVEN THAT VA SERVES OVER 9 MILLION VETERANS, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THOSE VETERANS BE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE THE LATEST INNOVATIVE TREATMENTS WITHOUT LEAVING THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. BY ENGAGING MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS FROM VA, PHARMA, AND PATIENT ADVOCACY GROUPS, ACT HAS BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY BARRIERS AND PROPOSE NEW PROCEDURES TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS. THIS INITIATIVE IS LARGELY POSSIBLE DUE TO FINANCIAL SUPPORT FROM OUTSIDE DONORS WHO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF CLINICAL TRIALS TO THE HEALTHCARE OF VETERANS. NAVREF HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED, NOT ONLY THROUGH STAFF PARTICIPATION, BUT ALSO BY SEEKING THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT NEEDED TO HIRE THE ACT FOR VETERANS PROGRAM COORDINATOR, AND TO BRING STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER FOR TWO FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS. ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT PRODUCTS OF THE INITIATIVE HAS BEEN THE JOINT ESTABLISHMENT WITH VA OF THE PARTNERED RESEARCH PROGRAM (PRP), A DEDICATED RESOURCE FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS INTERESTED IN CONDUCTING MULTISITE TRIALS WITHINWITHIN VA. THE PRP IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURING THAT VETERANS WILL HAVE GREATER ACCESS TO TRIALS WITHIN VA. THE PRP WILL SHEPHERD TRIALS THROUGH THE START-UP PROCESS (FROM INITIAL CONTACT THROUGH IRB APPROVAL), PROVIDE EDUCATION REGARDING VA PROCEDURE, AND SERVE AS A CLEARINGHOUSE OF INFORMATION REGARDING VA ASSETS AND CAPABILITIES. NAVREF ALSO PURSUES AN OUTREACH PROGRAM TO HIGHLIGHT THE VA RESEARCH PROGRAM AND THE CAPABILITIES OF THE NONPROFIT FOUNDATIONS. THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES MEETING WITH DOZENS OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS AND VENDORS, PATIENT ADVOCACY GROUPS, VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, AND ANY STAKEHOLDER WHO SUPPORTS THE HEALTH OF VETERANS. THROUGH OUTREACH NAVREF IS HEIGHTENING AWARENESS OF VA RESEARCH AND THE NONPROFITS AND EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER AND COLLABORATE TO BENEFIT VETERANS' HEALTH.

EDUCATION: EDUCATION IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF NAVREF'S VISION, MISSION AND VALUES. NAVREF OFFERS A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO ITS MEMBERS. THESE INCLUDE: (1) TRAINING WORKSHOPS- TYPICALLY 2 DAY EVENTS FOCUSED ON TOPICS OF INTEREST, (2) "NPC ESSENTIALS"- AN ANNUAL WORKSHOP DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND SENIOR STAFF TO THEIR NEW ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, KEY FUNCTIONS OF THE NPCS, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE NPCS AND VA, (3) A MONTHLY WEBINAR SERIES - A MEMBER-DRIVEN PROGRAM THAT DELIVERS 1.5 HOURS OF EDUCATIONAL CONTACT EACH MONTH IN ORDER TO ADDRESS NPC-RELATED TOPICS AND PRESENT SERVICES TO MEMBERS. IN ADDITION, NAVREF OFFERS MEMBERS A FREE BEST PRACTICE CONSULTATION SERVICE WHICH INVOLVES AN INTENSE PREPARATORY REVIEW OF BYLAWS, STRATEGY, POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND FINANCES FOLLOWED BY A SITE VISIT TO DISCUSS SPECIFIC ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS WITH THE NPC'S EXECUTIVES AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS. THE CENTERPIECE OF NAVREF'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM IS OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE. THE 3-DAY EVENT AVERAGES 125 ATTENDEES FROM MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AND FOCUSES ON THE MOST RELEVANT TOPICS RELATED TO ADMINISTRATION, GOVERNANCE, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, HUMAN RESOURCES, AND REVENUE DEVELOPMENT. PLENARY SPEAKERS FROM THE US CONGRESS, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH, AND THE LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY PROVIDE KEEN INSIGHT ON DEVELOPING TRENDS AND INITIATIVES. NAVREF ALSO NEGOTIATES WITH OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL CONTENT FOR MEMBER EMPLOYEES AND VA AFFILIATED PERSONNEL AT NO COST TO THE MEMBERS.

MEMBER COMMUNICATIONS & SERVICES: NAVREF ENSURES THE SUCCESS OF ITS MEMBERS BY PROVIDING BOTH DIRECT AND INDIRECT SERVICES. MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REACH OUT TO NAVREF STAFF BY PHONE OR EMAIL FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT. INFORMATION IS ALSO DISSEMINATED TO MEMBERS VIA THE ORGANIZATION'S WEBSITE, EMAIL, AND THE BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER PRODUCED BY STAFF. THIS NEWSLETTER CONTAINS ARTICLES, UPDATES, COLUMNS, AND REMINDERS KEEPING ALL MEMBERS UP-TO-DATE ON CURRENT ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR, THE CLINICAL RESEARCH INDUSTRY, AND THE VETERAN RESEARCH COMMUNITY. OVER ITS 28-YEAR HISTORY, NAVREF HAS DEVELOPED CONTACTS WITH NUMEROUS EXPERTS IN NPC GOVERNANCE, FINANCES, HUMAN RESOURCES, GRANTS MANAGEMENT, ADVOCACY, AND RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION. MANY OF THESE EXPERTS MAKE THEMSELVES AVAILABLE TO NAVREF AND ITS' MEMBERS TO ADDRESS EMERGING ISSUES. NAVREF ALSO PROVIDES MEMBERS WITH A POPULAR WEB-BASED "MEMBER FORUM" WHICH ALLOWS MEMBERS TO POSE QUESTIONS TO OTHER MEMBERS AND NPC STAFF. IN KEEPING WITH ITS VISION, NAVREF PROVIDES A CLINICAL TRIAL MATCHMAKING SERVICE WHICH CONNECTS MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS WITH CLINICAL RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERANS. NAVREF STAFF ACTIVELY PURSUE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES AND CONTRACT RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH STUDIES AT VA MEDICAL CENTERS. NAVREF NEGOTIATES WITH VENDORS TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AT GROUP DISCOUNTS.