Role of SCITCS in the funding ecosystem
The Spinal Cord Injury Treatment Centre (Northern Alberta) Society (SCITCS) is a community-based non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with spinal cord injury through treatment, rehabilitation, research and education. Based in Northern Alberta and closely linked with institutions such as the University of Alberta, SCITCS supports both clinical innovation and day-to-day quality of life for people living with paralysis.
SCITCS acts as a small but focused funding body, channeling donations and fundraising revenues into research grants, student awards and bursaries. Its support helps advance spinal cord injury science, promote functional electrical stimulation (FES) and other rehabilitation technologies, and recognize individuals contributing to the disability community.
Funding programs and grants
A key mechanism for financial support is the SCITCS Craig Simpson Quality of Life Research Grants. These grants invite research requests via a dedicated application form and are designed to fund projects that directly enhance quality of life and functional outcomes for people with spinal cord injuries. The program reflects the Society’s emphasis on practical, translational work that can move from laboratory settings into real-world community use.
In addition to research grants, SCITCS supports a Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) Research Laboratory and highlights affiliated investigators working in spinal cord injury and rehabilitation engineering. By backing this research environment, the Society helps sustain a pipeline of innovative studies, often in collaboration with academic partners.
Awards, bursaries and recognition
Beyond project-based grants, SCITCS offers several recurring financial awards. The organization presents five $500 awards to graduating students from regional institutions such as Grant MacEwan College, NorQuest College, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and the University of Alberta. A notable requirement is that recipients volunteer with organizations serving people with disabilities, reinforcing SCITCS’s focus on community engagement.
SCITCS also created a bursary at the University of Alberta to honor founding member Louise Miller, recognizing her long-standing leadership. These student-focused supports encourage future professionals in health, rehabilitation and related fields to remain connected to the needs of people with spinal cord injuries.
On the recognition side, SCITCS worked with the International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society (IFESS) to establish the Bohdan V. Olijnyk Research Participant Award, celebrating the essential partnership between researchers and volunteer study participants in bringing innovations from the lab to the community.
Publics served and overall impact
SCITCS primarily serves individuals with spinal cord injuries in Northern Alberta, along with their families, caregivers and clinical teams. Through grants and awards, it also supports researchers, students and professionals in rehabilitation medicine, biomedical engineering, neuroscience and allied health fields.
The Society raises funds through initiatives such as the Craig Simpson “Never Say Never” Charity Golf Classic and other fundraising events. Donations made through the website are directed toward sustaining its research grants, awards and educational activities. By combining targeted financial support, recognition programs and partnerships with universities and international societies, SCITCS occupies a distinct niche in the spinal cord injury funding landscape in Western Canada.