Our Story

The International Alliance of Mental Health Research Funders (IAMHRF) was established in 2010 by the Graham Boeckh Foundation. It initially comprised four funders from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Since then, IAMHRF membership has grown substantially to over 30 member and partner organizations from around the world, including non-English speaking and organizations based in low- and middle-income countries.

 

Our Mission

To unite funders on a shared mental health research agenda to save lives and improve treatments and care for people living with mental health problems and their families worldwide.

Our Unique Value

The IAMHRF is uniquely placed to help:

  • Achieve significant coordination and alignment of research agendas and strategies across the mental health sector.
  • Make research and innovation an integral part of all efforts to promote mental health advocacy, fight stigma and develop effective new treatments and models of care.

Our Goals

  • We facilitate an international conversation on mental health research funding 
    The IAMHRF is the only forum where mental health research funders from around the world meet in person to discuss key topics, trends, shared opportunities and challenges in the sector.
  • We break down silos and align mental health research agendas 
    Creating opportunities to interact with other countries and learn from each other, and work together, the IAMHRF is breaking down silos and encouraging members to look at mental health issues from a global perspective.
  • We change the way mental health research is funded to increase impact of investments globally 
    International collaboration is needed to balance investments between projects that address the current burden of mental health challenges and those that are committed to the long-term development of scientific knowledge and potential cures.
  • We increase knowledge exchange and collaboration in mental health 
    By bringing mental health research funders together, the IAMHRF facilitates knowledge sharing to avoid duplication of efforts and hasten progress. It enables sub-groups of funders, many of whom are meeting each other for the first time, to collaborate around national and international priorities.