For over three decades, the Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research (CRaNHR) has been a vital fixture in northwestern Ontario. Originally funded by the Ontario government, CRaNHR has operated as an independent research centre at Lakehead University since 2013. 

Initially focused on northern health human resources, CRaNHR has expanded its scope to address critical regional challenges, including mental health, substance use, family health, youth wellness, food and nutrition, chronic disease, and the health care workforce.

Funded mostly from project-specific grants and evaluation contracts, CRaNHR’s operational capacity relies on the Research Support Fund (RSF) to partially cover administrative staffing costs, specialized training, and grant writing support.  

Senior researcher and operational lead, Dr. Mary Ellen Hill, has spent over 30 years at the centre. 

“I started here when I finished my doctoral training and never stopped,” she says. 

Her role, supported through the RSF, includes overseeing the centre’s daily operations, mentoring student trainees, and managing staffing and project budgets. 

Supporting Program Evaluations through Professional Development

CRaNHR specializes in conducting program evaluations to improve health programs and services with community organizations and Indigenous communities. 

Dr. Hill has led program evaluations for over two decades, and Dr. Shevaun Nadin brings nearly 15 years of experience to her role as CRaNHR’s Evaluation/Knowledge Transfer and Exchange Lead. 

Dr. Nadin relies on RSF support for ongoing professional development to maintain her Credentialed Evaluator designation from the Canadian Evaluation Society – a requirement for many of the grants CRaNHR administers.

Recently, Dr. Nadin completed advanced training in complex evaluation methodologies, including the American Evaluation Association’s webinar on The Most Significant Change Technique in Evaluation and a workshop on visualizing data for evaluation projects. 

Transforming Funding into Community Impact

By funding staffing to support grant proposal development, the RSF has helped CRaNHR secure major research grants, bringing millions of dollars into the region. Dr. Hill and Dr. Nadin supported the proposal development for CRaNHR director Dr. Chris Mushquash’s successful $10.8 million grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. This funding supports Indigenous youth mental health through the ACCESS Open Minds Indigenous Youth Mental Health and Wellness Network.

The pair also assisted with grant writing for Dr. Aislin Mushquash’s $2 million grant from Health Canada’s Youth Mental Health Fund, which provides digital mental health resources to youth through the Help in Hand initiative. 

“When I have a bad day, I get energized by the difference our work is making,” says Dr. Nadin. “We respond directly to community needs and help answer critical questions. It’s deeply impactful.”