In May 2011, the Board of Directors of the Holistic Health Research Foundation of Canada voted to wind up its operations due to insufficient financial and physical resources. After seven years working in this still-emerging field, the Foundation was unable to attract the significant operational funding needed to sustain the organization and grow its programs.

Amongst the many achievements of the Foundation since its inception in 2004 are:

• Funding more than 20 pilot projects in complementary and alternative medicine at academic institutions across the country


• Setting up designated research funding programs in the areas of cancer and massage therapy


• Hosting four successful annual education conferences and a webinar series to provide Canadians with information about the evidence for natural approaches in disease prevention and management
  
  
• Collaborating with like-minded individuals and organizations towards a common goal of improved health and health care for Canadians

The college of Massage Therapists was a founding partner of the Holistic Health Research Foundation which administered the Massage Therapy Research fund with annual donations from the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, the Massage Therapy Association of British Columbia, and by individual massage therapists and other donors.

The College of Massage Therapists is currently seeking another charitable organization to administer the fund. It is hoped that research competitions for massage therapy will be available in 2012. Information will be posted on the College's website when it becomes available.

The complete list of grantees can be found on the Holistic Health Research Foundation website at: www.holistichealthresearch.ca/massagefund.gk