Through the USBIA membership network, the executive staff of state organizations establish direct connections to their counterparts in other states. Through peer-to-peer dialogue, state leaders and staff can develop and share strategies to meet the needs of people living with a brain injury, their caregivers, and community service providers where they live. Moreover, networking with other leaders is tremendously beneficial in identifying potential opportunities and meeting the day-to-day challenges of running a successful brain injury-focused organization.

USBIA provides technical assistance in all areas of running a brain injury nonprofit such as:

• Strategic Planning
• Working in the Justice System
• Fundraising
• Special Events
• Board Development
• HR
• Working with Your State Agency
• Program Development
• Public Policy
• Internal Policy Development
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policies and Strategies

USBIA regularly conducts webinars on a range of practical topics including fundraising, public policy, living with brain injury, community organization, and many others. All of USBIA’s continuing education efforts are archived on the USBIA website and are designed to help member states and organizations deliver effective services to their constituents.

Additionally, USBIA holds informal round table discussions on a variety of topics related to brain injury and nonprofit management that are welcome to all staff, board members, and advocates of member organizations.
Staff, board members and advocate members regularly attend these webinars and roundtables.

Recent topics have included:

• Resilience and Brain Injury presented by Kyla Pearce Senior Director of Programs, LoveYourBrain Foundation, USA
• What NASHIA Can Do for Your State? presented by Rebeccah Wolfkiel, Executive Director, National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)
• Sex and Gender Differences in Brain Injury and Why it Matters. presented by Katherine Price Snedaker, LCSW, CEO and Founder of PINK Concussions

Testimonials:

Bryan Bates BIAAZ Board Chair: In 2021 USBIA brought together resource facilitation staff from across the network to discuss program modification and service delivery adaptions that occurred during the COVID pandemic. It was fascinating to see the ingenuity that exists across the network on behalf of the brain injury community.

Across the country, the Brain Injury Alliance staff showed a true passion to serve and support their clients through unprecedented times.

I can’t thank USBIA enough for being a convener and sharing the big picture look at how true community level care can adapt and morph in real time. From the clinical side, it was impressive to see best practices not only developed, but shared network wide.

David King, CEO Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance: I recently moderated a USBIA roundtable discussion on staff retention. During this challenging time of hiring and retaining employees, it was really great to be engaged in a thought provoking and creative discussion about the many and various ways Brain Injury Alliances were recruiting and retaining quality staff to ensure that the needs of their constituents were being met. I have attended a number of roundtable discussions over the years and always come away with new and exciting ideas for my organization to try.

As a national advocate, USBIA lends its voice to a range of brain injury issues on a federal level to support awareness and increase funding for research and government programs. In addition, USBIA engages and interacts with other non-profits, safety organizations, corporations, and other entities whose activities impact the lives of people who’ve experienced brain injury.

Each year, during Brain Injury Awareness Month, members of the USBIA Board and Directors of member states meet in Washington DC to directly lobby our congressional delegation on a variety of issues impacting the lives of the survivors we serve.

In addition to these activities, USBIA actively collaborates with other national brain injury agencies on issues of public policy. USBIA represents its members on several boards and committees including:

• National TBI Registry Coalition
• CDC TBI Partner Group
• NASEM Action Collaborative on TBI

Funding is a continuous priority for many nonprofits, so USBIA draws on the collective knowledge of its members to share information on financial development strategies ensuring the stability and long-term viability of member states.

One-on-one assistance with resource development is available through the USBIA peer-to-peer support program and Technical Assistance program to assist members in successfully serving individuals in their state.

Your organization will join an established network of like-minded organizations dedicated to serving persons with brain injury and their caregivers. Membership in USBIA provides a direct link to those who share common goals for support, education, and collaboration. In addition, staff members of USBIA member states are entitled to reduced rates at the annual National Association of State Head Injury Administrators’ (NASHIA) State of the State Conference and the International Brain Injury Association’s (IBIA) World Congress.

In partnership with other national brain injury organizations, USBIA participates in the Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill designed to increase brain injury awareness among congressional lawmakers and their staff. USBIA also provides member states with a variety of materials including sample press releases, talking points, posters, and graphics to help promote March as Brain Injury Awareness Month on a local level.