AOTF Intervention Research Grant Program

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation's AOTF Intervention Research Grant Program supports innovative research in occupational therapy, providing up to $100,000 for projects that address health inequities and social justice. This initiative aims to generate preliminary data essential for larger studies, aligning with the profession's Vision 2025. By focusing on underrepresented populations, the program encourages inclusivity and ethical research practices, ensuring a diverse study population. This funding opportunity is crucial for advancing evidence-based practices in occupational therapy.

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) awards Intervention Research Grants (IRG) as part of its mission to advance the science of occupational therapy to support people's full participation in meaningful life activities. The purpose of this grant program is to lay the necessary groundwork for larger intervention studies and support the profession’s Vision 2025 of occupational therapy as an evidence-based profession. The intent of the IRG program is to provide seed funding for the development of new and/or novel ideas in order to generate preliminary data as proof of concept. Most larger funders, including federal sources and most of the major nonprofit foundations, require this data in order to apply to them, yet sources to fund this preliminary work are limited at best. The AOTF IRG occupies a very important niche and fills a critical gap by investing in the development of ideas and data in the early state of the occupational therapy research enterprise.
We are actively soliciting grant applications that examine racial, social, and health inequities and injustices and promote social justice. Grant applicants are now asked to address how they will involve participants from underrepresented populations. Plans for the inclusion of women and minorities must be included and scientifically justified within the application or proposal. Applications and proposals should describe the composition of the proposed study population in terms of sex/gender and racial/ethnic groups, and provide a rationale for selection of such subjects. Any exclusions based on sex/gender or race/ethnicity must include a rationale and justification based on a scientific or ethical basis. Investigators should also plan for appropriate outreach programs and activities to recruit and retain the proposed study population consistent with the purposes of the research project.
The Intervention Research Grant program receives major funding from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and the St. Catherine Challenge.
Funding
IRG now offers up to $100,000 per grant for 1 year.

Eligibility

General Personal Criteria:The PI has a terminal research degree (PhD, ScD) or has an OTD or EdD with advanced research training (e.g. completion of a post degree research fellowship).
The PI is a credentialed occupational therapist with a full-time faculty position appointment or an equivalent research position at the time of application OR a non-OT investigator with a primary academic appointment in an occupational therapy department.
The PI is employed by a U.S. domestic, public or private, non-profit organization/institution that is eligible to receive Foundation research grants and will provide assurance of its accountability and support for the project.
The PI is a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national of the U.S. admitted for permanent residence OR applied for permanent residence.For non-citizens/visa holders, the applicant organization must have policies in place to determine whether residence status or visa status will allow completion of the research.The PI should have a funding history associated with early stage, emerging, or early midcareer investigators that may include small research grants and training-related or mentored career awards.Early Career Researcher - A Principal Investigator (PI) who has completed their terminal research degree (PhD/DSc) or the post degree research fellowship (for non-research degrees e.g. OTD/EdD), within the past 6-10 years and are currently employed as a Lecturer or Instructor or Assistant Professor (or equivalent) level.