Implementation Research Grant

Overview

The LOI submission period is now closed. Full applications are open by invitation only.

Background

Many occupational therapists find it challenging to integrate and sustain effective research-based health care services into their practice settings due to individual, organizational, and broader systemic barriers.

Implementation Research develops and evaluates the processes used to implement, sustain, and/or scale up evidence-based practice into routine care, with the end goal of improving the quality and effectiveness of care.

Program Mission

The Implementation Research Grant program is designed to develop or study methods to help occupational therapists take evidence-informed practice from theory to reality in their practice settings. In addition, this program will also provide pilot data for subsequent larger implementation research projects.

Grant Details

Funding Option #1

Grant Amount: Up to $50,000
Duration: 1 year

Funding Option #2

Grant Amount: Up to $100,000
Duration: 2 years

Funding Priorities

Projects should include one or more stages of implementing an evidence-based program into clinical practice.

We welcome two types of proposals:

Specific projects: improving evidence-based implementation for a specific situation at a single clinical setting. This type of application is strongly encouraged.
Broader methods projects: improving how evidence-based programs are developed and implemented across practice more globally.

Preference will be given to projects that are grounded in implementation research theory and clearly show how the results can be applied beyond a single setting to the larger arena of occupational therapy practice. All applicants must explain how their project aligns with OT’s scope of practice or an emerging practice area.

Refer to the Request for Applications for citations and further details.

Funding Partner

Implementation Research Grants are made possible through a generous grant from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing evidence-based occupational therapy practice that improves patient outcomes.

Eligibility Requirements

The Principal Investigator (PI) Must

Hold a doctoral degree (PhD, ScD) or have an OTD or EdD with advanced research training (e.g., completion of a post-degree research fellowship).
Be 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.
Be 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.
Be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national of the U.S. admitted for permanent residence OR applied for permanent residence.
Be an early, emerging, or early-mid career investigator.*

*An early career researcher is a Principal Investigator in the early stages of their independent research career, typically within 10 years of completing their terminal research degree (e.g., PhD, DSc) or equivalent training (such as a post-degree research fellowship for non-research degrees, e.g., OTD/EdD). Longer timeframes may apply for some; see RFA for details.

Early Career Researcher Profile
Eligible PIs are generally at the Lecturer, Instructor, Assistant Professor, or early Associate Professor level (or equivalent). Their funding history may include small research grants, mentored career development awards, or training-related mechanisms aligned with early-stage or emerging investigators.

See Request for Applications for full details on eligibility criteria and early career researcher definitions.

Application Process

How It Works

Applicants submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to AOTF by September 18 for review. Applicants invited to move forward will then submit a Full Application by November 20.

LOI REQUIRED Components

Applicant/Principal Investigator: Personal information and Biosketch
Applicant Organization: Name and mailing address, administrative contact
Research Mentor: Biosketch, Letter of commitment, research mentoring table and publications
Community Partners and/or Co-Investigators (as needed by the project): Biosketch/CV and other supporting documents
Proposed Research Project: Description of the proposed research project

See Request for Applications for required materials for the Full Application stage.

Review Criteria

If the LOI meets the following screening criteria, AOTF will accept it, and the PI will be invited to complete the Full Application.

PI and co-I eligibility criteria and merits
Mentor merits and alignment with project
Alignment with the grant opportunity
Provides sufficient detail and clarity

See Request for Applications for Full Application stage review criteria

Application Timeline

Date	Application Stage
Summer 2026	Review Research Priorities & Guidelines
August 2026	Application Materials Posted
August 14, 2026	Letter of Intent Submission Opens
September 18, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET	Letter of Intent Deadline
October 5-9, 2026	Invitations to Submit Full Application
November 20, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET	Full Application Deadline
March 2027	Summary Statements & Award Notifications Sent

Resources for Applicants

Application Materials

REQUEST FOR APPLICATION APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AWARD GUIDELINES

Grant Policy on AI

For Applicants: While AOTF does not prohibit the use of AI tools to assist in the writing of proposals (e.g., spell-check and language suggestions), applicants remain fully responsible for ensuring their proposals are factually accurate, clearly written, and appropriately cited. Any AI-generated text must be clearly acknowledged in the application using footnotes.
For Reviewers: Reviewers are prohibited from uploading AOTF applications into any AI systems due to concerns with confidential and proprietary information. To ensure integrity and confidentiality is upheld, grant reviewers will be required to submit a confidentiality agreement form prior to starting the review process.

Grant Writing Support

For information about grant writing training workshops, please visit our partnerships page.

Questions? EMAIL RESEARCH@AOTF.ORG

Email us

Frequently Asked Questions

Principal Investigators must hold a faculty or equivalent position at an academic institution or affiliated organization. Independent nonprofits without an academic or affiliated institutional relationship are not eligible at this time

Advanced research training typically includes completion of a postdoctoral or research fellowship. Other experiences, such as participation in research programs, research teams, or scholarly publications, may also demonstrate advanced research training if they are relevant to the proposed project.

Applicants should highlight and justify relevant experience within the biosketch and essay portions of the application.

Review the Request for Applications (RFA) for each funding mechanism and align the language of your aims with your selected program. Consider the intended goals of your proposal and seek feedback from research peers and mentors regarding the best fit.

AOTF does not have an explicit policy preventing applicants from submitting to more than one grant program within the same year. However, applicants may not receive more than one AOTF grant within the same funding cycle.

Applicants are encouraged to frame their proposal around a particular program and align the proposal with that program’s RFA.

No, mentors do not need to be occupational therapy professionals or from the same institution. Applicants may identify one mentor. AOTF looks for consistency between the proposed area of research and the mentor’s past experience and expertise.

For the Intervention Research Grant (IRG), applicants may allocate up to 20% of funds toward mentor compensation. For the Community Engaged Research Grant (CERG), up to 10% of grant funds may be used toward mentor compensation, and compensation for community partners is not capped.

Before submitting your LOI:

Confirm that your project strongly matches the grant program’s eligibility requirements, priorities, and objectives.
Ensure your proposed approach, methodology, and overall strategy are appropriate for achieving the project’s aims and align with AOTF’s mission and research priorities.
If community engagement is required, demonstrate strong partnerships and the potential benefit to the community.
Provide clear evidence that key personnel, partners, and organizations are qualified to carry out the proposed work, and consider how the project may support future research and funding opportunities
Consider the potential for subsequent funding and whether the proposed research lays the groundwork for larger studies or advances research or clinical practice through innovative approaches and interventions
Applicants may also wish to attend a grant writing workshop

Grant Recipients

Jennifer A. Weaver, PhD, OTR/L

Colorado State University
Contextualized Training as an Implementation Strategy for Shared Decision Making in Disorders of Consciousness Rehabilitation
Mentor: Arlene A. Schmid, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Adam R. Kinney, PhD, OTR/L

Denver Research Institute
Implementing Occupation-Based Metacognitive Strategy Training for Veterans with TBI in the VHA Polytrauma/TBI System of Care
Mentor: Nazanin H. Bahraini, PhD (Rocky Mountain MIRECC)

Danielle Amero, OTD, OTR/L, CHT

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Evaluating the Implementation of the Coordinated Occupational Therapy Intake Process (COTIP) in Community Behavioral Health

Mentor: Kathleen Lyons, OT, ScD, OTR/L

Jessica Edelstein, PhD, OTR/L

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago dba Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Complementary Implementation and De-Implementation Strategies to Close the Evidence-Practice Gap in Stroke Upper Extremity Rehabilitation
Mentor: Miriam Rafferty, DPT, PhD, PT

Janell Pisegna, PHD, OTR/L, CSRS

Colorado State University
Multifaceted Implementation Program for Occupational Therapy Practitioners Addressing Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Home and Community Care
Mentor: Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT

Brocha Stern, PHD, OTR

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Characterizing and Refining Implementation of a Personalized Patient-Reported Outcome Measure in Outpatient Care
Mentor: Natalie E. Leland, PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, FGSA

Areum Han, PhD, OTR/L

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Implementing an Occupational Therapist-Led Acceptance and Commitment Training Group for Parents in Pediatric Outpatient Clinics
Mentor: Hee Yun Lee, PhD

Laura Swink, PhD, OTR/L

Colorado State University
Social Prescription for Loneliness in Community-based Group Exercise Classes for People with Parkinson’s Disease
Mentor: Cory Christiansen, PhD, PT

Lauren Wengerd, PhD, OTR/L

The Ohio State University
Identifying Evidence-Based Practice Gaps in Stroke Rehabilitation to Maximize Research Impact: A Video Observational Study
Mentor: Timothy J. Wolf, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Chiao-Ju Fang, PhD, MA, OTR/L

San Jose State University
Implementation of App-based Coaching Intervention (Social Participation and Navigation; SPAN) to Promote Participation of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
Mentor: Laurie Drabble, PhD

Angela Shierk, PhD, OTR

Texas Woman’s University
Implementation of Therapy Together, a Pediatric Constraint Induced Movement Therapy Program, with Early Childhood Intervention
Mentor: Janet Prvu Bettger, ScD

Aviva Wolff, EdD, OTR, CHT

Hospital for Special Surgery NYC
Implementation Science to Prevent and Reduce Musculoskeletal Occupational Injuries in Musicians
Mentor: Laura Robbins, PT, DPT

Anna Boone, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, CBIS

University of Missouri
Analysis, Refinement, and Implementation: Emphasizing Practical Implementation of Functional Cognitive Assessments
Mentor: Dorothy Farrar-Edwards, PhD

Janet Njelesani, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

New York University
Implementing an Occupational Therapy Intervention to Support Young Caregivers
Mentor: Aimee James, PhD, MPH, MA

Jennifer Weaver, PhD, MA, OTR/L, BS, CBIS

Colorado State University
Identifying Implementation Strategies to Facilitate Adoption of a Recovery Ruler in Clinical Practice
Mentor: Trudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, FACRM

Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT

Ohio State University
Strategies to Promote the Implementation of Outcome Measures in Stroke Rehabilitation
Mentor: Amy Darragh, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Roberta Pineda, PhD, OTR/L, CNT

University of Southern California
Implementation of the Baby Bridge Program via Telehealth to Enhance Access to Early Intervention Services in Los Angeles
Mentor: Carol Peden, MB, ChB, MD, FRCA, FFICM, MPH

Sally Wasmuth, PhD, OTR

Trustees of Indiana University
Implementation of Narrative Theatre for Occupational Justice Promotion
Mentor: Dawn Bravata, MD

Mary Khetani, Sc.D., OTR/L

University of Illinois at Chicago
Implementation of Electronic Shared Decision-Making Support for Families to Design and Monitor Participation-Focused Early Intervention
Mentor: Natalie Leland

Chiung-ju Liu, PhD, OTR/L, FGSA

University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions
Implementing 3-Step Workout for Life to Improve ADL Outcomes in Home Health
Mentor: Michael Marsiske

Kelly Tanner, PhD, OTR/L, BCP

Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Implementing Parent Coaching in Occupational Therapy for Young Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Multi-Site Project
Mentor: Nathalie Maitre