Top 10 Accomplishments of 2025

A Message From Our Board Chair

As I reflect upon this milestone 60th anniversary year, I am deeply grateful for the remarkable community that has made the Foundation’s continued success possible over the past six decades. The steadfast commitment and generosity of our donors, partners, and volunteers remain the cornerstone of our support for early-stage occupational therapy research, which is more vital than ever for building future evidence-based practice. 

Thank you for celebrating our 60th anniversary with us as we advance the science of occupational therapy together. We look forward to making 2026 our most impactful year yet! 

Sincerely, 

Patti Davies, PhD, OTR, FAOTA 

Top Accomplishments:

1. Expanding Funding Opportunities: $350K More in Funding Available

Our 60th anniversary marked a significant year of growth for the American Occupational   Therapy Foundation's (AOTF) Grant Program, which welcomed two new funding opportunities, offering $350,000 to build in-demand community-engaged evidence: 

• Hand in Hand Research Grant: Created in partnership with the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) and the American Hand Therapy Foundation (AHTF), this $50,000 grant supports early-stage research in hand and upper-extremity occupational therapy, addressing priorities that matter most to clients and clinicians.  
• Community Engaged Research Grant: Created in partnership with the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), this grant provides $100,000 to support projects that partner with communities to address real-world needs and deliver immediate results, from improved participation to enhanced quality of life. 

2. Connecting with the OT Community: Foundation Friday @ AOTA INSPIRE 

At the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Annual INSPIRE Conference 2025, the world's largest gathering of OT professionals, AOTF hosted four signature events: Breakfast with a Scholar, State of the Science Symposium, Academy of Research Symposium, and Research Excellence Symposium. 

Thank you to all our attendees, speakers, donors, sponsors, volunteers, and staff for making this year’s INSPIRE conference & expo in Philadelphia such an impactful success. 

3. Supporting Future Leaders: OT Institute for Future Scientists 

A cohort of 31 entry-level OT students participated in the AOTF/AOTA Future Scientists Institute in Philadelphia, where they connected with leading OT scientists to discuss the latest opportunities, considerations for potential doctoral programs, and career pathways in the field. 

Participants also attended our Foundation Friday programs, AOTA's Presidential Farewell/Inaugural Addresses, and the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture by Trudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FACRM, FAOTA, NZROT, AOTF Academy of Research Inductee.  

4. Traveling to 9 States: AOTF Fall State Conference Tour 

This year, the Foundation had an in-person or virtual presence at the following state conferences: Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. A huge thank you to our volunteers and staff who presented and staffed booths at these conferences, and to state association leadership for helping AOTF stay connected with your members. 

5. Convening Interdisciplinary Experts: 2025 Planning Grant Collective 

In October, AOTF brought together more than 25 experts from diverse interdisciplinary backgrounds for a collaborative planning session to explore how coaching techniques can be incorporated into occupational therapy practice.   

The 2025 Planning Grant Collective marks a first step in developing collaborative teams that will continue to meet to create further action steps and projects, white papers, and pilot programs to advance occupational therapy practice through a coaching-infused approach.  

6. Disseminating Peer-Reviewed Research: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research

Our official scientific publication, OTJR: Occupation, Participation, and Health, has had another outstanding year. With help from guest editors, our call for papers for the 2026 Special Issue on Community Engaged Research received a near-record number of submissions. 

This continued growth reflects the contributions of high-quality, data-driven research by authors and the rigorous processes of OTJR's Editor-in-Chief, Timothy J. Wolf, OTD, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, as well as the Assistant Editor, Associate Editors, Editorial Fellows, Review Board Members, and SAGE Publishing Partners.   

Recommend OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research to your librarian. 

7. Advancing Students' Education: 56 Scholarships Provided 

56 educational scholarships, ranging from $150 to $5,000, were awarded in 2025 to help aspiring OTPs nationwide achieve their educational goals. The scholarship program is one of the Foundation's oldest and most impactful initiatives, supporting over 1850 students since AOTF's establishment 60 years ago. 

A special thank you to our organizational partners for making this possible and to our volunteers on the Scholarship Selection Committee for the vital role you play in this process. 

8. Building the Future of OT: 7 New Pi Theta Epsilon Chapters

Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE), the specialized honor society for occupational therapy students and alumni, reached a milestone in membership this year, inducting seven new schools to its growing list of 153 chapters across the country. Thank you to our incredible PTE officers for their outstanding commitment to advancing the organization and to the Faculty Advisors and members for their ongoing engagement and leadership. 

New chapters for 2025: East Tennessee State University (Gamma Beta), Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (Gamma Omega), Rocky Mountain College (Zeta Delta), Chatham University (Zeta Epsilon), University of Vermont (Zeta Zeta), Baylor University (Zeta Pi), Hawai’i Pacific University (Zeta Omega). 

9. Recognizing Research Excellence: 4 New Academy of Research Members

The AOTF Academy of Research (AOR) in Occupational Therapy, established in 1983, recognizes individuals who have made exemplary, distinguished, and sustained contributions to the science of occupational therapy. In 2025, we welcomed four new esteemed scientists to this group: 

• Batya Engel-Yeger, PhD, OT, University of Haifa 
• Susan Magasi, PhD, FACRM, MS, BScOT, BSc, University of Illinois 
• Trudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FACRM, FAOTA, NZROT, The George Washington University 
• Elizabeth (Beth) A. Pfeiffer, PhD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA, Temple University  

View the full list of award and honor recipients. 

10. Investing in OT Research: Nearly $600,000 Awarded through our Grant Program

2025 marked a record-breaking year for the Foundation in applications for our grants, research scholarships and fellowships, mentorship and training funds, and our award programs. This reflects a growing recognition of the importance of research in improving occupational therapy practice and outcomes.  

This year, we awarded nearly $600,000 through 6 grants to launch innovative early-stage research projects tackling some of OT’s highest-priority research items: 

• Three Intervention Research Grants (IRG) were awarded to advance high-quality early-stage intervention studies. The IRG is made possible through a generous grant by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and hundreds of students and donors nationwide through the St. Catherine Challenge. 
• Three Implementation Research (IR) Grants were awarded to improve the adoption of evidence-based practice in real-world settings. The IR receives major funding from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) 

A Special Thank You to Our Community:

Thank you, volunteers, board members, and staff! Your efforts make our numerous annual activities, programs, and mission objectives possible. If you'd like to get involved with us, please visit our volunteer opportunities page to find commitments that fit your unique schedule. 

Thank you, partners! Your invaluable support has helped AOTF strengthen grant programs, sponsor key events, establish new opportunities, elevate OT's visibility, and build connections. Consider becoming a partner for 2026. 

Let’s Build on This Momentum in 2026:

In 2025, the generous contributions of our donors enabled AOTF to: 

• Launch two new grant programs offering $350,000 to advance early-stage research. 
• Support dozens of OT, OTD, and OTA students with scholarships. 
• Provide resources and training to early-career and emerging OT scientists. 
• Celebrate research excellence across all career stages with AOTF awards. 
• Disseminate vital information through nationwide events and our scientific journal. 

At a time when support for scientific research is shrinking, your generous philanthropy is helping AOTF grow! Thank you for your continued support. Let's make 2026 our most impactful year yet! Make a gift today to advance evidence-based practice in the new year.