NEW FOR 2026 - Applications Now Open!

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF), the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT), and the American Hand Therapy Foundation (AHTF) have collaborated to launch the Hand in Hand Research Grant. This one-year award aims to fund an early-stage research project that promotes strong community partner engagement in hand and upper extremity therapy.

Centering the perspectives and priorities of these communities is essential to conducting research that is relevant, equitable, and impactful. In this context, community is broadly defined as individuals, groups, and organizations connected by shared characteristics, geography, or social identity- including, but not limited to, race/ethnicity, disability status, gender identity, and sexual orientation.***

Priority areas for research include, but not limited to:

• Health Disparities
• Comparative Effectiveness
• Clinical Practice and Outcome Validation
• Orthosis Use and Biophysical Agents

Award

$50,000 for one year

Priority will be given to proposals that:

• Demonstrate strong, formalized collaborations among occupational therapy researchers, hand and upper extremity rehabilitation experts, and community partners;
• Address community-identified needs and priorities;
• Empower community partners to participate fully in the research process;
• Include a plan for sharing results and outlining next steps for scaling and sustaining the work.

Eligibility Criteria

Principal Investigator (PI):

• The PI has a terminal research degree (PhD, ScD) or has an OTD, DPT or EdD with advanced research training and/or experience (e.g., completion of a post degree research fellowship or multiple first author publications).
• The PI is an Early Career Researcher* and a credentialed occupational therapist or physical therapist** who is a certified hand therapist with a full-time faculty position appointment or an equivalent research position at the time of application.
• 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).

Please check the RFA below for additional criteria, considerations, and restrictions.

Application Process and Timeline

The Principal Investigator (PI) must review eligibility criteria and submit the full application via the online portal by November 3, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET. No deadline extensions will be granted. pplications will be reviewed by a five-member Scientific Review Group, including experts nominated by ASHT (1), AHTF (1), and AOTF (3). Community partners may also participate to provide additional perspectives.

• Request for Application (RFA)
• Full Application Instructions
• Award Guidelines

2026 Hand in Hand Grant Timeline (as of 08/08/25): 

Questions: Contact the AOTF at research@aotf.org. Please note, it may take a few days for a reply.

Grant Policy on Artificial Intelligence (AI) (effective as of June 2025)

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.

*An early career researcher is a Principal Investigator (PI) 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 post degree research fellowship for non-research degrees e.g. OTD/EdD). A longer time frame may be appropriate for individuals who have spent significant time in non-research roles following their degree. These roles may include clinical practice, teaching-only academic positions, industry work (e.g., regulatory affairs or clinical operations), public health or policy practice, administrative or leadership positions, military or government service, entrepreneurial activities, or caregiving responsibilities. 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. 

**This grant may have an OT and PT serve as Co-PIs, provided both meet the above-specified criteria.

***Consortium for Cancer Implementation Science Community Participation Capacity Building Task Group (2021). Resources for stakeholder & community engagement. In resources for stakeholder & community engagement in implementation science. https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/sites/default/files/202108/CCIS_Engagement-Bibliography_080931_508.pdf

Funding Partners

The research mission of the American Society of Hand Therapists is to advance evidence-based practice and improve patient outcomes through the promotion, support, and dissemination of clinical and scientific research in hand and upper extremity therapy.

The mission of the American Hand Therapy Foundation is to improve patient outcomes by promoting evidence-based practice through funding clinical and scientific research and education.

The mission of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation is to advance the science of occupational therapy to support people's full participation in meaningful life activities.