NEW FOR 2026 - Applications Now Open!

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) is launching the Community Engaged Research Grant to support projects that advance occupational therapy scholarship through equitable, collaborative research grounded in the lived experiences and priorities of diverse communities particularly those historically marginalized or underrepresented. 

AOTF emphasizes the importance of equitable partnerships where power, decision-making, and responsibility are shared among researchers, practitioners, community-based organizations, people with lived experiences, and other relevant partners. By fostering these inclusive research practices, AOTF seeks to ensure that occupational therapy scholarship remains scientifically rigorous and responsive to the real-world needs of diverse communities. It is imperative that occupational therapy research be grounded in the priorities and lived experiences of the communities it aims to serve. Many occupational therapy researchers—including previous grantees of AOTF— have successfully secured federal support for community-engaged research, demonstrating its relevance and impact.

This dedicated pilot funding mechanism builds on that momentum, advancing both the profession and the priorities of the communities engaged in the work. The initiative offers significant potential for return on investment, as funded projects will position investigators to pursue future extramural support, contributing to the long-term sustainability and expansion of community-engaged research in occupational therapy. By supporting this approach, AOTF aims to strengthen the rigor, relevance, and equity of occupational therapy scholarship, ultimately enhancing the health, participation, and well-being of diverse communities.

This grant program supports studies that apply rigorous qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies to address research priorities and service, or knowledge gaps identified in partnership with communities. Refer to RFA below for key elements of effective community-engaged research.

Awards

Three, 2-year non-renewable grants for up to $100,000 (including indirect costs) will be awarded.

• Year 1: $50,000 released at start of award period 
• Year 2: $50,000 released after submission of the progress report

All proposed projects must: 

• Be led by a community-academic partnership, jointly submitted by an academic researcher and at least one community-based individual, organization, or public agency. 
• Identify at least one community member as a Co-Investigator or in an equivalent leadership role.  
• Demonstrate meaningful and equitable engagement of community partners across all phases of the project—including study design, implementation, analysis, and dissemination. 
• Include a plan to compensate community partners and dedicate appropriate resources to support their sustained involvement. 
• Address potential barriers to engagement and outline strategies to foster effective, inclusive collaboration. 
• Align with the scope of occupational therapy practice or an emerging area relevant to occupational therapy. 
• Focus on original research. Proposals limited to literature reviews (e.g., scoping reviews or metaanalyses) will not be considered unless they constitute a small component of a broader, community engaged research project.

Eligibility Criteria

Principal Investigator (PI):

• 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.)

Research and Proposed Project Related Requirements and Community partner/Co-I Criteria:  

Refer to RFA for more details. 

Application Process and Timeline

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

2026 Community Engaged Research 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.

Funding Partner

The Community Engaged Research Grant program is made possible through a generous grant from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). 

General Grant Policies and References:

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.