Implementation Research Grant

Implementation Research Grant is sponsored by The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF). This grant program is designed to develop or study methods to help occupational therapists integrate evidence-informed practice into their settings and to provide pilot data for larger implementation research projects. Projects should focus on one or more stages of implementing an evidence-based program into clinical practice.

Implementation Research Grant - The American Occupational Therapy Foundation Implementation Research Grant Applications Open: 08/14/2026 Application Deadline: 09/19/2026 The Implementation Research Grant program supports research focused on helping occupational therapy practitioners take evidence-informed practice from theory to reality in their practice settings.

This program addresses the critical 17-year average gap between when medical evidence is established and when practitioners consistently adopt new approaches in their clinical work.

Grant Amount: Up to $50,000 Application Deadline: November 2026 Implementation Research Grants support studies that examine strategies to advance the adoption and integration of evidence-based health interventions into clinical and community settings, improving both individual patient outcomes and overall public health.

Implementation Research Grants support studies that investigate: Adoption Strategies: How evidence-based interventions can be successfully implemented in real-world practice settings Integration Methods: Approaches for incorporating research findings into existing clinical workflows and systems Barrier Identification: Research that identifies and addresses obstacles to implementing evidence-based practices Sustainability Models: Long-term strategies for maintaining evidence-based practices in clinical settings Translation Processes: Methods for effectively communicating research findings to practitioners and healthcare teams Outcome Measurement: Tools and methods for measuring the effectiveness of implementation strategies 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.

Principal Investigator Qualifications Must hold a doctoral degree (PhD, ScD, EdD, or DrPH) Must be an occupational therapy practitioner or working in occupational therapy research Preference given to early-career researchers and those from underrepresented backgrounds, including individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in occupational therapy, those with disabilities, and those from underresourced communities.

Must have institutional affiliation with research support capabilities Focus on implementation science methodology Address clear gaps in evidence-based practice adoption Include measurable outcomes and implementation strategies Demonstrate potential for broader impact on occupational therapy practice Show collaboration with clinical practice settings Project Proposal: Detailed research plan with implementation science framework Budget and Justification: Comprehensive budget with line-item explanations Timeline: Project milestones and deliverables schedule Principal Investigator CV: Complete academic and research background Institutional Support: Letters confirming research infrastructure and support Literature Review: Comprehensive background and significance statement Applications are evaluated based on: Scientific Merit: Quality and rigor of research methodology Implementation Focus: Clear application of implementation science principles Practice Impact: Potential to improve evidence-based practice adoption Feasibility: Realistic timeline and achievable goals within the funding period Innovation: Novel approaches to implementation challenges Investigator Qualifications: PI’s expertise and institutional support Building Research Capacity The program supports the development of implementation science expertise within occupational therapy, building capacity for: Larger-scale implementation studies Federal funding applications (NIH, PCORI, AHRQ) Collaborative research networks Policy and practice change initiatives Review Research Priorities & Guidelines Application Materials Posted Letter of Intent Submission Opens Letter of Intent Deadline September 2026, 11:59 p.

m. ET Invitations to Submit Full Application Full Application Deadline November 2026, 11:59 p. m.

ET Summary Statements & Award Notifications Sent Check current funding cycle dates and application materials here 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 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, FGSABCG, FAOTA, FGSA Mentor: Miriam Rafferty, DPT, PhD, PT University of Alabama at Birmingham Implementing an Occupational Therapist-Led Acceptance and Commitment Training Group for Parents in Pediatric Outpatient Clinics 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 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 Analysis, Refinement, and Implementation: Emphasizing Practical Implementation of Functional Cognitive Assessments Mentor: Dorothy Farrar-Edwards, PhD Janet Njelesani, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA 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 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 Trustees of Indiana University Implementation of Narrative Theatre for Occupational Justice Promotion 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 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 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 Intervention Research Grants For researchers developing new occupational therapy interventions, consider our Intervention Research Grant program.

Community engaged Research Grants Researchers focusing on equitable, collaborative research grounded in the lived experiences and priorities of diverse communities may be interested in our Community Engaged Research Grant program.

Implementation Science Training Planning Grant Collectives: Collaborative workshop opportunities WISH Workshop: Workshop in Implementation Science and Health Grant Writing Research Resources: Implementation science toolkits and guides Dissemination toolkits are available in our Research Resources library Mentorship connections through AOTF networks Previous recipient success stories and lessons learned 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.