AOTF-ASHT-AHTF Collaborative Research Grant
Hand in Hand Research Grant
The American Society of Hand Therapists, the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) 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:
- Clearly address needs and priorities identified by the community, not just for the community
- Emphasize capacity building that empowers community partners to participate fully and equitably in the research process
- Include a concrete plan for sharing results with the community and/or outlining next steps for scaling or sustaining the work.
Eligibility Criteria
Principal Investigator (PI):
- 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 or multiple first-author publications).
- Be an early career researcher*
- Be 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.
- 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. (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).
*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.
**This grant may have OT and PT serve as Co-PIs, provided both meet the above-specified criteria.
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.
For full details, please visit the AOTF Hand in Hand Research Grant page.
The deadline to apply for the 2027 grant is November 2, 2026. Applications 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.