Community Engaged Research Grant (NBCOT®)

About this program

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation, with support from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, will award three nonrenewable, two-year Community Engaged Research Grants of up to $100,000 each for rigorous, community-engaged studies addressing occupational therapy priorities and inequities. Projects must be original research led by an equitable academic–community partnership, include a community member in a leadership or co-investigator role, and demonstrate meaningful engagement and compensation of community partners throughout the project. Principal investigators must hold an eligible terminal or advanced research degree, have a qualifying faculty or research appointment, and be affiliated with a U.S. nonprofit institution; they must also be occupational therapists or non-OT investigators based in an occupational therapy department and meet U.S. citizenship or residency requirements. Letters of intent are due September 2026, with exact deadline details specified in the application materials.