Microgrants

The O&P Foundation's Microgrant Program is designed to spark clinically relevant scholarly work in the field of orthotics and prosthetics (O&P). This program awards one-year grants of $2,000* to support clinically relevant activities and projects. These microgrants aim to empower health professionals, researchers, students, and residents to pursue projects and activities that may contribute to clinical care in O&P, such as investigator-initiated research, career development opportunities, or quality assurance and/or improvement projects. 

The Microgrant Program is awarded biannually, once in the spring and once in the fall, and awards are based on the scholarly merit and clinical relevance of the proposed activity/project.

Some suggestions for types of projects that could be funded are:

• Education, advocacy, clinical quality improvement projects.

• Small pilot funding for a research project.

• Proof of concept research to generate power analysis.

• Statistical assistance for a research project.

• Training courses to expand research-related skillsets

• Supplies to explore a new area of research.

• Support for an evidence-based practice project or development of secondary knowledge materials.

*These awards are considered taxable income if disbursed to an individual, in which case, recipients will receive a 1099 IRS Form for the award tax year

Eligibility Requirements

• The PI must be a currently-enrolled masters or doctoral student, a current orthotics and/or prosthetics resident, a practicing orthotics and prosthetics clinician, or a researcher engaged in clinically-relevant orthotics and prosthetics research.

• If the PI is a trainee (student or resident), the project must include a faculty sponsor from the trainee’s academic program or residency site.

• The proposed research must include a clinician trained and certified in O&P as a member of the project team.

• The primary research site must be in the US.

• The proposed research must be clinically relevant to the O&P profession in the United States.

How to Apply 

1. Create an account in The O&P Foundation Application Portal, then select the “Microgrant” program application and follow portal instructions. 

2. Draft and upload the proposal and budget, please reference the Microgrant Program Manual

• Applicants are responsible for ensuring the proposal adheres to the Microgrant guidelines. Proposals that do not adhere to the stated guidelines will not be reviewed.

• Applicants will receive a confirmation receipt of the application.

Award Cycle Information

The following are key dates and deadlines for the O&P Foundation's Microgrant Program. 

Application materials must be received by 5:00pm Central Time on the posted deadline. Applicants are responsible for ensuring all materials are received by the O&P Foundation by the dates listed below.

Application portal open: 10/07/2024

Project proposals due: 11/11/2024

Approximate Award Notification: 12/09/2024

Questions 

If you have any questions about the Microgrant Award, please email info@oandpfoundation.org or email The O&P Foundation Research Chair directly at research@oandpfoundation.org.