RESEARCH FUNDING RESOURCES

Funding physical therapy research

A list of funding sources has been compiled and is shown below.
Additionally, here are some more links to funding information:

Foundation for Physical Therapy

The Foundation, like the physical therapy profession, is dedicated to the goal of improving the quality and delivery of patient care.

The Foundation accomplishes this by providing support to emerging investigators to promote scientifically based and clinically relevant research related to the effectiveness of physical therapist practice.

The Foundation supports research projects in any specialty. The Foundation supports only those intervention studies in which the interventions are provided by physical therapists, or selected components of the interventions are provided by physical therapist assistants under the direction and supervision of physical therapists.

View Current Research Grants
Agency Full Name Focus
AHA American Heart Association AHA’s mission is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s mission is to produce evidence to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable, and to work within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and with other partners to make sure that the evidence is understood and used.
AoA / ACL Administration on Aging  /  The Administration on  Community Living The Administration for Community Living (ACL), within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the federal agency responsible for increasing access to community supports, while focusing attention and resources on the unique needs of older Americans and people with disabilities, across the lifespan.
CHN Craig H. Neilsen Foundation Since the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation was established in 2002, they have funded programs supporting spinal cord injury (SCI) research and rehabilitation. These programs include funding for basic scientific study, co-sponsoring the first-ever national SCI Summit, and underwriting a fellowship to train physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors.
  Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation The Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.
DoD Department of Defense The mission of DOD is to support the overall mission of the Department of Defense by providing official, timely and accurate information about defense policies, organizations, functions and operations.
FPT Foundation for Physical Therapy Scholarships for post-professional doctoral students seeking research careers range in dollar amount from $5,000 – 15,000. Awards totaling $78,000 over two years are also available for postdoctoral fellowships. These awards have been pivotal in starting the careers of many prominent PT researchers, including several IPTA members!
IPTA IPTA Research Award A $1,000 award will be given annually to one qualified IPTA researcher.
Michael J Fox The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research The Foundation’s goal is to accelerate the best ideas in Parkinson’s disease research toward clinical testing and practical relevance for patients.
NCF National Cancer Foundation For more than 65 years, the American Cancer Society has been finding answers that save lives – from changes in lifestyle to new approaches in therapies to improving cancer patients’ quality-of-life.  In fact, no single nongovernmental, not-for-profit organization in the U.S. has invested more to find the causes and cures of cancer.
NIH NIH’s National Institute for Minority Health Funding opportunities in health disparities research. This is an area often neglected by PTs. There is ample funding for projects addressing ethnic minority health and health for underserved minority population (racial health disparities in rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions).
NIH National Institutes of Health The National Institutes of Health, a part of the US Dept of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency—making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.  It includes 27 Centers and funds clinical trials and clinical research.
NPF National Parkinson’s Foundation For over half a century, the National Parkinson Foundation has focused on meeting the needs in the care and treatment of people with Parkinson’s disease. NPF has funded more than $180 million in care, research and support services.
PDF Parkinson’s Disease Foundation The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation is committed to finding a cure for Parkinson’s, while ensuring that those who live with the disease are able to enjoy the best possible quality of life.