Hello Readers!

Here is some scholarship and grant application information brought to us through the support of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF).

The AOTF is the nation’s leading standalone non-profit investing in new OT research and the future OT workforce. For almost 60 years the philanthropic generosity of the OT community has enabled AOTF to advance the science of occupational therapy and strengthen our profession.

Here are 5 things to know about AOTF:

1. OT student scholarships are open this August. All students (OT, OTA, and OTD) can apply for a variety of scholarships. Here are a few examples of the scholarships available:
1. The Illinois Scholarship: for students in good standing, attending an accredited occupational therapy educational program, located in the state of Illinois and who are members of the ILOTA.
2. Lela Llorens Endowed Scholarship: for those who have shown outstanding leadership in the Student Occupational Therapy Association on their campus and as a member of the Black Occupational Therapy Association and/or Caucus on their campus, in their state, or at the national level.
3. The Network Board for LGBTQIA+ Concerns in OT Endowed Scholarship: must be a member of the local campus Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Transgender (LGBT) organization.
4. For more information about scholarships contact [email protected] or 240-292-1125.
2. OT Research Grant Programs are currently open this August. Each of these grant programs provides funding for early-stage research, vital to building new evidence for practice. Here are a few of the grant programs that are available:
1. Submit a proposal, join a research team, and/or rally your schools to participate in the 2023 AOTF St. Catherine Challenge benefiting Intervention Research Grants!
1. This is a national student-led fundraising initiative to support OT research grants awarded by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation. This one-year research grant of $50,000 is essential to fund data collection and analysis.
2. https://www.aotf.org/stcatherinechallenge
2. Intervention Research Grant
1. This grant lays the necessary groundwork for larger intervention studies and supports the profession’s Centennial Vision of occupational therapy as science-driven and evidence-based.
2. https://www.aotf.org/Grants
3. Health Services Research Grant
1. This grant examines how people get access to healthcare along with other factors such as the delivery of care, the cost of care, and what happens patients that do or do not receive care.
2. This is a multidisciplinary field that studies how different components affect to health care such as social factors, financing systems, organization structures and processes, health technologies, and personal behaviors.
3. https://www.aotf.org/Grants 
4. Implementation Research Grant
1. The mission of this grant is to improve individual patient outcomes and overall public health through the use of evidence-based practice.
2. This grant will study the use of strategies to advance the adoption and integration of evidence-based health interventions into clinical and community settings to improve patient outcomes and population health.
3. https://www.aotf.org/Grants
3. AOTF’s STRIDE (Standing Together for Research Inclusion, Diversity and Equity) Committee will be presenting a free four-part webinar series called Equity in Research.
1. The next series titled Developing the Research Proposal: Process and Ethics to Promote Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity will be featured on Thursday, September 22 from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM EST.
2. https://www.aotf.org/Research-Resources/Special-Events-and-Webinars
4. OTJR: Occupation, Participation, and Health is the AOTF quarterly peer-reviewed journal and invites national and international submissions!
1. Check out a free sample issue! https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/otjb/41/1
2. https://journals.sagepub.com/home/otj
5. Volunteer with AOTF to support evidence-based practice.
1. They are in need of clinicians to review scholarship applications.
2. https://www.aotf.org/About-AOTF/Volunteer

The AOTF is offering a lot of opportunities to get involved with the OT practice. If you or someone you know would like to take part in the scholarships, grants, or volunteer work of AOTF check the links provided for more information.