O&P Foundation’s Microgrant Program

The Microgrant program offered by The O&P Foundation is a one-year grant initiative aimed at supporting individuals engaged in clinically relevant orthotic, prosthetic, and pedorthic research and practice. With a funding amount of $2,000 per award, this grant is tailored to catalyze early-stage projects and novel directions that improve patient outcomes in the field of orthotics and prosthetics. The program operates on a biannual cycle, accepting applications during the Spring and Fall, and it emphasizes funding for quality improvement initiatives that directly impact clinical practice. The program is designed to accommodate a variety of applicants, including currently enrolled master’s or doctoral students, orthotic/prosthetic residents, practicing clinicians, and researchers focused on clinically relevant work. Importantly, if the applicant is a student or resident, they must include a faculty mentor from their academic or residency program. The project must be based in the United States and include at least one certified orthotist, prosthetist, or pedorthist as part of the team. Furthermore, proposals must align with The O&P Foundation’s Clinical Relevance Criteria and Research Priorities, ensuring that funded projects have tangible impacts on clinical practice. Funds from the microgrant can be used in a variety of ways, including education and advocacy initiatives, small pilot studies, proof-of-concept research, statistical support, training to expand research capabilities, purchasing supplies for exploratory research, and developing evidence-based practice materials. The disbursement of funds is made in a single payment either to the individual awardee or to their host institution. The grant does not permit indirect costs, and recipients are responsible for any associated tax obligations. If a project involves human or animal subjects, Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Animal Care and Use Committee (ACUC) approval must be submitted before disbursement. The application process is conducted through The O&P Foundation’s online portal, where applicants must create an account and select the Microgrant Program. The application requires several components, including an abstract, a project narrative of no more than three pages, equipment and training needs, a timeline with milestones, dissemination plans, references, and details about personnel and mentorship. Budget documentation, justification, and letters of support from relevant institutions or collaborators must also be included. If the applicant is conducting research involving human subjects, risks and ethical considerations should be clearly stated, and IRB oversight must be confirmed. Applications are reviewed by a panel of O&P Foundation Research Committee members and, where necessary, ad-hoc reviewers. Each submission is scored according to a standardized rubric that evaluates the clinical relevance, methodological strength, feasibility, and personnel qualifications. Applicants receive blinded consensus scores and written feedback after the review process concludes. While the anticipated notification date for the Spring 2026 cycle is May 2026, this may be delayed if application volume is high. The grant period begins upon fund disbursement. Final reports are required within 30 days of project completion and should detail the work performed, budget usage, and any resulting publications or future research directions. Grant recipients retain intellectual property rights according to their host institution’s policies but must acknowledge The O&P Foundation in any disseminated materials. The foundation also reserves the right to publicize received materials unless marked confidential. Contact for program inquiries can be directed to [email protected] or [email protected].

Proposals are evaluated for clinical relevance, feasibility, and alignment with O&P Foundation research priorities.