COTF Research Grant Application

1. Purpose:
   To encourage and contribute to the growth of research in occupational therapy .
   
   
2. General policy:
   
   2.1 COTF has limited funds available for grants and cannot fund every worthy application it receives. Consequently, COTF strives to ensure that its grants are awarded as equitably as possible for the benefit of the maximum number of people.
   
   2.2 COTF recognizes that individuals applying for scholarships, publication and research grants may apply to other funding sources for the same activity or project. If received, this funding may be complementary to COTF awards or it may overlap. COTF reserves the right to proceed with or withdraw funding based on the perceived overlap with funding from other sources.
   
   2.3 COTF further recognizes that some investigators may be recommended for funding in two or more COTF competitions during a calendar year. COTF reserves the right to determine that those individuals shall receive no more than one COTF award annually.
   
   
3. Eligibility:
   
   3.1 The principal investigator must be a CAOT individual, life or student member in good standing.
   
   3.2 The principal investigator must work in Canada.
   
   3.3 Sponsorship must be demonstrated from an institution willing to administer funds.
   
   
4. Guidelines for funding research:
   
   4.1 Projects must be directly applicable to the science of occupation and/or to the practice of client-centred occupational therapy. (See Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Perspective: CAOT 1997).
   
   4.2 Consideration will be given to projects focusing on disability and handicap rather than impairment (WHO,1980)nada.
   
   4.3 Projects must be innovative, progressive, original and scientifically sound.
   
   4.4 COTF values research which demonstrates a multidisciplinary approach and consumer participation.
   
   4.5 Projects must be conducted in a Canadian setting.
   
   
   
5. Documentation:
   Applicants must provide ten (10) copies of the following documents:
   
   5.1 A photocopy of CAOT membership card.
   
   5.2 Ten (10) completed, collated and signed application form.
   
   5.3 Research proposal, not in excess of 4 (8.5 X 11) typed pages, (single-spaced, excluding references and appendices) Use 1 inch margins with 12-point print size.
   • 250 word abstract summarizing purpose and methodology of the proposed research
   • statement of the problem addressed by the research
   • purpose of the research and specific objectives
   • theoretical rationale for the project (including a literature review in summary format)
   • proposed methodology (provide detail), including design, sample, measurement and data analysis
   • significance and relevance of the project in terms of occupational performance and/or occupational therapy
   • detailed budget with justification for expenditures
   • time frame for the proposed study is a maximum of 1 year per application. (For project of duration longer than 1 year see 6.3.)
   
   5.4 Appendices may include copies of measurement instruments and abstracts of related publications.
   
   5.5 Curriculum vitae of principal and co-investigators, each not in excess of 3 - 5 pages, providing educational qualifications, work experience for the previous 5 years, previous or current research funding, publications, and presentations.
   
   5.6 A letter of support from any individual and/or organization whose cooperation is essential to the project.
   
   5.7 Certificate of ethical approval. The certificate need not accompany the application, but it must be submitted before funding can be released. N.B. Failure to provide any of the above may jeopardize the review.
   
   
6. Responsibilities:
   
   6.1 Acceptance of the grant must be acknowledged by the principal investigator in writing before funds may be issued. The principal investigator should view this letter as a contract binding him or her to complete the project, as funded, in the allotted time.
   
   6.2 Principal investigators must submit a final report of the grant within 18 months of receiving the grant. This report should cover the purpose, what was done, the results and further research, publications and presentations planned (not to exceed 3 pages).
   
   6.3 At the completion of the grant period, a financial account is expected from the sponsoring institution. It is the responsibility of the principal investigator to ensure that this is forwarded to COTF.
   
   6.4 Abstracts and/or reprints of all presentations and publications based on the funded work must be forwarded to COTF for public relations purposes.
   
   6.5 Any publications, reports or presentations based on the research project must acknowledge the financial support of COTF.
   
   
   
7. Document:
   
   7.1 FEBRUARY 28th ANNUALLY. Applications not received in the COTF Office by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) will be returned to the applicant. Review will take 12 to 16 weeks. If February 28 is a Saturday or a Sunday, then applications must be received in the COTF Office by 5:00 p.m. on the following Monday.
   
   7.2 Granting period is July 1st to June 30th, annually.
   
   7.3 Projects of duration longer than 1 year must re-apply for funding for each subsequent year. Renewal applications will be given preferential consideration, but extended funding is not guaranteed.
   
   
8. Procedures:
   
   8.1 Send ten (10) typed, collated copies of the proposal and all other supporting materials to: Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation CTTC Building, Suite 3401 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa ON K1S 5R1
   
   8.2 All proposals will undergo scientific review processes, including three reviewers, one of whom is a member of the Research and Scholarship committee and two who are external reviewers. External reviewers are selected to respond to the content areas addressed in proposals in the current competition. Written reviews from reviewers will be made available to applicants. Reviews will be structured on the basis of the attached sheet titled “Reviewer Criteria”.
   
   8.3 Applicants will be notified in writing of the results of the competition after ratification of the committee's recommendations by the Board of the COTF.
   
   8.4 Grants may be made conditional on revisions suggested by the review committee. If this is the case, revisions must be approved by the Chair, Research and Scholarship Committee in writing before the grant may be issued.
   
   8.5 Upon written confirmation of acceptance of the grant and the terms of the grant, a cheque will be issued to the sponsoring institution. Coverage of expenses beyond the termination date of the grant must be negotiated with the agency administering funds.
   
   Recipients are expected to acknowledge COTF in all communications regarding their award and related research activities.
   
   
9. Research grant policies:
   
   9.1 No principal investigator may receive more than one award in a given competition.
   
   9.2 Principal investigators may not draw a salary from the grant.
   
   9.3 All investigators must appear on the application.
   
   9.4 When the project is a thesis, the thesis supervisor must appear as an investigator on the grant.
   
   9.5 A maximum of $500.00 can be included in the budget as Travel Expense to attend the CAOT Conference to present a paper based on the application.

Reviewer Criteria

1. Clarity of purpose
   
   Is the intent of the research clear? Is it readily apparent what new information or understanding the proposed project will contribute? Are the objectives explicitly stated?
   
   
2. Importance and relevance of the problem
   
   Does the proposed research address a relevant and important problem in occupational therapy? Is the clinical and theoretical significance of the project clear? Does the proposed project focus on outcomes from the model of occupational performance outlined in Enabling Occupation: An Occupational Therapy Perspective?
   
   
3. Originality
   
   In the reviewer's experience, is the proposed research an original idea? Has the project been done before? Does the proposed work represent a new contribution to the literature? Do the investigators make it clear where this work fits into the literature?
   
   
4. Methodology
   
   Under the following headings, does the methodology expressed seem adequate to address the objectives stated: Design, Sample, Measurement, and Analysis?
   
   
5. Personnel
   
   Does the investigative team possess the skills and resources necessary to ensure the success of the project? Does the staff complement of the project (those that will be hired by the project) seem adequate?
   
   
6. Budget
   
   Does the proposed budget seem appropriate to meet the objectives of the study?
   
   
7. Does the proposal include the following, if necessary?
   • Sample(s) of measurement instruments if applicable
   • Curriculum vitae of principal and co-investigators
   • A letter of support from any individual and/or organization whose cooperation is essential to the project
   • Certificate of ethical approval and consent forms
   
   
8. Recommendation
   
   Would you recommend any revisions to the study? If so, please summarize. Would you recommend funding this study? Please rank as follows:
   1 - Highly Recommend Funding
   2 - Definitely Recommend Funding
   3 - Recommend Funding
   4 - Do Not Fund
   5 - Definitely Do Not Fund

Click here to download an application form in MS Word format