American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Name

American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Legal name

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Website

https://aotf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Healthcare Research Foundation

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Occupational Therapy & Fine-Motor / Sensory Integration Instructional Materials (EDAGAMAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Pediatric/School-Based Occupational Therapy (OT) (EDAKAFAA)

Keywords

• Occupational therapy research
• Research grants funding
• Scholarship programs
• Scientific journal publishing
• Nonprofit health foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations: AOTF is funded almost entirely by the generosity of donors. The foundation receives individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and matching gifts from partners such as Korro AI.
2. Partnership Funding: Grants and program sponsorships from organizational partners including NBCOT, AOTA, ASHT, AHTF, and other healthcare foundations support specific grant programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

AOTF advances occupational therapy science by funding early-stage research and supporting the OT research workforce. Its core offerings include a portfolio of research grants (Intervention Research Grants, Implementation Research Grants, Community Engaged Research Grant of $100,000, Hand in Hand Research Grant of $50,000), postdoctoral fellowships, scholarships for OT students ranging from $150 to $5,000, and the peer-reviewed OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research. The foundation also operates the Pi Theta Epsilon honor society (156 active chapters) and delivers professional development through the Institute for Future Scientists and WISH grant writing workshops.

Product overview

The American Occupational Therapy Foundation operates as a research funding organization with multiple interconnected programs rather than a single product. The core offerings include the OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research (peer-reviewed scientific publication since 1980), the Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE) national honor society for OT students, and comprehensive research funding programs including Intervention Research Grants, Implementation Research Grants, postdoctoral fellowships, doctoral scholarships, and educational scholarships. New programs include the Community Engaged Research Grant (with NBCOT) and Hand in Hand Research Grant (with ASHT/AHTF). Additional offerings include the Institute for Future Scientists professional development, WISH Workshop grant writing training, St. Catherine Challenge student fundraising, Research Resources Library, and the Academy of Research recognition program. The foundation also produces the OTJR Infographic Series to translate research into practice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE): The specialized honor society for occupational therapy students and alumni, promoting research, leadership, and scholarly activities. Established 1958, became a division of AOTF in 2013 with 156 active chapters across the United States.
• OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research

Products and services

• OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research A peer-reviewed scientific journal advancing occupational therapy through scientific inquiry, featuring research on occupation, participation, and health; published by AOTF with SAGE Publishing (2024 Impact Factor 1.5).
• Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE) Honor Society The national honor society for occupational therapy students and alumni that recognizes superior scholarship and promotes research, leadership, and scholarly activities across 156 active U.S. chapters.
• Intervention Research Grants Early-stage research funding that enables OT scientists to collect pilot data, publish findings, and apply for larger grants; supported by AOTA and the St. Catherine Challenge student fundraising initiative.
• Implementation Research Grants Research funding to improve adoption of evidence-based OT practice in real-world settings; major funding provided by NBCOT.
• Community Engaged Research Grant $100,000 grant created in partnership with NBCOT supporting OT research projects that partner with communities to address real-world needs.
• Hand in Hand Research Grant $50,000 grant created in partnership with ASHT and AHTF supporting early-stage research in hand and upper-extremity occupational therapy.
• STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship Standing for Research Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity scholarship providing research experience with dedicated mentors for underrepresented OT scholars, offering funded support for emerging OT leaders.
• Educational Scholarships Program Financial support ranging from $150 to $5,000 for OT/OTA students and clinicians to achieve educational goals, with scholarships for doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty/early career researchers.
• Postdoctoral Research Fellowships Research fellowships including the Nedra Gillette Endowed Research Fellowship and Nancy Talbot Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship supporting emerging occupational therapy researchers.
• Academy of Research in OT Recognition program established in 1983 that honors individuals making exemplary, distinguished, and sustained contributions to the science of occupational therapy.
• Institute for Future Scientists in OT Two-day professional development experience pairing entry-level OT students with leading OT scientists to explore doctoral programs and science career opportunities (31 entry-level OT students participated in 2025).
• WISH (Workshop in Implementation Science and Health) Grant Writing Workshop Grant writing workshop in implementation science and health for emerging OT researchers, co-sponsored with LeaRRn, CoHSTAR, and AOTF (24 investigators participated in 2025).
• OTJR Infographic Series Visually engaging evidence-informed resources designed to make OT research concepts from OTJR more accessible and shareable across clinical and educational settings.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor, major and core.

• Various State OT AssociationsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 202625 state OT associations partnered with AOTF for Fall State Conference Tour across 9 states, enabling local outreach and scholarship distribution.
• LeaRRn (Learning Health System Research Training Network)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2025NIH-funded rehabilitation research resource center that co-sponsors the WISH (Workshop in Implementation Science and Health) Grant Writing Workshop. AOTF co-sponsored the 2025 workshop with 24 investigators participating.
• CoHSTAR (Center on Health Services Training and Research)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2025Health services research and training center supported by the Foundation for Physical Therapy Research; co-sponsor of WISH Grant Writing Workshop alongside AOTF and LeaRRn.
• Korro AIminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Corporate sponsor providing matching gifts at AOTA INSPIRE 2025 conference, contributing to nearly $20,000 raised for OT research.
• OccupationalTherapy.comminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsor of the OT Student Scavenger Hunt at AOTA INSPIRE 2025 conference.
• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBCOT provides major funding for the Implementation Research Grant program and the Community Engaged Research Grant program. NBCOT is a key strategic partner enabling AOTF to offer approximately $100,000 grants for community-engaged research projects.
• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAOTA provides major funding for the Intervention Research Grant program and collaborates on the annual AOTA INSPIRE Conference. AOTA student donations through the St. Catherine Challenge also fund IRG grants.
• American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) and American Hand Therapy Foundation (AHTF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to fund the Hand in Hand Research Grant ($50,000) supporting early-stage research in hand and upper-extremity occupational therapy.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): The primary U.S. professional association for occupational therapy practitioners, AOTA operates as the broader membership and advocacy body for the OT profession. AOTF and AOTA share a symbiotic relationship, with AOTA funding AOTF's Intervention Research Grant program and co-hosting the AOTA INSPIRE conference, making them both partners and the natural incumbent peer in the OT ecosystem.
• Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI): PCORI is a large federally funded research institute that funds comparative clinical effectiveness research across multiple health professions including rehabilitation. PCORI represents a much larger incumbent funder in AOTF's research translation and implementation science space, with whom AOTF-funded researchers often seek follow-on funding.
• American Nurses Foundation (ANF): ANF is the charitable arm of the American Nurses Association, funding nursing research, leadership development, and scholarships at a larger scale than AOTF. ANF represents a broader-incumbent peer, sharing AOTF's philanthropic funding model but operating at substantially greater scale across a larger healthcare workforce.

Direct peers

• National Athletic Trainers' Association Research & Education Foundation: NATA Foundation funds athletic training research and student scholarships through donations and corporate sponsorships. As a small discipline-specific healthcare research foundation, it parallels AOTF's structure, grant sizes, and reliance on professional association partnerships.
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation): ASHFoundation funds research, scholarships, and awards to advance communication sciences and disorders. It mirrors AOTF's structure as a small nonprofit foundation that supports doctoral students, early-career researchers, and clinical innovation in a related rehabilitation discipline.
• American Psychological Foundation (APF): APF is the philanthropic arm of the American Psychological Association, funding psychological science research, graduate student scholarships, and early-career grants. APF closely mirrors AOTF's donor-funded model, scope (research + scholarships + recognition), and small operational footprint within a related allied health profession.
• Foundation for Physical Therapy Research (FPTR): The research funding arm of the American Physical Therapy Association, FPTR funds physical therapy research, scholarships, and fellowships through donations and partnerships. FPTR is the closest structural analog to AOTF in the rehabilitation space, with a parallel model of small staff, donor-funded grants, and discipline-specific scientific advancement.

Others

• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT): NBCOT is the certification body for U.S. OT practitioners and a major strategic partner of AOTF, funding the Implementation Research Grant and Community Engaged Research Grant programs. NBCOT is a core funder and ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but its funding decisions materially shape AOTF's grant-making capacity.
• American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R): AAPM&R is the professional society for physiatrists (PM&R physicians) and supports rehabilitation research through its foundation arm. While focused on physician-led rehabilitation rather than OT specifically, AAPM&R occupies adjacent professional society and research infrastructure territory to AOTF.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH) - National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research: NCMRR is the primary federal funder of rehabilitation research within NIH and a key downstream funding source for AOTF grant recipients. While not a direct peer, NCMRR's funding priorities and mechanisms shape the research pipeline AOTF supports through its early-stage grants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AOTFoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@AOTFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmericanOccupationalTherapyFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-occupational-therapy-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/otresearchfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Occupational Therapy Foundation