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Texas Physical Therapy Foundation

The Texas Physical Therapy Foundation (TPTF) is a non-profit, charitable organization that relies on donations and gifts from the community to further education and research in Physical Therapy.

 


CALL FOR PROPOSALS


The Texas Physical Therapy Foundation (TPTF) is requesting proposals from individuals interested in research related to physical therapy practice. Junior investigators needing financial assistance in generating pilot data, or senior investigators with an interest in a new research area are encouraged to apply. The project should be clinically based, using appropriate outcomes. Collaborative efforts between clinics and academic institutions are strongly encouraged. Preference will be given to those proposals that have the greatest potential to impact the practice of physical therapy. The maximum award will be $7,500. In addition, $1,500 is available for a clinical educational grant each year.



RESEARCH GRANT APPLICANTS


GENERAL INFORMATION

The primary purpose of the Foundation is to provide funding for clinical and educational research. All types of research projects (quantitative, qualitative or mixed method) are welcome. Projects designed to advance the practice of physical therapy by determining the efficacy or effectiveness of specific therapeutic approaches will be given priority. All submissions must include a statement clearly describing how the proposed project will impact physical therapy clinical practice (see the Application Instructions below).

  1. Eligible individuals include physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who are licensed in Texas, physical therapy and physical therapist assistant students who are enrolled in Texas programs and other individuals who work in areas related to physical therapy. Individuals who are not licensed to practice physical therapy must have a co-investigator who is a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant.

  2. The deadline for applications is August 15 each year. Applicants will be notified by email of the status of their applications in the first week of November.

  3. Projects will be evaluated by a Grant Review Committee that is appointed by the Trustees of the Foundation. Criteria for evaluation include the following:

    1. Justification and need for the research.
    2. Appropriate experimental design to answer the research question.
    3. Well-defined criteria for subject selection.
    4. Valid and reliable measurements.
    5. Potential for completion in a realistic time frame with available resources.
    6. Qualified research team.
    7. Appropriate budget.
    8. Writing that is clear and concise.

  4. All proposals are reviewed and scored by all of the grant review committee members. Points are awarded in four areas: justification, design, logistics (including budget and personnel), and clarity. Although the design section has the highest weighting, previously funded proposals with innovative ideas were scored well in each section. Point totals are used by the committee to assist in ranking well-written proposals. Recommendations are then made to the entire Board of Trustees who determine which proposals will be funded and the award amount based on available resources.

  5. Funds can be used for any expenditure directly related to the project. Indirect costs will not be funded. Requests for computer equipment cannot exceed 50% of the total amount requested unless the equipment is an integral part of the experimental apparatus. In addition, the fund requested for research dissemination costs cannot exceed 15% of the total amount requested, including travel. All items included in the budget must be addressed in the budget justification section of the proposal.

  6. Projects will be funded for a period of one year. However, an extension can be granted upon request with justification.

  7. Principal investigators of funded projects will be required to submit a progress or final report using the TPTF Progress/Final Report template provided at the time of the award. Progress and financial reports also will be required at the end of the funding period and at the completion of the project if an extension is granted. Investigators are required to submit an abstract to present their results at professional meetings.

  8. The Foundation reserves the right to provide partial funding when indicated.


RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

The application must follow the format and organization shown below. Applications should not exceed 10 single-spaced pages for the abstract, narrative, references, budget and budget justification, and human subject statements. Please note that appendices are not included in the 10-page limit. Pages must be numbered and typed with a minimum font size of 11 points. Failure to follow specified guidelines will result in the proposal being returned without further review. To be considered, applications must be submitted to the TPTF via Google Forms on or before the deadline date, August 15. Please contact Sharon Wang-Price, PT, PhD, swang@twu.edu if you have any questions.

  1. TITLE PAGE  (1 page)
    1. Name of applicant(s) - abbreviated curriculum vitae/biosketches (2 page limit per investigator) to be included as an appendix.
    2. Title of the proposed research project.
    3. Amount of funding requested. (If the amount requested is in excess of the stated grant limit, specify what part(s) of the proposal TPTF funds will pay for.)
    4. Anticipated start-up date of the project.
    5. Anticipated completion date of the project.

  2. ABSTRACT (1 page)

    On a separate sheet, include the title of the proposal, name of the principal investigator(s), institutional affiliation, and a brief summary of the project, including purpose, methods and potential application(s) of results.



Page 2 - Page 10   (Narrative, References, Budget and Human Subjects)

  1. NARRATIVE

    1. Background: Include review of relevant literature and rationale or theoretical basis for research questions.
    2. Specific aim(s) of the project.
    3. Impact on physical therapy clinical practice. State in a clear and concise manner how the proposed project will impact present or future physical therapy clinical practice. This is a required section for all submissions.
    4. Methods:
      1. Experimental design and research hypotheses.
      2. Participants.
      3. Instrumentation.
      4. Procedures.
      5. Data analysis.
    5. Long-term plan (optional). Include plans for follow-up studies in this area of research.

  2. REFERENCES

    Only relevant references should be included.

  3. BUDGET
    1. Itemized budget (personnel, equipment, supplies, travel, other expenses).
    2. Budget justification: Include a brief statement describing the rationale or need for each of the items listed.

  4. HUMAN SUBJECTS

    Has the project received approval of a Human Subjects Review Committee such as an Institutional Review Board?

    Indicate Yes, No, or Pending.   If yes, include copy of approval letter.

  5. APPENDICIES (not included in the 10-page limit)

    Include abbreviated curriculum vitae/biosketches, IRB approval letter, institutional authorization agreement, letter of support, surveys, data collection forms, and other relevant documents in the appendices.

 

Click here to submit your grant application via Google Forms.




© 2025, Texas Physical Therapy Foundation

Updated 2025-04-05