Funding for research and development

The RCOT Research and Innovation Fund aims to build the evidence-base for occupational therapy

RCOT Research and Innovation fund

The RCOT Research and Innovation Fund aims to build the evidence-base for occupational therapy, increase research capacity and capability within the profession and support the development of occupational therapy researchers and innovators. Through our support and funding, we will develop the profession’s research and innovation leaders of the future. We will do this by awarding funding for research, systematic reviews, and innovation projects.

Our goal is to support projects that:

Involve people with lived experience in research and innovation.
Develop researcher capability and capacity.
Advance the evidence base in an identified occupational therapy research priority area.
Enable innovative occupational therapy practice and improvement.
Systematically review the evidence to inform guidelines, policy, practice, and future research.

Research and innovation grants, prizes and awards

Throughout the year, we have several grants, funds, prizes and awards that open for members looking to take their next step in research or innovation.

Involving People in Research Grant

Involving People in Research Grant (multiple grants of up to £2,000 each)

This grant supports public involvement and engagement in grant or project preparation. It is available throughout the year, or until the total funding pot has been allocated. If all funds are allocated before the end of the year, we’ll update our website and let you know via social media.

Advancing the Evidence Grant

Advancing the Evidence Grant (one grant of up to £90,000)

This grant supports larger projects that clearly address one or more of the top 10 research priorities. Suitable for preliminary, pilot, feasibility studies, or nested studies that offer developmental opportunities to gain further research experience within the project.

Research Starter Grant

Synthesising the Evidence Grant

Synthesising the Evidence Grant (one or two grants totalling £20,000)

To extend the assimilation, understanding and development of the evidence base underpinning occupational therapy through a systematic review.

Full details of the grants available, including application forms, can be found in the ‘Application Information’ section.

Early Researcher Award Post-registration

This prize is awarded to recognise excellence in research and presentation skills for post-registration research. Occupational therapists are eligible if presenting findings at RCOT’s Annual Conference from their post-registration Master’s or doctoral research or their first piece of ethically approved research undertaken post-registration.

Early Researcher Prize Pre-registration

This prize is awarded to a pre-registration BSc/MSc occupational therapy student for an outstanding research project completed in the final year of their degree programme. Students are nominated by a member of the academic team at the student’s institution. The prize winner will receive a £50 book token and will have their success publicly celebrated. The nominating forms for the Early Researcher Prize are available below, with a deadline of end of June.

Innovation Seed Fund

Whether you're just starting out or well into your career, the Innovation and Improvement Seed Fund is here to help you take the next step.

This small pot of funding (up to £2,000) is designed to help you test an idea that’s been informed by evidence – whether that’s a pilot you’ve run, published research or national policy.

What You’ll Gain

In addition to funding, all applicants will be supported by the Innovation and Improvement Hub, which offers:

improvement coaching
peer networking
group learning opportunities to practice using improvement tools.

Early Researcher Prize and Early Innovator Prize

Open for submissions

Our Research and Innovation Fund awards prizes to two pre-registration BSc/MSc occupational therapy learners.

This year, we have the:

Early Researcher Prize – for an outstanding research project
Early Innovator Prize – for an outstanding evidence-based service improvement project

... each completed in the final year of the learner’s degree programme.

Prize awarded

There will be only one winner per prize.

Each prize winner will receive a £50 book token and will have their achievement publicly recognised by RCOT.

We’ll notify all nominees of their outcome in August 2026.

How to apply

Nominees must be proposed by a member of the academic programme from the Higher Education Institution where the degree is awarded, and with the consent of the learner.

Nominations should be made using the nomination form and submitted to Angie Thompson, Research and Development Officer, at [email protected] by 11.59pm, Sunday 28 June 2026.

Download the Early Research and Innovator Prize nomination form

Download the Early Researcher Prize marking criteria

Download the Early Innovator Prize marking criteria

Nominators (academics)

Provide a 200 word (max) reason for nomination
- including the outstanding early research skills or innovation skills demonstrated by the learner.
Complete and submit the form.

Nominees (learners)

Provide a 300 word (max) reflection on your learning, including:
- what you learned from doing the research or service improvement project
- what the findings and implications for practice were, and how they added to the evidence base
- how you will apply your learning in your future practice
- your plans for disseminating your findings so others can learn from your project.
Authorise your nomination and add any additional details to the form before submission.

Research grants

Currently not open for submissions

Advancing the Evidence Grant

Advancing the Evidence Grant (one grant of up to £90,000)

Advancing the Evidence Grant submission information (DOCX, 100.51KB)

Advancing the Evidence Grant tips and FAQs (DOCX, 97.16KB)

Advancing the Evidence Grant reviewer feedback form – for benchmarking your submission (DOCX, 91.73KB)

Advancing the Evidence Grant application form (DOCX, 105.76KB)

Research Starter Grant

Research Starter Grant
(one or two grants totalling £20,000)

This grant supports you at the beginning of your occupational therapy research career, either at the doctoral or post-doctoral stage.

Research Starter Grant tips and FAQs (DOCX, 95.2KB)

Research Starter Grant reviewer feedback form – for benchmarking your submission (DOCX, 92.21KB)

Research Starter Grant submission info 2026.docx (DOCX, 100.1KB)

Research Starter Grant application form (DOCX, 104.75KB)

Synthesising the Evidence Grant

Synthesising the Evidence Grant
(one or two grants totalling £20,000)

This grant is for a systematic review to extend the assimilation, understanding and development of the evidence base underpinning occupational therapy.

Synthesising the Evidence Grant submission information (DOCX, 100.15KB)

Synthesising the Evidence Grant tips and FAQs (DOCX, 94.91KB)

Synthesising the Evidence Grant reviewer feedback form – for benchmarking your submission (DOCX, 98KB)

Synthesising the Evidence grant form (DOCX, 108.12KB)

Involving People in Research Grant

Involving People in Research Grant (Funding up to £2000 per grant)

Year-round funding is available to support public involvement and engagement in grant preparation. You can apply at any time for up to £2,000 to include people with lived experience in developing a grant application.

Involving People in Research Grant submission information (DOCX, 98.61KB)

Involving People in Research Grant reviewer feedback form – for benchmarking your submission (DOCX, 91.59KB)

Involving People in Research Grant application form (DOCX, 104.52KB)

FAQ Videos

Research and innovation fund overview

General tips

Research starter grant – research types

Research starter grants – co applicants

Public involvement and engagement

Involving people in research grant

Helpful pointers and eligibility criteria

When you submit your proposal, you will need to clearly link your project to one or more of the top 10 priorities for UK OT research.
Remember to think about and include public involvement and engagement in your proposal.
We strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups within our OT community. A wealth of views, backgrounds and approaches can only improve the research being generated.
Lead applicants must be a professional member of RCOT at the time of applying.
Co-applicants do not need to be OTs, but those who’ve got an OT qualification must also be members of RCOT.

Submission date

Currently closed for submissions.

Help and advice

If you have any questions, please contact Angie Thompson, RCOT Research and Development Officer via [email protected] or 020 3141 4615.

Helpful webinar

Watch this helpful video about how to write grant proposals.

Research and Innovation Fund panel

The work of the Research and Innovation Fund is overseen by a panel, which provides expertise and guidance to facilitate RCOT in making the best decisions in investing in research projects.

The Research and Innovation Fund comprises up to seven research-skilled individuals from within and outside the profession and two members of the public. They undertake reviewing activity and meet once a year to shortlist and agree projects. Panel meetings are chaired by the Chair of BAOT/RCOT Council.

Current panel members

Jennifer Pearl

Jennifer Pearl, Person with lived experience of using OT. Appointed to the Panel in 2024.

I work as an Expert by Experience for the Care Quality Commission. I support inspections in care homes, hospitals and domiciliary care agencies - giving people who use the services and their relatives a voice in the inspection process. I am also Co Chair of Inclusion Barnet.

I am on the National Co Production Advisory Group (NCAG) of Think Local Act Personal, where at national and local level we co-produce services. I am a project advisor for Kent University for their research project on cost benefit of domiciliary care and also for Supporting Adult Social Care Innovation.

I have a spinal cord non traumatic injury and have had amazing support over the years from Occupational Therapists.

Dr Sarah Markham

Dr Sarah Markham, Person with lived experience of using OT. Appointed to the Panel in 2024

Sarah is a mental health service use who has benefitted greatly from using OT services which has both inspired and sustained her recovery, in addition to rebuilding her positive sense of self and self-confidence.

She has a background of working in accountancy and teaching and also has a PhD in pure mathematics. Sarah also has over 14 years' experience of patient and public involvement in health and social care research and supporting Early Career researcher in how to integrate and facilitate patient and public involvement and co-production within their research. She is also a keen runner and cat lover.

Professor Jon Glasby

Professor Jon Glasby, Professor of Health and Social Care, University of Birmingham. Appointed to the Advisory Group in 2023.

Jon Glasby is a qualified social worker by background and Professor of Health and Social Care at the University of Birmingham. He is Director of IMPACT (‘IMProving Adult Care Together’), the UK centre for evidence implementation in adult social care, funded by the ESRC and Health Foundation. In 2022, he also served a special adviser to the House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee.

Jon is the former Director of the University’s Health Services Management Centre (HSMC) (2008-15) and former Head of the School of Social Policy (2015-20). He is currently a Non-Executive Director (NED) of an NHS Foundation Trust and of a local authority children’s service. Jon is also a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a Senior Fellow of the NIHR School for Social Care Research. He specialises in research, policy advice and practical support in terms of joint working between health and social care, implementing evidence in practice and personalisation.

Dr Blaine Robin

Dr Blaine Robin, Senior Lecturer, School of Health, Leeds Beckett University. Appointed to the Advisory Group in 2023.

Dr Blaine Robin has worked in Adult Social Care since qualifying as an occupational therapist in 1994 commencing with London Borough of Hillingdon. A range of roles in Older People Services in the NHS, Social Services and Private Sector settings throughout the United Kingdom followed. He progressed into senior roles included Service Manager - Equipment Services (2003 - 2006 - Redbridge Council); elected Member Southend on Sea Borough Council (2008 - 2012); Arm’s Length Management Organisation (Social Housing Board Member) of South Essex Homes (2008 – 2012); HIV/AIDS Champion – Southend on Sea Borough Council (2008 – 2012). He is a RoSPA trained Moving and Handling Trainer for train the trainer courses/annual refresher courses.

In 2010 he completed a PhD at the University of Greenwich, Public Health. In 2016 he left Luton Council Adult Social Care and the role of Advanced Practitioner in Occupational Therapy to begin a teaching career at South Essex College of Higher Education. In 2020 was appointed as Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Leeds Beckett University. His current research interests are varied. They include quantitative research methods and design and racial disparities in health and illness. His most meaningful occupations include spending time with his family; binge watching box sets of sci fi, crime thrillers and travelling to the Caribbean for rest, recuperation and regeneration.

Professor Katrina Bannigan

Professor Katrina Bannigan, Honorary Professor at the University of Plymouth
Appointed to the Advisory Group in 2023.

Katrina’s main research focus is work to retirement. Her broader research interests are the research-teaching- practice nexus (particular to build research capacity), complex intervention development and evidence synthesis.

She is currently Vice Chair of the Research & Development Board at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and member of The University of Plymouth Centre for Innovations in Health and Social Care, a Joanna Briggs Institute Centre of Excellence.

Dr Joseph McVeigh

Dr Joseph McVeigh, Senior Lecturer and Head of Discipline of Physiotherapy, University College Cork. Appointed to the Advisory Group in 2023.

Dr McVeigh is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Discipline of Physiotherapy in the School of Clinical Therapies. Before joining UCC Dr McVeigh was a member of faculty at Ulster University where he was Course Director of the BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy and the MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine programmes. Dr McVeigh obtained a BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy from Ulster University in 1992. He was employed in the NHS as a staff grade then senior physiotherapist before specialising in the rehabilitation of long-term musculoskeletal conditions. In 1999 Dr McVeigh was appointed to one of the first joint clinical-academic posts in physiotherapy in the North of Ireland. Dr McVeigh was subsequently appointed as a Lecturer in Physiotherapy at Ulster University in 2003. Dr McVeigh was awarded a Fellowship (2013) and Senior Fellowship (2016) of the Higher Education Academy and has acted as External Examiner at St George’s University of London and Manchester Metropolitan University.

Dr Hortensia Gimeno

Dr Hortensia Gimeno, Clinical Academic Occupational Therapist, Associate Director of Therapies Research at Barts Health in East London and Honorary Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University London. Appointed to the Advisory Group in 2024.

Dr Gimeno has a strong ambition to improve the care of children and young people with movement disorders. She has 25 years of clinical experience and has achieved international recognition despite a lack of protected research time throughout her career.

She established proof-of-concept and initial feasibility for a rehabilitation intervention, the Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP), for childhood-onset movement disorders through her NIHR-ICA doctoral fellowship (2014-2017). Her doctoral studies were amongst the first rehabilitation studies in this field. She has unique expertise in using single case experimental design and n-of-1 trials in rehabilitation. Dr Gimeno has 37 publications (16 first-authored) and has secured >£5.5 million in collaborative grant funding.

Dr Gimeno is the vice-chair for the International Cognitive Approaches Network Board of Directors (https://icancoop.org), a not-for-profit organisation; she is on the advisory board for a Patient-driven Platform Network (https://mybrainnet.eu/advisory-board/), and the neuro-rehabilitation working group for the European Reference Network for Rare Neurological Disorders. Nationally, Dr Gimeno sits on the British Academy of Childhood Disability Strategic Research Board.

Dr Gimeno has supervised several therapists completing MScs, NIHR Predoctoral fellowships (P-CAFs) and Doctoral fellowships (D-CAFs), as well as supporting clinicians embedding research in their daily practice and those interested in pursuing a clinical academic career.

Dr Catherine Purcell

Dr Catherine Purcell, Reader in the School of Healthcare Sciences at Cardiff University. Appointed to the Advisory Group in 2024.

Dr Purcell has been conducting research in the field of neurodiversity for 15 years and holds positions on neurodiversity committees nationally and internationally, including for example, the Welsh Government Neurodiversity Clinical Advisory Group and vice Chair of the International Society of Research and Advocacy for Developmental Coordination Disorder (ISRA-DCD).

Catherine is also involved in the mental health, participation and quality of life working group for the next revision of International Clinical Practice Recommendations for DCD due to be published in 2025. Catherine’s research interests include optimal service delivery models for neurodiverse children and adults, the impact of neurodiversity on everyday living, models of inclusive design and understanding access requirements to community and employment opportunities for the neurodiverse population. Catherine is currently leading a multi-University study exploring barriers and opportunities for active travel amongst children and young people in Wales using a model of behaviour change.

Previous grant winners and projects

Research Priority Grants Current

Dr Mellissa Prunty (2019) Download Project Abstract: Writing in the Digital Age – Keyboard versus Pen in Adolescents with Handwriting Difficulties (PDF, 120.24KB)

Dr Anita Atwal (2023) Download Project Abstract: The cultural adaptation of Occupational Therapy as a complex intervention for Somalis in the United Kingdom (PDF, 60.41KB)

Dr Fiona Maclean (2024) Download Project Abstract Co-creating the future the use of multifunctional robots in occupational therapy and dementia.pdf (PDF, 16.38KB)

Research Career Development Grants Current

Dr Jackie Parsonage-Harrison (2023) Download Project Abstract: The ATUS24, activity-focused time-use intervention to improve mental health and well-being in adolescents, an acceptability study. (PDF, 63.2KB)

Audrey Yong (2023) Download Project Abstract: The occupational therapy contribution to good home environment design to support the participation and wellbeing of people with intellectual disabilities (PDF, 59.71KB)

Dr Brightlin Nithis Dhas (2024) Download Project Abstract Practice readiness of newly qualified occupational therapists in the United Kingdom.pdf (PDF, 15.17KB)

Scoping Review Grants Current

Completed/in progress funded projects

Funded projects full list Aug 2024.pdf (PDF, 168.38KB)

Previous recipients of the Early Researcher Prize (pre-registration) include:

Rick Adams (2020): “ ‘We’re in it together.’ The role of a food pantry as a rights-based community-centred intervention in a marginalised setting at a time of austerity: a stakeholder perspective”.
Laura Johnson (2021): “An exploration of occupational therapists’ understanding of ‘The dark side of occupation’ and their perspectives on the implications for practice. A qualitative investigation”.
Felicity Murray (2022) “Enabling person-centered wellbeing in the context of environmentally sustainable occupational therapy: a survey study of occupational therapy student attitudes and preparedness.”
Samantha Bowden (2023): “An occupational perspective on the lived experience of menstruation for autistic adults”
Jason Chun Hin Sze (2024): “Characteristics of occupational therapy interventions to promote healthy ageing: a scoping review”

Previous recipients of the Early Researcher Award (Post-registration) include:

Terri Grant (2022): “Simulating Practice Education – what should we simulate?”
Laura Rossiter (2021): “Exploring the impact of cancer related fatigue on occupational performance and engagement”.
Beverley Turtle (2018): "Reliability and responsiveness of outcome measures in a stroke clinical trial".
Becky Field (2017): "Identifying influences on take-up of a community occupational therapy intervention for people with dementia and their family carers"
Natalie Jones (2016): "What are the experiences of stroke survivors with managing eating in the long-term?"
Clare Sugarman (2016): "The lived experience of parents whose children are deafblind: an occupational perspective"
Laura Ingham (2024): “Evaluation methods used by occupational therapists in primary care – are current mechanisms value based?”
Kathryn Halsall (2023): “Understanding Occupational Therapy Practice in Mothers from Ethnic Minorities; a qualitative study of the perceived barriers, enablers and requirements of occupational therapists working within community perinatal mental health services”

Previous Research and Development interns include:

Jay Webster (2022)
Sherri Kapadia (2021)
Stephanie Busby (2019)
James Fullard (2023)
Rebecca Williamson (2024)

Summaries of key findings

Funded project outputs demonstrate the value of investment in occupational therapy research and the contribution of the projects to building the evidence-base for occupational therapy practice.

A summary of key findings is provided below for recently completed projects. These include, where known, journal publication references.

All funded projects are required to provide a final project report. These are available electronically in the RCOT library six months after the project has been completed.

The effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions supporting return to work for people who sustain serious injuries or develop long-term (physical or mental) health conditions (Systematic Review Grant 2020, Grant holder: Jain Holmes,.pdf (PDF, 186.01KB)

'Enabling self-care in children with developmental disabilities pre-protocol research for a cluster randomised trial Research Priority Grant 2018, Grant holder Dr Niina Kolehmainen.pdf (PDF, 176.42KB)

Coproduction of recommendations for a bestpractice model of occupational therapyled pulmonary rehabilitation (Research Career Development Grant 2019, Grant holder Dr Gemma Bradley).pdf (PDF, 249.59KB)

Developing an occupational therapy clinical reasoning tool to enable occupational therapists to positively embed changes (Research Career Development Grant 2019, Grant holder Dr David Haines).pdf (PDF, 137.15KB)

Interventions to improve prosocial occupational participation for people released from prison a systematic review (Systematic Review Grant 2021, Grant holder Dr Catriona Connell ).pdf (PDF, 201.07KB)

The process of assistive technology needs assessment for effective delivery of services for people for people with dementia living at home (Research Career Development Grant 2021, Grant holder: Dr Eleanor Curnow) (PDF, 171.76KB)

The impact of occupational therapy on the self-management of rheumatoid arthritis: a mixed-methods systematic review (Systematic Review Grant 2021, Grant holder: Emeritus Professor Jane Adams) (PDF, 152.6KB)

An enquiry of the usability of a fatigue ecological momentary assessment (fatigue smart-EMA) in supporting fatigue management (Research Career Development Grant 2022, Grant holder: Dr Leisle Ezekiel) (PDF, 161.26KB)

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Research and Innovation Strategy

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