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Grants and Awards
Upcoming and Open Grants

Grant application deadlines and requirements vary, so please read each grant description carefully. The RFA for each grant can be accessed on proposalCentral using the links below. RFAs include all eligibility requirements.

Click a grant title below for more information.

Closed Grants: grants listed below may open for another grant cycle pending funding availability and other factors. Please visit the Grant Programs page for a list of current and scheduled grants.

Visit the Grants Program page or sign up for email to be notified when new grant program dates are announced.

OREF Career Development Grant
Funding: $300,000 over three years
Grant Description: Encourages investigators to commit to scientific research. Research may be basic, translational, clinical and/or health services.
Eligibility: Orthopaedic surgeons (MD, MBBS), PhDs and DVMs are eligible if affiliated with an orthopaedic department. Residents and fellows may apply only if they are able to demonstrate they will begin a staff position at the time the grant commences. 
Important Dates: A Letter of Intent must be submitted by August 15, 2022. Investigators whose LOI/proposals are selected to move forward will receive an invitation to complete the application process.
Go to Proposal Central

 

OREF Prospective Clinical Research Grant
Funding: $150,000 over three years
Grant Description: Promotes clinical research and provides funding for promising prospective studies (studies that occur over the course of time and typically track the outcomes of a group over that time) in the areas of high clinical importance in orthopaedic surgery.
Eligibility: PI or Co-PI must be an orthopaedic surgeon. PhDs and DVMs are eligible if affiliated with an orthopaedic department. Residents and fellows may apply only if they are able to demonstrate they will begin a staff position at the time the grant commences. 
Important Dates: A Letter of Intent must be submitted by August 15, 2022. Investigators whose LOI/proposals are selected to move forward will receive an invitation to complete the application process.
Go to Proposal Central

 

OREF New Investigator Grant
Funding: $50,000 (Two grants are available.)
Grant Description: advances the scientific training of the next generation of orthopaedic physician-scientists by providing seed and start-up funding for promising research projects. 
Eligibility: Residents, fellows, and orthopaedic surgeons having completed formal training within the last four years may apply.  
Important Dates: A Letter of Intent must be submitted by August 15, 2022. Investigators whose LOI/proposals are selected to move forward will receive an invitation to complete the application process.
Go to Proposal Central

 

OREF/OTA Enhancing Recovery from Soft-Tissue Injury Occurring in Conjunction with Skeletal Trauma Research Grant funded by Arthrex
Funding: $150,000 over two years ($75,000 per year)
Grant Description: Funds proposals focused on soft-tissue injury recovery after trauma.
Eligibility: Orthopaedic Surgeons licensed to practice in the U.S and working in an institution in the U.S. with active clinical practice. View the RFA on proposalCentral for complete eligibility requirements. 
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.

 

OREF Skeletal Metastases and Pathological Fractures Research Grant in Collaboration with the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society
Funding: $25,000 over one year
Grant Description: Funds proposals focused on skeletal metastases and pathological fractures.
Eligibility: Orthopaedic Surgeons licensed to practice in the U.S and working in an institution in the U.S. with active clinical practice. View the RFA on proposalCentral for complete eligibility requirements. 
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.

 

Friedenberg Mentored Clinician Scientist Grant
Funding: $20,000 over one year
Grant Description: Supplements the salary of an orthopaedic researcher that has secured an NIH K08 or K23 award from the NIH (or equivalent mentored research funding).
Eligibility: Orthopaedic surgeons licensed to practice and working at an institution in the United States. Applicants who have demonstrated success in research by receiving extramural research funding under one or more K08 or K23 awards from the National Institutes of Health or an equivalent funding source. View the RFA on proposalCentral for complete eligibility requirements. 
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.

 

OREF Resident Clinician-Scientist Research Grant
Funding: $20,000 over one year
Grant Description: Prepares residents for a career with research as a major component.
Eligibility: The resident applicant (PI) must be an orthopaedic surgery resident or fellow in an approved orthopaedic program in the United States who intends to pursue a career with research as a major component. View the RFA on proposalCentral for complete eligibility requirements. 
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.

 

Sports Medicine Multicenter Research Grant
Funding: $400,000 over two years
Grant Description: Funds proposals focused on the broad area of sports medicine multicenter research trials.
Eligibility: AOSSM/OREF requires a practicing Orthopaedic Surgeon who is fellowship trained and who is a member of AOSSM in the role of Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI who may be collaborating with a PhD in order to foster the application of a full range of expertise, approaches, technologies, and creativity.  
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.

 

OREF Etiology of Hip Osteoarthritis Grant in Honor of William H. Harris, MD
Funding: $250,000 over two years
Grant Description: Funds investigator-initiated research proposals focused on the etiology of hip osteoarthritis.
Eligibility: Orthopaedic Surgeon as PI or co-investigator. Must be licensed to practice and working in an institution in the U.S. A PhD or DVM may serve as the principal investigator but must hold a faculty appointment in an orthopaedic department in the U.S. and an orthopaedic surgeon must serve as a co-investigator.  
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.

 

OREF/AAOS Injectable Orthobiologics Knee Osteoarthritis Research Grant
Funding: $50,000 over one year
Grant Description: Focused on the broad area of injectable orthobiologics for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.
Eligibility: Orthopaedic Surgeons licensed to practice in the U.S and working in an institution in the U.S. with active clinical practice. Principal Investigator is required to be member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). PhDs, DVMs or other qualified researchers can serve as a co-investigator, but should hold a faculty appointment in an orthopaedic department at an institution in the U.S.  
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.  

 

OREF Treatment of Osteoarthritis Research Grant funded by the American Arthritis Society
Funding: $50,000 over one year
Grant Description: Funds proposals that aim to help us better understand how to prevent and treat osteoarthritis, one of the most common causes of disability in adults.
Eligibility: Multidisciplinary research activity is always encouraged. A PhD or DVM may serve as the principal investigator (PI) if s/he has a primary or secondary faculty appointment in an orthopaedic department. A letter from the department chair confirming this appointment is required. The orthopaedic surgeon must be licensed to practice in the United States.  
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.

 

The OREF Impact of Regulatory Policies on the Patient-Physician Relationship Research Grant in Honor of Sigvard Hansen, MD
Funding: $75,000 over one year
Grant Description: Funds proposals that explore the impact of regulatory practices on the patient-physician relationship. The proposal should examine how and to what extent the burden of additional required documentation impacts the amount and quality of time a physician has available to focus on direct patient care.
Eligibility: Multidisciplinary research activity is always encouraged. PhDs may serve as the principal investigator (PI) if they have a primary or secondary faculty appointment in an orthopaedic department. A letter from the department chair confirming this appointment is required. The orthopaedic surgeon must be licensed to practice in the United States.  
Important Dates: This grant is closed. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants.

 

Resident Research Project Grant - 2023 Funding Round 1
Funding: $5,000 over one year
Grant Description: Provides funding to residents who are interested in research. Covers research expenses, but not salary or travel. Work should clearly be achievable by the resident as a free-standing project even when it is a part of a larger work.
Eligibility: The applicant (PI) must be an orthopaedic surgery resident in an ACGME-Accredited orthopaedic program in the United States.

Note: The Resident Research Project Grant is offered two times per year. For 2023 funding, the grant will open in September 2022 and March 2023. Please choose the cycle that most closely aligns with your research rotation. Residents will be allowed to submit one application per year.  
Important Dates: This grant is closed and will open again in September 2022. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants. Note: Letters of Intent (LOI) are now required as the first step in applying for this grant. Be sure to note the LOI deadline as well as the full application deadline when applying.

 

Resident Research Project Grant - 2023 Funding Round 2
Funding: $5,000 over one year
Grant Description: Provides funding to residents who are interested in research. Covers research expenses, but not salary or travel. Work should clearly be achievable by the resident as a free-standing project even when it is a part of a larger work.
Eligibility: The applicant (PI) must be an orthopaedic surgery resident in an ACGME-Accredited orthopaedic program in the United States. Resident Research

Note: The Resident Research Project Grant is offered two times per year. For 2023 funding, the grant will open in September 2022 and March 2023. Please choose the cycle that most closely aligns with your research rotation. Residents will be allowed to submit one application per year.  
Important Dates: This grant is closed and will open again in March 2023. Please check the Grant Programs page for information on upcoming grants. Note: Letters of Intent (LOI) are now required as the first step in applying for this grant. Be sure to note the LOI deadline as well as the full application deadline when applying.

 
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Grant FAQs

  • How do I access an application in proposalCENTRAL?
  • Does the grant submission deadline mean postmarked or received by OREF? Is your deadline firm?
  • Can I resubmit my proposal to OREF?
  • How does OREF define Co-Investigator (Co-I) and Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI)?
  • On what grants can a resident serve as the PI or Co-PI?
  • What is the difference between an early stage investigator and a new investigator?
  • Do I need to be a U.S. citizen to apply for an OREF grant?
  • Can I include overhead costs charged by my institution as part of my OREF grant application?
  • My project requires more funding than OREF provides. How should I show this in my application?
  • Do I need to list all investigators/technicians who will be working with me on my research project?
  • Is there a minimum amount of time that a Principal Investigator should allocate to the proposed project?
  • If I don't have final IRB or IACUC approval by the submission deadline, what should I do?
  • Regarding formatting, are page numbers important, are page limits strictly enforced and is the type size critical?
  • If I know, when submitting my application, that I will be conducting my research at a new institution, which institution should I list on the application?
  • May I apply for more than one grant in a grant cycle?
  • Can I apply for a grant if I am a reviewer?
  • Can another researcher take over as PI on a grant?
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