The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is offering funding through a Request for Applications/Notice of Funding Opportunity (RFA/NOFO) focused on research in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) and Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT). This opportunity is part of a broader AOA initiative to support osteopathic medical research with clinical relevance, foster collaboration, and enhance the visibility and distinctiveness of the osteopathic profession. Research supported by AOA aims to address the tenets of osteopathic medicine and contribute to patient-focused, evidence-based care.

This RFA provides up to $100,000 in funding per award for clinical, interventional, and translational research projects that explore the scientific basis and impact of OMM/OMT. The project period is 24 months, running from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027. The research must have a clear hypothesis, study design, and demonstrate clinical relevance to osteopathic distinctiveness. Eligible proposals may explore disease states such as arthritis, back pain, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, asthma/COPD, infectious diseases, and other clinical conditions. Both protocol and pragmatic studies are welcomed, and studies should include detailed plans for data collection, statistical analysis, and reproducibility.

Applications are due by January 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM CST through the AOA online system. Grant awards will be announced in June 2025, with funded projects beginning in July. Research outcomes are expected to result in a manuscript submission to the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine (JOM), which has first right of refusal for publication.

Eligible applicants include osteopathic physicians (DOs), MDs, PhDs, or individuals with equivalent doctoral degrees. Non-osteopathic applicants must include a DO as key personnel on their research team. Ineligible applicants include medical students, residents, interns, and fellows, as well as investigators with active AOA grants in their first year or those who have failed to meet AOA grant requirements in the past. The research must be conducted in the United States and focus on U.S. populations.

Funding cannot be used for infrastructure or physical plant renovations, professional development, indirect institutional costs, equipment development, provider payments, or medical education programs and conferences. Preference will be given to proposals that involve collaboration with appropriate partners, apply novel approaches, or expand existing research with distinct aims.

Questions about the funding opportunity should be directed to Gloria Dillard, MPH, Director of Research Grants at the Department of Research. She can be reached via email at gdillard@osteopathic.org or by phone at (312) 202-8006.