Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Program in Rehabilitation Research ̶ Overview & Funding Opportunities Christopher A. Moore, Ph.D., Dean College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College Boston University Disclosure: I have no relevant financial or nonfinancial relationship(s) within the products or services described, reviewed, evaluated or compared in this presentation.

Health Research Funding by Agency Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs Health Research Funding by Agency VA DoD

Research Support in Veterans Affairs Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs Research Support in Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration Office of Research & Development Research Funding Services Biomedical Laboratory R&D Health Services R&D Clinical Science R&D Rehabilitation R&D

Research Areas Supported in Rehab R&D Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs Research Areas Supported in Rehab R&D Rehabilitation Research & Development http://www.rehab.research.va.gov Patricia A Dorn, Ph.D., Interim Director Brain Injury & Stroke Spinal Cord Injury & Regenerative Medicine Prosthetics & Orthotics & Rehabilitation Engineering Musculoskeletal Medical Comorbidity Aging & Neuro-degenerative Diseases Career Development Social Reintegration & Mental Health Sensory Systems & Communication Disorders

Rehabilitation Research & Development Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research & Development Repair Research to repair injured organs and tissues Translational research to bring basic discoveries to clinical use Replace Research to replace functions that cannot be repaired Restore Physiological and Psychological well-being

Unique Aspects of the VA Research Program Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs Unique Aspects of the VA Research Program VA Research is funded and administered as an intramural funding program Researchers are VA employees working in VA facilities  PI or Co-PI must have VA appointment (5/8ths= 62.5% FTE) Research occurs within the integrated healthcare system Unparalleled availability of patient populations and protocols Clinician-researchers and applied research are the norm

Support Mechanisms in Rehabilitation Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs Support Mechanisms in Rehabilitation Career Development I No more than two years beyond doctoral training (including Instructors) Two yeas of training (salary support) U.S. Citizens Career Development II No more than five years beyond doctoral training (including Asst Professors) Up to five years of support (including research support) Small Projects in Rehabilitation Research (SPiRE) $100,000 per year; for two years Uses SF424 Travel to scientific meetings is not supported Merit $275,000 per year; four years (waivers are allowed) Uses SF424 (24-page limit on research plan) Applications twice per year

Strong Applications to VA are… Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs Strong Applications to VA are… … characterized by all of the usual features of a strong research application and, in addition: Are Vet-centric Have a clear path to translation and implementation Are ultimately important to patient care

VA RR&D Publishes its own Journal Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs VA RR&D Publishes its own Journal http://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jrrd/index.html

Websites Rehabilitation R & D Introduction to Grantwriting. Part IV: Veterans Affairs Websites Rehabilitation R & D http://www.research.va.gov/programs/rrd.cfm Rehabilitation R & D Centers of Excellence http://www.research.va.gov/programs/default.cfm#rrd-ctr Health Services R & D http://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/ Career Development Program http://www.research.va.gov/funding/cdp.cfm Handbooks and General ORD Policies http://www.research.va.gov/resources/policies/