Funding Research and Development in
Orthotics and Prosthetics
Maurice LeBlane, MS, CP
ABSTRACT
This article identifies sources of funding
to conduct research and development
(R&D) in prosthetics and orthotics.
Introduction
Research and development improves
the practice of prosthetics and orthotics. People usually think of R&D as
having the specific objective of developing a product or technique that can
be made available to others in the field.
But even if new products or techniques
do not emerge, conducting R&D helps
keep an organization's staff on the cutting edge of technology, making it easier to introduce new technology and allowing the staff to keep learning and
growing in knowledge.
R&D can be funded from within an
organization or from outside sources.
Many large companies typically allocate 10 percent of their profits to support R&D to keep improving technology and market competitiveness. Most
small companies and O&P practitioners cannot afford to do this and must
seek outside sources of funding to conduct any substantial R&D activities.
In O&P, the role of hospitals, universities and enterprising practitioners
has been to acquire R&D support from
outside sources, conduct the developmental work, and then to seek small
companies (that otherwise cannot afford to conduct R&D) to make the
products or techniques commercially
available. In this way everyone wins,
especially our patients who benefit
from the improved technology.
Sources of Outside Funding
Private funding. Of all money raised
every year in the United States for nonprofit institutions, 90 percent is donated by individuals (mostly through
mail appeals). The remaining 10 percent is donated by foundations and corporations in roughly equal proportion.
Public funding. The government
provides large amounts of funding every year. Most is provided by the federal government. Very little money for
O&P research is provided by state or
local governments.
Federal Funding
Four federal agencies are possible
sources of funding for R&D in prosthetics and orthotics. They are:
- U.S. Department of Education.
Within this federal department are
three agencies of special interest.
- National Institute of Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The
annual budget for NIDRR in fiscal
year 1993 (FY 93) is about $103 million. It funds research projects in a
number of categories, such as field-initiated research, innovation grants, research and demonstration projects,
and research fellowships. Information
can be obtained from NIDRR at U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Room 3060 MES,
Washington, DC 20202-2572; (202)
205-1134.
- Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). The FY 93 budget of RSA
is about $2.1 billion. It funds training,
service and research projects in a number of categories, such as rehabilitation
short-term training grants, rehabilitation long-term training grants, special
projects and demonstrations, projects
with industry, and experimental and
innovative training.
RSA is known in the O&P field because it has funded O&P schools substantially, and it is the "federal parent"
of the state departments of rehabilitation in the United States. Information
can be obtained from RSA at U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Ave., S.W., Washington, DC 202022575; (202) 205-1292.
- Special Education Program (SEP).
The FY 93 budget for SEP is about $3
billion. It funds projects that educate
people with disabilities. This includes
training parents, teachers and other
professionals involved in technology
used in educating children. Projects include field-initiated research, experimental projects, special projects and
preparation of personnel grants. Information can be obtained from SEP at
U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Ave., S.W., Washington,
DC 20202; (202) 205-1007.
- Department of Veterans Affairs
(DVA). Within the DVA is the Rehabilitation R&D Service, which has a
FY 93 budget of about $27 million. It
provides funding for projects in O&P,
spinal cord injury and sensory aids.
The DVA provides grant funding only
through VA hospitals, of which there
are 172 in the country. People outside
the VA organization can participate in
VA projects by way of a subcontract or
a staff working relationship with a VA
hospital. Information can be obtained
directly from the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation R&D
Service, 810 Vermont Ave., Washington, DC 20420; (202) 535-7278.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).Legislation establishing the National Center for
Medical Rehabilitation Research
(NCMRR) was signed in November
1990. The period since then has been
one of intense activity. Milestones include: appointing the NCMRR advisory board, preparing and presenting the
board's research plan, establishing a
program of research training grants,
awarding the center's first research
grants, and naming the center's first
director, Dr. Marcus Fuhrer.
Other activities include hosting several conferences and workshops and
preparing a 15-minute videotape as a
visual orientation to the center and its
research goals. The NCMRR budget
for FY 94 is $10.6 million. Address inquiries about the center, its programs
or plans to NCMRR/NICHD!6100,
9000 Rockville Pike, Building 31,
2A32, Bethesda, MD 20892; (301) 4022242.
- National Science Foundation (NSF).NSF programs on biomedical engineering and aiding the disabled fund R&D
in the broad area of assistive technology. Its FY 93 budget is $5.5 million
and includes funding for individual investigator research and undergraduate
and graduate design projects. Additional information can be obtained
from Biomedical Engineering and Aiding the Disabled, National Science
Foundation, 1800 G St., N.W., Room
1132, Washington, DC 20550; (202)
357-7955.
Access to Funding
To obtain outside funding, submit a
grant application in response to advertised announcements on the availability of funds. The process of writing
grant applications will be covered in
other articles in this series on research
in O&P.
Sources of Information and
Assistance
The Federal Register, published by the
government, announces grant funding
opportunities. It is issued daily and is a
thick document covering many federal
programs. Likewise, the Commerce
Business Daily announces contracts
available from the federal government.
It too covers many federal programs
and is not convenient to read every
day.
Clipping services cover opportunities announced in the Federal Register
and the Commerce Business Daily. For
example, Health Grants and Contracts
Weekly lists grant and contract announcements for available funds. It is
published by Capitol Publications,
P.O. Box 1453, Alexandria, VA
22313-2053; (703) 683-4100. Annual
subscription cost is about $300.
Community foundation centers located around the country are excellent
resources of funding sources, writing
grant proposals and providing assistance in acquiring support for worthwhile causes. The granddaddy is the
Foundation Center, 79 Fifth Ave.,
Dept. SE, New York, NY 10003; (212)
620-4230. Information on the center
closest to you can be obtained from the
Foundation Center in New York.
Maurice LeBlanc, MS, CP, is director of research at the Rehabilitation Engineering Center at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford, 725 Welch
Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304; (415) 4978192, fax (415) 497-8154.
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