Funding will be used to secure a physical therapist who will be responsible for the implementation of annual screening and follow-up in clinic; coordination of evidence-based treatment for musculoskeletal and/or cardiorespiratory impairments; and development and maintenance of a referral network of community-based physical therapists. The physical therapist also will serve as an advocate and liaison for physical therapy care in cystic fibrosis for the CF care center, hospital or institution, community practitioners, and payers. 

General Guidelines and Eligibility

• The principal investigator must be a CF center director, program director, or an associate director.
• CF care center staff will track the number/percentage of patients screened by the physical therapist and the number of outside referrals generated, at a minimum.  Additional data related to patient satisfaction, exercise capacity, and quality of life are recommended to assess the impact of adding the physical therapist to the team.
• The CF care center will support training specific to CF for the physical therapist, such as participation in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's physical therapist mentor program and attendance at the North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference, or other appropriate venue.
• The Award for a Physical Therapist must go toward hiring additional staff or increase in full-time equivalent (FTE) hours of an existing staff member who will focus on physical therapy assessment and treatment. This funding may not be used to support existing full-time staff in their current role.
• Sites receiving awards will submit an annual progress report to document progress and fulfillment of award requirements including documentation of completion of screening and patient satisfaction.

Funding Amounts

Funding levels are dependent upon the award option selected and the number of patients in the Registry.

The budget may be for up to three years based on program size:

• <100 patients in the CF Foundation Patient Registry: maximum $45,000 over three years to support the salary and benefits for the physical therapist, plus 8 percent indirect costs
• >100 patients in the Registry: maximum $90,000 over three years to support the salary and benefits for the physical therapist, plus 8 percent indirect costs

Policies and Guidelines

Please review the 2022 Policies and Guidelines for complete eligibility requirements and submission information.

Deadline

Full application: April 28, 2022 at 5 p.m. ET

Applications must be submitted online at awards.cff.org.

For More Information

Those who are interested in any funding programs offered by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation can get further information or discuss the potential relevance of their studies or research by contacting the Grants and Contracts office at grants@cff.org.

Please Direct Inquiries to:

Grants and Contracts Office
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
4550 Montgomery Ave.
Suite 1100 N
Bethesda, MD 20814
800-FIGHT-CF 
301-841-2614