# Intensive Rehabilitation Research Grant Writing Workshops in the United States (TIGRR)

> **NIH NIH R25** · SHEPHERD CENTER · 2023 · $166,781

## Abstract

.PROJECT SUMMARY.
Rehabilitation research is critical to health, particularly for our aging populations and those with disability, but
the field of rehabilitation research remains underdeveloped relative to other areas of biomedical research.
Conducting the studies that are needed to innovate rehabilitation care for the large and growing population of
older adults and persons with disability requires rehabilitation scientists with the skills needed to successfully
compete for extramural funding and manage their funded proposals. In addition, advancements in rehabilitation
research requires peer-reviewers who are able to provide critical review of rehabilitation research funding
applications. In this renewal application, we propose continuation and further development of Intensive
Rehabilitation Research Grant Writing Workshops in the United States more commonly known as TIGRR
(Training in Grantsmanship in Rehabilitation Research). This year-long (12-month) research education
program engages early stage investigators (ESI) in one-on-one expert mentorship in grantsmanship, grants
management, career development, and development of peer-review skills for rehabilitation research. The need
for this immersive research training program arises from the reality that practice in rehabilitation specialties is
often based on expert opinion, prior experience, and tradition rather than on scientifically derived evidence.
There is a need to develop and test interventions and devices that have a sound scientific basis – but this
requires a workforce of professionals who are well-prepared to compete for extramural funding. While, for most
areas of biomedical research, training begins in the post-baccalaureate and postdoctoral years, many
investigators in rehabilitation research begin their careers as clinicians. These clinical experiences provide
them with essential insights about potentially beneficial rehabilitation approaches, but they often lack exposure
to intensive grantwriting opportunities and the preparation to be successful following a grant award. The
TIGRR program is intended to address this need through a 12-month research education experience that
includes a week-long workshop as its nucleus. Unlike most grantwriting courses that are completely didactic,
TIGRR mentees are assigned a primary and secondary mentor who provide detailed, iterative critiquing of their
proposals, and they participate in intensive one-on-one mentorship prior to and following the workshop. In the
workshop, mentees meet with multiple mentors who reflect a wide range of expertise and perspectives, and
are immersed in the development of their proposal. Following the workshop, they continue to meet with their
primary mentor, and also apply knowledge gained through NIH-style peer-review panels wherein they have the
opportunity to have their applications reviewed, develop their critical evaluation skills through peer-review, and
receive mentor feedback on their reviews. Through TIG...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10555756
- **Project number:** 2R25HD074546-12
- **Recipient organization:** SHEPHERD CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** EDELLE C. FIELD-FOTE
- **Activity code:** R25 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $166,781
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2018-04-01 → 2028-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10555756

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10555756, Intensive Rehabilitation Research Grant Writing Workshops in the United States (TIGRR) (2R25HD074546-12). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10555756. Licensed CC0.

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