Types of PRF grants

Types of grants

Insurance Commission of Western Australia Funding

The PRF and the Insurance Commission of Western Australia have entered a research agreement.

Funding of up to $90,000 excluding GST is available for lead physiotherapists based in Western Australia and could be used for one key project or multiple smaller projects.

Research aims are to enhance the independence and functional recovery of individuals seriously injured in vehicle or workplace accidents, and reduce the burden on families and carers.

Applications open on Monday 6 May and close on Friday 31 May. Forms and guidelines will be available on 6 May.

Read the Insurance Comission's media statement for more information.

Please email Jenine Fleming for further information.

Physio Pitchfest

Do you have an idea that could transform physio practice or improve patients’ wellbeing? Do you need financial support to bring it to life? The PRF is proud to bring you the first PRF Pitchfest!

The PRF is seeking innovative ideas and solutions to address unmet clinical needs and advancing/transforming patient care and physio practice. Tell us about your big idea or concept by submitting an application. If the judging panel like the sound of it, you will be invited to pitch your idea to a panel, at the APA’s TRANSFORM 2019 Conference in October. James O’Loghlin, previously from The Inventors on ABC TV will MC the session.

There is $15,000 up for grabs for the successful pitch. Applications open on Monday 13 May and close on Sunday 30 June. Full details will be available on 13 May.

Please email Jenine Fleming for further information.

Seeding Grants

2019 Seeding Grants for new researchers in any area of physiotherapy are now closed.

Beryl Haynes Memorial Fund Grant

The Beryl Haynes Memorial Fund grant is offered for clinical research conducted in Tasmania. The research can relate to any area of physiotherapy practice and the grant will be awarded on the basis of scientific merit and the relevance of the research. Please note this grant is not offered every year. 

Grant recipients

The PRF has awarded over $1.4 million in grants since 1990, funding research across a range of areas including respiratory conditions, continence, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, knee osteoarthritis and more. Some Seeding Grant recipients have successfully entered into research careers within Australian universities and internationally. 

2018 Project Grants

Kim Allison, APAM - $15,695

Project title: Addressing obesity: physiotherapist delivery of evidence-based care in knee osteoarthritis

Zhiqi Liang, APAM - $15,964

Project title: The Nature of Neck Pain in Migraine

2018 Beryl Hayes Memorial Grant

Joshua Heerey, APAM - $10,000

Tasmanian Community Hip Pain (TasCHIP) Cohort Study

2018 Seeding Grants

Robyn Brennen S18-018, APAM - $12,000

Can pre- and post-operative pelvic floor muscle training reduce pelvic floor dysfunction in patients undergoing gynaecological cancer treatment? A pilot randomised controlled tria

Gabrielle Street, APAM - $11,845

Internet-based management of rotator cuff tendinopathy with remote physiotherapist led support: a pilot and feasibility randomised controlled trial

Kate Cameron, APAM - $7,255

A dance participation intervention for extremely preterm children with motor impairment at preschool age: a feasibility trial

2017 Project grant recipients

Helena Frawley, FACP - $17,000

Project title: Pelvic floor dysfunction in women with gynaecological cancer

Dr Annemarie Lee - $16,980

Project title: Does listening to self-selected music during pulmonary rehabilitation enhance clinical outcomes?
Read about Annemaries's research project in InMotion: Enhancing clinical outcomes with music

Kevin Wernli, APAM - $16,820

Project title: Does changing movement matter? Understanding the relationship between changes in movement, pain, activity limitation and psychological factors in persistent low back pain
More details

2017 Seeding Grants

Joshua Bishop, APAM - $10,000

Effect of a pulmonary rehabilitation program of 8 weeks duration compared to 12 weeks on exercise capacity in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PuRe Duration): A randomised controlled trial

Jodie Dakic, APAM - $9,997

Are pelvic floor disorders a barrier to women's participation in their chosen exercise and how do physiotherapists screen and manage them?

Alison Hodges, APAM - $9,820

Barriers to physical activity and risks of sedentary behaviour at 12 months following total knee replacement surgery: a mixed methods study.

2016 seeding grant recipients

Bernadette Brady, APAM - $8,456

The inequities of chronic pain – responding with culturally responsive physiotherapy

Megan Banky, APAM - $9,970

Better assessments for better outcomes – determining the ecological validity of the Modified Tardieu scale
Read about Megan's research project in InMotion

Sonia Wing Mei Cheng, APAM - $7,418

The effectiveness and feasibility of a behaviour-change intervention to reduce sedentary time in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Katrina Li, APAM - $9,973

Respiratory health in adult children of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Rachel Toovey, APAM - $10,000

Effectiveness of a novel approach to training bike skills in ambulant children with cerebral palsy: a model for promoting participation

2016 Tagged Grants

Samantha Bunzli, APAM - $13,200

It looks good but it feels bad. Understanding ´failed’ Total Knee Replacement from the perspectives of patients

Breanne Kunstler, APAM - $8,026

Discovering the determinants of, and the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) used when, promoting non-treatment physical activity (NTPA) in Australian physiotherapy practice.

2015 tagged grant recipients

Brooke Howells, APAM – Beryl Haines Memorial research grant - $9,600

Feasibility of a randomised clinical trial for physiotherapy intervention in patients at high risk of early-onset knee osteoarthritis and symptomatic decline following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Michelle Kahn, APAM – APA National Groups research grant - $9,934

The development of a gold standard assessment of arm disability following brain injury

Cherie Wells, APAM – Physiotherapists Registration Board of Western Australia research grant - $10,000

Enhancing the readiness of new graduate physiotherapists for private practice: Academic, employer, and graduate perspectives

2015 seeding grant recipients

Dr Brenton Hordacre, APAM - $9,089

Does motor reserve affect post-stroke impairment

Philippa Nicolson, APAM - $9,420

Towards improving adherence to home exercise in knee osteoarthritis

Charlotte Ganderton, APAM - $10,000

Does female sex hormone supplementation (FSHS), exercise or a combination of both improve pain and function in post-menopausal women with greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS)?

Elise Gane, APAM - $9,974

Identifying risk factors for poor functional recovery of the neck and shoulder after neck dissection surgery in patients with head and neck cancer

David Harvie, APAM - $10,000

Un-training the brain: extinguishing learned pain responses through pain-free, illusory movement

2014 tagged grant recipients

Joanne Kemp – Jill Nosworthy Research Grant - $9,998

Risk factors for early hip osteoarthritis: a longitudinal cohort study

Andrew Briggs – Physiotherapy Registration Board of Western Australia Research Grant - $20,000

Development of a ‘readiness’ and ‘success’ evaluation framework for Australian musculoskeletal models of care

2014 sedding grant recipients

Kim Allison – Geoffrey Maitland Seeding Grant for Musculoskeletal Research - $9,089

Biomechanical and neuromuscular impairments in individuals with greater trochanteric pain syndrome

Nicole Sheers - $10,000

Lung volume recruitment in neuromuscular disorders: can breath-stacking manoeuvres improve lung function, respiratory symptoms and quality of life in people with neuromuscular conditions?

Jason Rogers - $10,000

Clinical, metabolic and imaging prognostic factors in chronic plantar heel pain: a 12-month longitudinal follow-up study

2013 PRF tagged grant recipients

Kate Young - $9,994

An exploration of the feasibility of a randomised trial for physiotherapy in early hip osteoarthritis following hip arthroscopic surgery

Elizabeth Dylke - $10,000

Determination of normatively-based diagnostic thresholds for unilateral and bilateral lower limb lymphoedema

Claire Baldwin - $ 16,700

Pattern of physical activity and sedentary time in survivors of a critical illness during a hospital admission

2013 seeding grant recipients

Rebekah Das - $10,000

Assessing the sensation of ‘desire to void’: development of a new instrument

Stephanie Filbay - $9,049

Early onset knee osteoarthritis following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: the impact on health-related quality of life, work participation and health costs

Oliva Rawson - $10,000

A randomised cross-over trial of the effect of positive expiratory pressure during nebulised delivery of medication on aerosol deposition in people with cystic fibrosis

Lucy Lewis - $9,720

Sedentary behaviour in people with cardiovascular disease: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Janice Taylor - $9,936

Evaluating a physiotherapist-led training program to improve residents’ mobility care in nursing homes

2012 tagged grant recipients

Dr Helena Frawley – Jill Nosworthy Research Grant - $10,000

Development of a digital palpation scale for assessing muscle tension in the pelvic floor using the MyotonPro® device as the ‘gold standard’ objective measure

Associate Professor Shane Patman – Physiotherapists’ Registration Board of WA Research Grant - $25,000

Professional Practice Standards – cardiorespiratory critical care

2012 seeding grant recipients

Yaheli Bet-Or - $6,834

Is there a difference in scapular kinematics between healthy controls and people with chronic mechanical neck pain?

Kelly Bower - $8,548

Embracing technology in physiotherapy practice: can the Wii Balance Board™ and Microsoft Kinect™ provide clinically useful information about balance performance post-stroke?

Andrea Bruder - $10,000

Does exercise following distal radius fracture improve activity? A phase I/II randomised controlled trial