Fueling Innovation: Catalyst Grants Spark Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research

Translational rehabilitation research and innovative thinking requires meaningful collaboration between researchers and clinicians, yet these opportunities are often not prioritized or incentivized. To address this gap, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab initiated the Catalyst Grant Program in November 2019. Our goal was to create interdisciplinary research teams throughout the organization that produce meaningful patient outcomes in the clinic and in the community. This presentation details the methods, outcomes, and lessons learned from administering this strategic initiative over the past five years. Organizational leaders designed the program to include four grant types (Project, Quality, Mentorship, and Foundational), to form a comprehensive program for all employees, including those with no research experience to career scientists. From 2019 to 2024, there were six rounds of Catalyst Grant funding. In total, 943 applicants contributed to 283 applications that resulted in 72 awards totaling $1.25M in funding. Applicants came from diverse professions, with 64% Non-researchers and 36% Researchers with further breakdown of 42% Allied Health, 36% Researchers/Engineers and 9% Physicians, 5% Nurses, and 8% Other staff (n=943). The interdisciplinary teams supported through the Catalyst Grant Program have demonstrated a high degree of scientific productivity. As of February 2024, the 55 awards in the first five cycles totaled a $980k investment that resulted in 14 publications, 12 external grant applications, and 8 external grant awards totaling $7.8M. These results demonstrate the program's effectiveness in building and sustaining productive clinical research partnerships, fostering innovation, and cultivating a research-driven culture within a rehabilitation hospital.