← Back to US Funders Directory

Arthritis Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$15.0M
Grant Range
$75K - $0.5M
Decision Time
4mo

Arthritis Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $15+ million in research grants (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Variable by program (typically several months post-deadline)
  • Grant Range: $75,000 - $450,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)

Contact Details

Main Office:
1355 Peachtree St NE, Suite 600
Atlanta, GA 30309

Phone: 800-283-7800 (toll-free)
Email: helpline@arthritis.org
Research Grants: AFscience@arthritis.org
Website: https://www.arthritis.org

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET

Overview

The Arthritis Foundation (EIN: 58-1341679) is the leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to conquering arthritis through research, advocacy, and patient support. Founded to serve the nearly 60 million Americans diagnosed with arthritis, the Foundation has evolved into a major research funder with a bold scientific agenda. In 2024, the Foundation awarded over $15 million in research grants across multiple programs, including $12 million for osteoarthritis research, $1.6 million for pediatric rheumatology through their CARRA partnership (increased by $200,000 from the previous year), and $1.5 million for rheumatoid arthritis research. The Foundation received a Four-Star rating with a 99% score from Charity Navigator. Under the leadership of President and CEO Steven Taylor, appointed in 2022, the Foundation focuses on three key areas: pain management, continuity of care, and scientific advancement to reduce disease incidence and slow progression.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Rheumatoid Arthritis Research Program

  • Pilot Awards: Up to $150,000 over 2 years (including 8% indirect costs)
  • Large Grants: Up to $450,000 over 3 years
  • Focus: Understanding disease development, progression, and treatment response
  • Application: Letter of Intent required (June deadline typically)

CARRA-Arthritis Foundation Grants (Pediatric Rheumatology)

  • Various award levels available
  • Nearly $2 million allocated annually for pediatric arthritis research
  • Focus: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, pediatric lupus, juvenile dermatomyositis, chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis, and other childhood rheumatic diseases
  • 50% increase in applications year-over-year demonstrates growing competitiveness

Clinical Rheumatology Fellowship Program

  • Adult Fellowship: $150,000 over 2 years
  • Pediatric Fellowship: $225,000 over 3 years
  • Med-Peds Fellowship: $300,000 over 4 years
  • Annual funding increased to $75,000 per year (as of 2024)
  • Purpose: Address critical rheumatology workforce shortage
  • Application: Letter of Intent required (November deadline typically)

Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) Research

  • Up to $235,000 over 2 years (including 8% indirect costs)
  • Focus: Advancing validated PROs in shared clinical decision-making and incorporating patient perspectives
  • Application deadline: April (typically)

Healthcare Access & Health Outcomes Research

  • Up to $85,000 over 2 years
  • Focus: Improving access for underserved populations defined by geographic, social, language, demographic, or economic factors
  • Application deadline: April (typically)

Osteoarthritis Research Initiatives

  • Multiple programs including FastOA Initiative and OACTN
  • Focus: Identifying at-risk patient groups and advancing treatments to stop or slow OA progression
  • Variable funding amounts

AF/AOFAS Foot & Ankle Arthritis Development Program

  • Specialized program for ankle arthritis research
  • Participants selected mid-year with travel beginning September

Priority Areas

The Foundation focuses on the three most common forms of arthritis:

  • Osteoarthritis (OA): No FDA-approved treatment currently exists; major funding priority
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Current treatments don't work for one in five patients
  • Juvenile Arthritis (JA): Pediatric rheumatic diseases affecting children

Research Themes:

  • Innovative and hypothesis-driven research proposals
  • Patient-reported outcomes and shared decision-making
  • Healthcare access for underserved populations
  • Disease prevention and progression prevention
  • Treatment response prediction and safety
  • Conversion of pre-RA to clinical RA
  • Workforce development with diversity, equity & inclusion focus

What They Don't Fund

  • Full professors are generally ineligible (focus on early- and mid-career investigators)
  • Non-U.S. academic institutions (programs limited to U.S.-based researchers)
  • Research not directly related to arthritis and rheumatic diseases

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: Steven Taylor
Steven Taylor was appointed President and CEO in 2022, after serving as Executive Vice President for Mission & Strategic Initiatives beginning in February 2021. Prior to joining the Arthritis Foundation, Taylor served as President and CEO of the Sjögren's Foundation for 18 years (2003-2021). In October 2024, Taylor was appointed to the Advisory Council of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), strengthening the Foundation's research influence.

Taylor has emphasized: "It is the honor of a lifetime to be leading an organization through such an exciting time – one where our bold scientific agenda has the potential to impact the nearly 60 million Americans diagnosed with arthritis."

On research priorities, he stated: "We at the Arthritis Foundation are committed to supporting research that can make important contributions to the future of RA treatment and management," with the long-term goal being "to fund research that will reduce the incidence of RA and slow disease progression."

National Board Chair: Dennis Ehling (2025)

Executive Leadership Team:

  • Chief Mission & Strategy Officer: Oversees patient education, advocacy, and science programs
  • Chief Marketing Officer (Sabrina): Responsible for increasing Foundation visibility
  • Senior Vice President, People Operations & Facilities Management (Cathy): Oversees HR and risk management

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Submission Platform: ProposalCentral

  1. Log into ProposalCentral at https://proposalcentral.com
  2. Click the Grant Opportunities tab
  3. Search for "Arthritis Foundation"
  4. Select your desired program

Letter of Intent (LOI) Required: Most programs require a Letter of Intent as the first step before full application submission.

Mailing List: To receive future funding announcements, email AFscience@arthritis.org with subject line "Add Me to Your Mailing List" and specify your area of interest.

Key Advice: Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.

Technical Support: For questions about ProposalCentral, email pcsupport@altum.com. For questions about specific RFPs, email AFscience@arthritis.org.

Decision Timeline

Timeline varies by program. Based on typical schedules:

  • Letter of Intent deadlines: Various (January, April, June, November depending on program)
  • Full application deadlines: Typically 6-8 weeks after LOI
  • Decision notifications: Several months post-deadline (specific timelines not publicly disclosed)

Example Timeline (2025 programs):

  • LOI: January 24, 2025
  • Application: February 21, 2025 (5 p.m. ET)
  • Award announcements: Mid-2025

Success Rates

The Foundation does not publicly disclose specific success rates. However:

  • The CARRA-Arthritis Foundation program received almost 50% more grant applications in recent years, indicating increased competitiveness
  • Since 2016, the CARRA partnership has provided $10 million in funding through 140+ grants to 100+ researchers at 70+ academic institutions
  • Multiple programs available increase overall chances of finding appropriate fit

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation encourages eligible applicants to reapply in following years. They recognize that many more deserving, qualified applicants exist than awards available due to limited funding. Specific reapplication waiting periods or restrictions are not publicly documented for research grants.

Application Success Factors

What the Foundation Looks For

Innovation and Hypothesis-Driven Research:
The Foundation seeks "innovative and hypothesis-driven research proposals" with an "especially high degree of innovation and novelty." For specialized programs, they prioritize "innovative clinical research that advances knowledge toward treatments."

Patient-Centered Focus:
Research should incorporate the patient perspective. The Foundation specifically values projects that "better incorporate the patient perspective into arthritis care and research" and advance "patient-reported outcomes in shared decision making."

Strategic Alignment:
Align proposals with Foundation priorities identified through patient-reported data from the ongoing Live Yes! INSIGHTS study. Focus areas include pain management, continuity of care, and scientific advancements.

Building Toward Larger Funding:
For certain programs, the Foundation aims "to support research that will build data needed to secure funding from large institutional sources." Demonstrating potential for future NIH or other major funding can strengthen applications.

Rigorous Peer Review:
All awardees are selected through a rigorous peer review process, so technical excellence and methodological soundness are critical.

Career Stage Matters

Programs target early- and mid-career investigators specifically. Full professors are generally ineligible. The Foundation aims to launch careers and support researchers at formative stages who will continue arthritis research long-term.

Addressing Workforce Shortages

For fellowship programs, proposals should address "the serious shortage of rheumatologists, especially in underserved parts of the country." Applications incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are particularly valued.

Recent Funded Research Examples

The Foundation has recently funded:

  • Three osteoarthritis research projects focused on identifying at-risk patient groups
  • Multiple rheumatoid arthritis studies investigating disease conversion, progression, and treatment response
  • Pediatric rheumatology research across juvenile idiopathic arthritis, lupus, and dermatomyositis
  • Healthcare access projects targeting underserved populations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Start with the LOI: Most programs require a Letter of Intent before full applications. Use this as an opportunity to get initial feedback on fit.
  • Apply early: Technical issues happen. Submit well before 5 p.m. ET deadlines to allow time for corrections.
  • Join the mailing list: Email AFscience@arthritis.org to receive announcements about new opportunities and program updates.
  • Emphasize innovation: The Foundation explicitly seeks novel approaches with high innovation. Incremental research is less competitive.
  • Incorporate patient perspectives: Research that integrates patient-reported outcomes and lived experiences aligns with strategic priorities.
  • Position for future funding: Demonstrate how Foundation support will generate preliminary data for larger NIH or institutional grants.
  • Address health equity: Projects targeting underserved populations, especially those addressing geographic or demographic healthcare access gaps, align with Foundation priorities.
  • Review the FAQ: The Foundation provides an FAQ document addressing common application questions—use this resource to avoid basic errors.

References

← Back to US Funders Directory