Research grants

Applications must be submitted through the AO online application system.

All applications must be submitted in English

• Clinical research: Research involving patients, patient data, or clinical outcomes, aimed at improving the understanding, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or outcomes of musculoskeletal trauma.
• Translational research: Bridges the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications, aiming to improve patient outcomes by turning scientific findings into practical medical treatments 

All eligible applications undergo a peer-review process involving at least three reviewers. Applications are assessed and ranked based on the review results, and funding is allocated according to the ranking and available budget.

Due to the competitive nature of the program and limited funding, not all positively evaluated proposals can be funded.

Applicants will be informed of the funding decision once the review and selection process has been completed. Principal Investigators are responsible for informing all co-investigators and external collaborators of the outcome.

The funding body's decision is final. Individual discussions regarding funding decisions cannot be accommodated.

Before applying, please ensure that your institution or clinic can accept the AO Foundation grant agreement and its terms. 

Download the applicable agreement template:

• Grant agreement – projects involving patients
• Grant agreement – projects without patient involvement

Important contractual requirements:

Contracting party: The grant recipient must be an institution or clinic. Private individuals cannot act as the contracting party.

Jurisdiction: The exclusive place of jurisdiction is Zurich, Switzerland.

Agreement terms: The AO Foundation grant agreement is non-negotiable.

Signature deadline: The agreement must be signed by the Principal Investigator and the authorized institutional signatory or signatories within two months of grant approval.

The AO Foundation reserves the right to withdraw the grant if the agreement is not signed within the specified deadline. 

Grant payments are processed following the signing of the grant agreement and in accordance with the agreed payment schedule.

To ensure timely processing, please include the following information on your invoice:

Project title: Full title of the funded research project

Project ID: Unique AO project ID

Invoice amount: Amount of the instalment due, in CHF

Bank details: Complete institutional bank details, including account holder, IBAN or account number, and SWIFT/BIC code

Invoice recipient

AO Foundation
AO Research Grants
Clavadelerstrasse 8
7270 Davos Platz
Switzerland

Payment requirements

Currency: All invoices must be issued in Swiss francs (CHF). Grant payments are made exclusively in CHF.

Payment recipient: Payments are made exclusively to the grant recipient's institution or clinic. Payments to private individuals or personal bank accounts are not permitted.

Payment processing: Please ensure that all invoice and bank details are complete and accurate to avoid payment delays. 

Monitoring the progress and outcomes of AO-funded research is essential to understanding the impact of our funding.

Monitoring the progress and outcomes of AO-funded research helps us understand the impact of our funding. Funded projects must submit interim and final reports according to the schedule defined in the grant agreement.

Submit your interim or final report: Click here.

Submit your final report: Click here.

Publications

Have you published research resulting from an AO-funded project?

Please share your publications with us so we can document and highlight the scientific outcomes of AO-funded research: Click here.