Deadline: 23-Sep-2025
The PCORI is inviting proposals through its Cycle 3 2025 call, “Advancing the Science of Engagement in Research,” designed to deepen our understanding of how engagement works in the context of health research.
The focus is not on patient engagement in clinical care, but rather on the engagement of partners in the research process itself—from planning and execution through to dissemination.
At its core, this opportunity challenges applicants to develop or validate measures that can capture the structure, context, and outcomes of engagement, as well as to test engagement techniques that prove effective under various conditions. It asks for thoughtful exploration of how engagement strategies must be adapted and resourced to suit different settings and communities in ways that promote equity and shared learning.
Though PCORI has promoted engagement for years, critical gaps remain in how to define, measure, and stimulate meaningful participation across research phases. There is still no accepted consensus on what constitutes effective engagement, making this initiative a pivotal step toward establishing a scientific foundation for what engagement means in practice and how it drives research impact.
Applicants are expected to incorporate PCORI’s “Foundational Expectations for Partnerships in Research,” which serve as a flexible yet structured guide to embedding meaningful, systematic engagement in research projects. This announcement thus stands as both a scientific and operational invitation for teams to innovate in how we involve stakeholders in the research lifecycle.
With funding available across two tracks—Rapid Measurement Studies and Development and Testing of Engagement Approaches—this call offers a rare chance to advance the science of engagement itself, paving the way for stronger, more inclusive research practices that truly integrate the voices of those most impacted by health research.
For this cycle, PCORI has committed up to $36 million in funding across two tracks. Rapid Measurement Studies may receive up to $1.5 million each, while projects focused on Development and Testing of Engagement Approaches may receive up to $3 million. In terms of direct costs, budgets are capped at $1 million for Rapid Measurement Studies and $1.5 million for Development and Testing approaches. Project timelines vary accordingly, with Rapid Measurement Studies permitted a maximum of 24 months and Development and Testing projects extending up to 36 months.
For more information, visit PCORI.