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Apply Now: Broad Pragmatic Studies PCORI Funding (United States)

Deadline: 28-Apr-2026

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) invites applications for patient-centered comparative effectiveness research (CER) projects. Grants of up to $12 million over five years support studies that generate actionable evidence for healthcare decisions, focusing on areas such as diabetes, obesity, urogynecological and pelvic pain, and sickle cell disease pain management.

Overview

PCORI’s CER funding aims to:

  • Support patient-centered studies generating actionable evidence for healthcare decisions
  • Address gaps in prevention, care, and treatment in priority health areas
  • Encourage studies with clinically meaningful and patient-relevant outcomes
  • Facilitate adoption of findings into real-world clinical practice

Areas of Emphasis

  • Diabetes prevention, care, and treatment
  • Obesity management
  • Urogynecological and pelvic pain
  • Pain management in sickle cell disease

Research Approaches

  • Individual or cluster randomized controlled trials (preferred)
  • Well-specified natural experiments or well-designed observational studies
  • Hybrid effectiveness-implementation designs encouraged
  • Studies must have adequate sample sizes and address heterogeneity of treatment effects

Funding & Duration

  • Total program funding: $120 million across three budget categories
  • Project budgets:
    • Category 1: up to $5 million
    • Category 2: $5–12 million
    • Category 3: up to $12 million
  • Maximum project period: 5 years
  • Funds cover direct research costs; implementation-only or methods-only studies are not eligible

Eligibility

  • Academic research institutions, government agencies, private and nonprofit research organizations, and universities
  • Foreign organizations or nondomestic components eligible if relevant to U.S. healthcare and include U.S. patients and stakeholders
  • Must comply with PCORI research standards, patient engagement requirements, and data transparency policies

Why It Matters

PCORI CER grants generate evidence that directly informs patient care, improves health outcomes, and ensures research is aligned with patient priorities and real-world clinical needs.

How to Apply

  1. Identify a research question addressing patient-centered outcomes in priority health areas
  2. Develop a study design suitable for CER with adequate sample sizes
  3. Include a patient and stakeholder engagement plan
  4. Submit a proposal aligning with PCORI’s methodology and statutory requirements

FAQs

  1. Who can apply?
    Academic, government, nonprofit, for-profit, and private research organizations; foreign entities if relevant to U.S. healthcare.
  2. What funding is available?
    Up to $12 million in direct costs per project.
  3. What is the maximum project period?
    5 years.
  4. Which research designs are preferred?
    Individual or cluster randomized controlled trials; natural experiments and well-designed observational studies may also be considered.
  5. Are implementation-only studies eligible?
    No; studies must generate comparative effectiveness evidence.
  6. Is patient engagement required?
    Yes, throughout all stages of research.
  7. Can foreign organizations participate?
    Yes, if they include U.S. patients and stakeholders and address relevant U.S. healthcare questions.

Conclusion

PCORI’s CER funding empowers researchers to conduct patient-centered studies that fill critical knowledge gaps, improve care, and ensure evidence-based, impactful healthcare decisions across high-priority health areas.

For more information, visit PCORI.