Funder: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Due Dates: May 13, 2025 (LOI) | September 3, 2025 (Full Application, by invitation)
Funding Amounts: Up to $1M direct costs (measurement projects, 2 years) | Up to $1.5M direct costs (methods projects, 3 years) | Total program: ~$36M
Summary: Funds studies to build the evidence base for engagement in research, including development/validation of engagement measures and evaluation of engagement methods across diverse contexts.
Key Information: Projects focused on patient engagement in clinical/self-care (e.g., shared decision-making, adherence) are not eligible; focus must be on engagement in research processes.
Description
This funding opportunity from PCORI supports research that advances the science of engagement in research. The program aims to address critical gaps in how engagement is measured and which engagement methods are most effective in research settings. Projects should focus on either (1) developing and validating measures of engagement (structure, process, outcomes), or (2) developing and/or testing engagement methods to generate evidence on effective approaches and their adaptation to different contexts, settings, and communities.
The ultimate goal is to build a robust, actionable evidence base that informs best practices for engaging patients, stakeholders, and communities as partners throughout the research lifecycle—from planning and conduct to dissemination.
Due Dates
- PCORI Online System Opens: April 1, 2025
- Applicant Town Hall: April 11, 2025
- Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline: May 13, 2025 (5:00 pm ET)
- LOI Status Notification: June 10, 2025
- Full Application Deadline (by invitation): September 3, 2025 (5:00 pm ET)
- Merit Review: November 2025
- Awards Announced: March 2026
- Earliest Project Start Date: July 2026
Funding Amount
- Category 1 (Measurement): Up to $1,000,000 in direct costs over 2 years
- Category 2 (Engagement Methods): Up to $1,500,000 in direct costs over 3 years
- Total funds available: Up to approximately $36 million for this cycle
- Peer review costs: Budget approximately $75,000 (including indirects) for required peer review activities
- Indirect costs: Capped at 40% of select direct costs (see PCORI guidelines)
Eligibility
- Eligible applicants: Academic research institutions, private sector research organizations, non-profit and for-profit organizations, agencies and instrumentalities of the federal government, and colleges/universities.
- Individuals are not eligible to apply.
- International organizations and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations must justify the benefit to the U.S. healthcare system and include U.S. patients/stakeholders.
- Multiple LOIs may be submitted if they do not overlap scientifically.
- Projects focused on patient engagement in clinical care, shared decision-making, or adherence are not eligible. The focus must be on engagement in research processes.
Application Process
- Register in PCORI Online: The Contact PI must register and initiate the application.
- Submit a Letter of Intent (LOI): Required for all applicants. Use the specific LOI template.
- Invitation to Apply: Only applicants with responsive LOIs will be invited to submit a full application.
- Full Application: Complete all required templates and upload via PCORI Online. Required documents include:
- Review: Applications are peer-reviewed using PCORI’s criteria (see below).
- Award Negotiation and Start: Successful applicants will negotiate a contract with PCORI.
See the Submission Instructions for full details.
Eligibility
- Who can apply: Academic, non-profit, for-profit, and government research organizations.
- Individuals are not eligible.
- International applicants: Must demonstrate benefit to U.S. healthcare and include U.S. stakeholders.
- Multiple submissions: Allowed if not scientifically overlapping.
- Not eligible: Projects focused on patient engagement in clinical care, shared decision-making, or adherence.
Review Criteria
Applications are evaluated on:
- Identification of critical methodological gaps in the science of engagement
- Potential to improve engagement measures or methods
- Scientific merit (design, analysis, outcomes)
- Investigator(s) and environment
- Patient centeredness
- Patient and stakeholder engagement (must address PCORI’s Foundational Expectations)
Additional Information
- Learning Network: Awardees are required to participate in the Science of Engagement Learning Network (quarterly virtual meetings, annual in-person meeting).
- Nonresponsive topics: Projects solely using qualitative methods (for methods evaluation), those focused only on recruitment/retention, or those not including validity assessment for measurement projects.
- Budgeting for engagement: Applicants must budget for stakeholder compensation and engagement activities. See Budgeting for Engagement Activities and Compensation Framework.
- Data sharing: Awardees must comply with PCORI’s data sharing and public access policies.
External Links
Contact Information