Funder: Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Due Dates: June 5, 2024 (first application) | Standard NIH due dates thereafter | July 7, 2029 (expiration)
Funding Amounts: Up to $400,000 total costs per year | Project period up to 5 years
Summary: Supports health services research projects to improve healthcare quality, patient safety, delivery, and whole-person care across diverse healthcare settings.
Key Information: Accepts new, renewal, and resubmission R01 applications; clinical trials optional; for-profit organizations cannot lead applications; foreign institutions may participate only as collaborators or subcontractors.
Description
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites grant applications for health services research projects under the R01 mechanism. The goal is to fund research that advances AHRQ’s mission to improve the quality, safety, accessibility, equity, and affordability of healthcare in the United States. Projects should align with AHRQ’s priority areas:
- Improving healthcare quality and patient safety
- Enhancing healthcare delivery and practice improvement
- Advancing whole-person healthcare delivery
Research may be conducted in any healthcare setting, including hospitals, long-term care, ambulatory care, home healthcare, pharmacies, and care transitions. Projects can involve a wide range of stakeholders such as patients, families, clinicians, healthcare staff, policymakers, payers, organizations, and government entities.
AHRQ emphasizes practical, applied research with potential for significant impact on healthcare practice and policy. Inclusion of priority populations (e.g., underserved communities, minorities, rural populations, persons with disabilities, elderly) is required and must be addressed in the research design.
Due Dates
- Posted Date: February 6, 2024
- Earliest Submission Date: March 20, 2024
- First Application Due Date: June 5, 2024
- Standard NIH due dates apply thereafter
- Expiration Date: July 7, 2029
Applicants are encouraged to submit early to allow time for corrections before the deadline.
Funding Amount
- Maximum total costs (direct + indirect) per year: $400,000
- Project period: Up to 5 years
- Number of awards depends on available appropriations and meritorious applications
Budgets must reflect actual project needs and comply with federal cost principles.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- Public and private institutions of higher education (including HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal colleges, and other minority-serving institutions)
- Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education)
- State, county, city, township, and special district governments
- Federally recognized and other Native American tribal governments and organizations
- Federal agencies and U.S. territories
- Independent school districts, public housing authorities, faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations
Restrictions
- For-profit organizations cannot be the lead applicant but may participate as subcontractors or consortium members
- Foreign organizations cannot apply as lead applicants; may participate only as subcontractors or collaborators
- Organizations engaged in lobbying under IRS 501(c)(4) are not eligible
Required Registrations
Applicants must have active registrations in:
- System for Award Management (SAM)
- eRA Commons (for PD(s)/PI(s))
- Grants.gov
- Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
Application Process
- Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov and tracked in eRA Commons
- Follow the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide with AHRQ-specific instructions
- Modular budget format is not accepted; use Research and Related Budget Components
- Letter of intent is not required
- Include a Data Management Plan as part of the Resource Sharing Plan
- Human subjects research must comply with AHRQ policies, including IRB review and protections
- Applications proposing clinical trials are accepted but not required
- Include plans for inclusion of priority populations in the research design
- Letters of support should only come from entities directly participating in the project
Review Criteria
Applications will be peer-reviewed based on:
- Significance: Importance of the problem and potential impact on healthcare
- Investigator(s): Qualifications and track record of the research team
- Innovation: Novelty and potential to shift current paradigms
- Approach: Soundness of methodology, feasibility, and plans to address challenges
- Environment: Institutional support and resources available
Additional considerations include protections for human subjects, inclusion of priority populations, budget reasonableness, and responsiveness to the NOFO.
Additional Information
- Pre-award costs up to 90 days before project start may be allowable at recipient’s risk
- Awardees must comply with federal regulations including confidentiality, data sharing, and nondiscrimination laws
- AHRQ requires submission of final peer-reviewed manuscripts to PubMed Central within 12 months of publication
- Recipients must report progress annually and submit financial reports as required
- Awards are subject to federal integrity and performance review systems (FAPIIS)
External Links
Contact Information