2027 Pilot and Exploratory Studies Award
2027 Pilot and Exploratory Studies Award supports investigators conducting foundational palliative care research to improve the lives of seriously ill patients and professional or family caregivers.
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Funder: ASCENT Consortium
Due Dates: August 10, 2026 (Letter of Intent) | November 9, 2026 (Full application, invitation only)
Funding Amounts: Pilot: up to $200,000 per year; Exploratory: up to $100,000 per year (direct and indirect costs, up to two years)
Summary: Supports foundational pilot and exploratory palliative care research to improve the lives of seriously ill patients and caregivers.
Key Information: Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents with a full-time U.S.-based appointment and PI status by award start.
Description
The ASCENT Consortium supports innovative research that builds foundational evidence and methodological approaches for palliative care across the lifespan. The program provides funding, guidance, and research resources for studies addressing serious illness and the needs of patients, professional caregivers, or family/lay caregivers. It particularly supports early-career investigators pursuing their first independent grant and mid-career investigators sustaining their research careers or exploring new directions.
Pilot awards support early intervention development and preparatory work for clinical trials at NIH Stage 0 or 1. Exploratory awards support observational studies, secondary data analyses, mixed methods, and development or testing of methods and measures. Exploratory projects may independently advance palliative care science without preparing for a larger award. Projects may focus on patients, caregivers, or both, and need not address the entire lifespan.
