Improving Methods for Conducting Patient-Centered Comparative Clinical Effectiveness Research PCORI Funding Announcement -- Cycle 2 2026
PCORI seeks innovative research to improve methods for patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research, focusing on measurement, real-world data, AI/ML, and study design.
Funder: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Due Dates: April 28, 2026 (Letter of Intent, 5 pm ET) | September 1, 2026 (Full application, 5 pm ET)
Funding Amounts: Up to $750,000 direct costs per award; project period up to 3 years; total funds available up to $12 million.
Summary: Funds research to advance methods for patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER), emphasizing measurement, real-world data, AI/ML, and study design.
Key Information: Individuals cannot apply; only organizations are eligible. Applications must address one of four programmatic priorities.
Description
This funding opportunity from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) supports projects that address high-priority methodological gaps in patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER). The Cycle 2 2026 call focuses on advancing methods in four key areas: patient-centered measurement, use of real-world data (RWD) in multi-site CER, applications of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) in CER, and improvements in study design. The aim is to enhance the rigor, relevance, and quality of CER evidence by supporting innovative approaches, tools, and frameworks that can be broadly applied across health conditions and settings.
Projects must demonstrate meaningful engagement with patients and other stakeholders and clearly articulate how their methodological innovations will improve the conduct, analysis, or interpretation of patient-centered CER. Proposals should not focus on disease-specific instrument development, infrastructure building, or clinical prediction models unless broadly generalizable.
