The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) intends to release the Spring 2026 Cycle funding announcements for the Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award Program in early 2026.
The Eugene Washington PCORI Engagement Award Program supports projects that encourage active, meaningful involvement of patients, families, caregivers and the broader healthcare community as integral members of the patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) enterprise. (While previous funding announcements used “PCOR/CER,” all applications should now use “patient-centered CER.”) The Engagement Award Program does not fund research studies.
The Engagement Award: Convening Support funding opportunity funds projects that enable patients, families, caregivers and the broader healthcare community to hold convenings, meetings and conferences that:
Projects must bring participants together around a shared focus. This can include geography, a health condition or a population representative of a health topic or condition. The convening(s) should explore patient-centered CER issues or communicate PCORI-funded research findings to targeted audiences who will use the results. PCORI welcomes applications on a range of health topics. These projects must focus on and commit to supporting collaboration around patient-centered CER.
Please note: This funding opportunity was previously titled “Engagement Award: Stakeholder Convening Support.”
Online System Opens
Jan. 21, 2026, 9 am (ET)
Letter of Intent Deadline
March 30, 2026, 5 pm (ET)
Letter of Intent Status Notification
Within 60 calendar days of LOI deadline
Application Deadline
July 13, 2026, 5 pm (ET)
(By invitation only)
Earliest Start Date
Jan. 1, 2027
Total Costs
Award total costs may not exceed $125,000 (direct + indirect costs)
Maximum Project Period
One year
🧠 1. Clear Patient-Centered Focus
PCORI emphasizes questions and outcomes that matter to patients and caregivers — such as symptom relief, quality of life, care experience, and decision making — rather than exclusively surrogate or laboratory endpoints. PCORI
Tip: Define research questions in terms of patient priorities, not just scientific interest.
🤝 2. Engagement of Patients & Stakeholders
A hallmark of PCORI’s Merit Review is explicit requirements for meaningful involvement of patients, caregivers and other stakeholders during proposal development, design and execution. Engagement is a distinct criterion reviewers consider alongside scientific merit. ScienceDirect
Tip: Build stakeholder engagement plans that demonstrate how patients/communities will influence key decisions (choice of comparators, outcomes, recruitment strategies).
🔍 3. Comparative Effectiveness Design
PCORI requires that studies compare two or more care options relevant to real healthcare decisions — this is central to eligibility. PCORI
Tip: Ensure the comparison (e.g., two treatments, delivery strategies, screening options) reflects real choices patients/clinicians face.
📊 4. Methodological Rigor & Feasibility
Competitive proposals have robust study designs, clear definitions of outcomes and analyses that support valid comparisons, with realistic timelines and scalable recruitment plans. PCORI
Tip: Develop rigorous plans tailored to CER, including statistical methods and pragmatic implementation plans.
📅 5. Alignment With Specific PFA Priorities
Each PFA has defined scope and priorities (e.g., methods for engagement; implementation in health systems). Applications must match the language and goals of the specific funding announcement. PCORI
Tip: Tailor aims to the exact PFA requirements rather than submitting generic CER designs.
📣 6. Dissemination & Uptake Planning
Projects that include clear dissemination and implementation plans — describing how results will be shared with patients, clinicians, health systems, or policymakers — score stronger on relevance and impact. PCORI
Tip: Include strategies for uptake, such as integration into clinical guidelines, digital tools, or decision aids.
📑 7. Organizational Capacity & Collaboration
Because PCORI awards are often larger and multi-site, reviewers value organizational experience in complex CER, including data systems, partnerships with clinical sites or community networks, and multidisciplinary teams. PCORI
Tip: Demonstrate infrastructure for recruitment, data management, and stakeholder engagement.
✔ Start early & follow cycles: PCORI issues repeated funding opportunity cycles (e.g., spring, fall). PCORI
✔ Use PCORI resources: Attend webinars and use application guides and templates provided on the PCORI website. PCORI
✔ Engage stakeholders early: Integrate patient partners before LOI submission to shape the research question. ScienceDirect
✔ Monitor announcements: Subscribe to PCORI emails for updates on new PFAs and registry of funded projects. PCORI
| Success Predictor | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Patient-Centered Focus | Core mission of PCORI; shapes review. PCORI |
| Stakeholder Engagement | Engagement is a standalone review criterion. ScienceDirect |
| Comparative Design | Must compare options relevant to patients. PCORI |
| Methodological Quality | Ensures credible, useful conclusions. PCORI |
| Alignment With PFA Scope | Match to solicitation goals. PCORI |
| Dissemination & Implementation Plan | Enhances real-world impact. PCORI |
| Organizational Capacity | Supports execution of complex CER. |
Organizations, not individuals: Eligible applicants include universities, hospitals, research institutes, healthcare systems, nonprofit community groups and similar entities. Individuals may NOT directly apply. PCORI
PCORI requires applicants to use its online submission system (PCORI Online) for Letters of Intent (LOIs) and full applications and to meet published deadlines.
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit
Address: 1333 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Suite 1200 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 827-7700 | Fax: (202) 355-9558
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Jul 13, 2026
Jul 13, 2026
$125,000
Affiliation: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Address: 1333 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Suite 1200 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 827-7700 | Fax: (202) 355-9558
Website URL: https://www.pcori.org/funding-opportunities/announcement/engagement-award-convening-support-spring-2026-cycle
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