The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) invites applications for its R01 Health Services Research Projects grant, aimed at advancing knowledge in healthcare quality, delivery, patient safety, and whole-person care. This funding opportunity supports research in diverse healthcare settings, including hospitals, long-term care, ambulatory and home healthcare, and pharmacies. The research can involve various stakeholders such as patients, clinicians, policymakers, and healthcare organizations. This NOFO reflects AHRQ’s commitment to addressing specific research priority areas, with goals to improve healthcare accessibility, equity, efficiency, and patient outcomes, especially within underserved and priority populations.

AHRQ’s priority areas for research under this NOFO include projects that seek to improve healthcare quality and patient safety, advance healthcare delivery practices, and enhance whole-person care approaches. The agency welcomes projects that contribute substantively to these areas and encourage applications that include diverse populations, such as low-income, rural, minority, and elderly groups. Research may also include partnerships with local and state governments or private institutions to amplify the impact of findings and foster innovative health service solutions that can shape national healthcare policies.

The R01 grant mechanism funds new, renewal, and resubmission applications with an annual budget cap of $400,000 in total costs, and a maximum project period of five years. Applicants should design their budgets to meet the needs of their specific project, ensuring all proposed costs comply with HHS Uniform Administrative Requirements and the HHS Grants Policy Statement. Funds may only cover costs directly associated with project activities, and pre-award costs can be incurred within 90 days before the official project start, though they require appropriate justification and must not exceed the planned project budget.

Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, and various community-based organizations. For-profit entities and foreign institutions are not eligible to apply but may participate as consortium members or subcontractors. Required registrations for applicants include obtaining a System for Award Management (SAM) ID, a unique entity identifier, and eRA Commons and Grants.gov accounts. Additionally, AHRQ mandates that all applicants have plans for data sharing and adherence to data confidentiality standards as stipulated by HHS and HIPAA.

Applications must be submitted electronically via the NIH ASSIST system, Grants.gov Workspace, or an institutional system-to-system solution. All submissions must comply with the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and AHRQ’s NOFO-specific instructions. While a letter of intent is not required, applicants should ensure submission by the due dates specified in the NOFO, with the first application due on June 5, 2024. Application review will focus on scientific merit, project significance, investigator qualifications, innovative approach, feasibility, and alignment with AHRQ’s mission and research priorities.

Review criteria include significance, innovation, and project approach, with additional consideration for human subject protections and inclusion of priority populations. Applications will undergo a peer-review process, with scores based on impact and responsiveness to the NOFO’s objectives. Applicants will receive a summary statement post-review, and selected projects will be funded based on scientific merit, program balance, and fund availability. The anticipated award notification period typically follows within four months after peer review.

AHRQ encourages inquiries on programmatic and financial aspects of this NOFO, with designated contacts listed for grants management and scientific guidance. Compliance with reporting and performance assessment is required for all funded projects, which will be monitored based on achievement of project goals and adherence to federal guidelines.