PCORI Funding

Addressing Violence and Trauma

New Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) funding opportunity: Up to $12 million in direct costs for studies that focus on interventions that improve patient-centered outcomes in patients exposed to violence or trauma, psychological, or physical. The project duration can be up to five years.

Studies should:

• Focus on interventions that improve patient-centered outcomes in patients exposed to violence or trauma, which can be psychological or physical
• Patient-centered comparative effectiveness research (CER) of clinical interventions and health system strategies that focus on community-based and hospital-based interventions to address violence and trauma
• Include evidence-based, impactful, patient-centered outcomes as indicated by patients, families, and caregivers (particularly those with lived experience) from the population of interest, as well as relevant members of the broader health and healthcare community
• Examine diverse populations with an overall sample size that will allow precision in the estimation of hypothesized effect sizes and, as appropriate, analysis of heterogeneity of treatment effect

PCORI is particularly interested in submissions that address the following Special Areas of Emphasis (SAEs), although applicants are not limited to these areas:

• Intentional trauma, such as intimate partner violence, abuse of children and youth, or abuse of older adults
• Unintentional trauma, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), care models for fall prevention and fall recovery among older adults, or impaired mobility and physical function due to unintentional trauma
• Substance use and trauma, such as managing long-term pain and decreasing risk of substance use disorder after traumatic injury, or pain management strategies for traumatic injuries among populations already experiencing a co-existing substance use disorder

For this funding announcement, applicants may request coverage of patient care costs (including medical products, procedures, and care services) for potential funding.

Highlights

• Up to $60 million in total available funding
• Up to  $12 million direct costs available per application
• Maximum project period: 5 years
• April 1 – Application opens
• April 9 – Town Hall
• May 13 – Letters of Intent due

How to Apply

To apply for this funding opportunity, there are four steps you must follow.

1. Read the full funding announcement, available online.
2. Follow the process outlined in the submission instructions.
3. Submit a Letter of Intent using the template on the application page.
4. Submit an application (if invited).

Important dates

April 1 – Application opens
April 9 – Town Hall
May 13 – Letters of Intent due
June 10 – Letter of intent status notification
September 3 – Applications due
November – Merit review
March 2026 – Awards announced
July 2026 – Earliest start date

PCORI consultation about proposed research

PCORI encourages all investigators interested in applying to use their inquiry form to submit questions and request to speak with a PCORI program officer.

Harvard Catalyst PCORI consultation

For more information or to request a brief consultation, please contact the Harvard Catalyst PCORI Funding Specialist, Leslie MacGregor: Leslie_MacGregor@hms.harvard.edu