PCORI Awards $1.1 Million to 44 Projects through Second Tier

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has awarded funds totaling nearly $1.1 million to enable 44 projects that were awarded Tier I support through its "Pipeline to Proposal" Awards program to move forward into the program’s second phase.

The projects will receive Tier II awards totaling up to $25,000 each to continue work they began through initial funding they received via Tier I awards in April 2015. The awardees include individual patients and patient advocacy groups, as well as caregivers, healthcare providers, and fledgling researchers.

With these new awards, PCORI has now approved 77 Tier I and 71 Tier II awards totaling nearly $3 million through the Pipeline program.   

“Since PCORI was established, we have highlighted the value of including patients, their caregivers, and other stakeholders in the research process. The Pipeline to Proposal Awards are an affirmation of PCORI’s commitment to enable patient involvement in the research process,” said Jean Slutsky, PA, MSPH, PCORI's Chief Engagement and Dissemination Officer. “These awards provide support for the development of partnerships among stakeholders and researchers as well as the development of patient-centered outcomes research proposals on healthcare issues important to patients.”

Tier II funding is the intermediate phase of PCORI’s three-tier Pipeline program. Tier I awards of up to $15,000 each fund community-building and engagement projects. Tier II awards provide funds to help recipients further strengthen their community partnerships, develop research capacity, and build the infrastructure needed to conduct research. Tier III awards of up to $50,000 support the development of high-quality, patient-centered research proposals that can be submitted to PCORI or other funders. PCORI expects to announce its first Tier III awardees in June.

The 44 new Tier II award recipients have up to one year to complete their proposed work after which they can apply for competitive Tier III funding.

PCORI also will issue a separate opportunity for research teams to apply for Tier III funding later this month. The Independent Tier III opportunity is intended for research partnerships that have not been funded previously through the Pipeline program but that have a track record of successful research and want to enhance their patient engagement. The funds will enable awardees to learn patient engagement values and skills that they can incorporate these into their ongoing research efforts.  

More information on the Pipeline to Proposal Awards program is available on PCORI’s website.