Broad Pragmatic Studies PCORI Funding Announcement – Cycle 2 2026 is a grant from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute that funds large-scale, high-impact patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER). PCORI invites proposals for pragmatic randomized controlled trials, natural experiments, and well-designed observational studies that address clinically meaningful outcomes important to patients.

Awards reach up to $12,000,000 in direct costs for Categories 2-3, and up to $5,000,000 for Category 1. Proposals must align with PCORI's Foundational Expectations for Partnerships in Research. The Letter of Intent deadline is April 28, 2026, and the full application deadline is September 1, 2026.

Broad Pragmatic Studies PCORI Funding Announcement -- Cycle 2 2026 | PCORI Broad Pragmatic Studies PCORI Funding Announcement -- Cycle 2 2026 Letter of Intent (LOI) Deadline April 28, 2026; 5 pm (ET) This PCORI Funding Announcement (PFA) invites applications for high-impact patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) projects.

PCORI’s Research Project Agenda includes a set of Topic Themes that are included in this funding opportunity and further detailed below. Applicants have the option to choose up to three Topic Themes within the Research Project Agenda based on how their proposed research aligns with the themes. However, aligning with a Topic Theme is not required.

The Topic Themes will assist PCORI in determining the optimal review pathway for the proposed research. Applicants are strongly encouraged to propose individual or cluster randomized controlled trials; however, well-specified natural experiments and well-designed observational studies will also be considered.

Proposed studies should include an overall sample size that will allow precision in the estimation of hypothesized effect sizes and, as appropriate, analysis of heterogeneity of treatment effect. Applicants are encouraged to pay special attention to issues of intervention implementation with an aim of facilitating widespread uptake of findings after completion of the study by utilizing hybrid effectiveness-implementation approaches.

However, strict implementation or dissemination studies will not be considered responsive, nor will studies focused on the development of research methods. Applicants should propose well-justified and validated outcomes that are clinically meaningful and considered important by patients, and that can be impacted by the proposed interventions within the study duration.

Applicants should consider, as appropriate, the full range of clinical and patient-centered outcomes data relevant to patients and other stakeholders. PCORI’s Principles for the Consideration of the Full Range of Outcomes Data in PCORI-Funded Research inform the expectations for applicants and the corresponding evaluation of applications submitted in response to this PFA.

Special Areas of Emphasis For Cycle 2 2026, PCORI is particularly interested in submissions that address the following Special Areas of Emphasis (SAE) within the BPS funding opportunity. The purpose of identifying these SAEs is to encourage submissions to these areas, rather than limiting submissions to these topics.

Applicants addressing one of the below SAEs should identify the area that is best associated with their research approach: Diabetes Prevention, Care and Treatment: PCORI seeks to fund high-quality, patient-centered CER studies on prevention, care and treatment options for people with diabetes and prediabetes.

Addressing Obesity: PCORI is interested in supporting high-quality, patient-centered research to study the comparative clinical effectiveness of interventions that address obesity treatment and/or management, including intensive lifestyle interventions, anti-obesity medications, endoscopic procedures and bariatric surgery, as well as combination approaches, as appropriate.

Research evaluating a clinically meaningful, objective and obesity-related primary outcome is highly encouraged.

Management of Urogynecological and Pelvic Pain: PCORI is interested in funding patient-, healthcare-provider- and/or systems-level CER comparing strategies aimed to improve prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and management of urogynecological and pelvic pain, including but not limited to urogynecological and pelvic pain experienced during pregnancy and postpartum.

The inclusion of at least one validated primary outcome focused on pain is highly encouraged. Pain Management for Individuals Living With Sickle Cell Disease: PCORI is interested in funding patient-, healthcare-provider- and/or systems-level CER comparing strategies aimed at improving screening, diagnosis, treatment and management of acute and chronic pain associated with sickle cell disease among children and adults.

The inclusion of at least one validated primary outcome focused on pain is highly encouraged. In PCORI-funded research, patients and other research partners are expected to meaningfully contribute their lived experience or professional expertise to ensure studies are patient-centered, relevant and useful for healthcare decision making.

Applicants must address PCORI’s Foundational Expectations for Partnerships in Research — an evidence-based framework supported by tools and resources to guide effective engagement strategies. View additional details on each of the Foundational Expectations . Applicants are also strongly encouraged to consider the inclusion of a broad range of patient-centered burdens and economic outcomes.

This funding announcement will accept applications with direct costs up to $12 million and up to five years in duration. For this funding announcement, applicants may request coverage of patient care costs (including medical products, procedures and care services) for potential funding by PCORI. These costs are included as part of the overall direct cost maximum.

For additional information, please see the full announcement upon posting. Broad Pragmatic Studies PFA: Category 1, Category 2 and Category 3 Study Specifications PCORI will commit up to $120 million in direct costs through this funding opportunity. This funding opportunity contains three categories for funding: Category 1 will support research projects with direct costs up to and including $5 million.

Category 2 will support research projects with direct costs greater than $5 million and up to a maximum of $12 million.

Applications for funding under Category 2 will be required to provide additional information in the Letter of Intent (LOI) and application to justify the size and scope of the proposed research projects and to explain how additional funds are necessary with respect to the scale, scope and complexity of personnel and material resources needed to address the research question.

Category 3 will support research projects with direct costs up to $12 million that utilize PCORnet ® to conduct observational studies and/or pragmatic trials that are national in scale. Category 3 PCORnet Studies ® must include two or more Clinical Research Networks and share study progress, performance metrics and best practices with the network to promote continuous learning and improvement.

PCORnet Studies ® will leverage the PCORnet Common Data Model ® as appropriate. Additional details about Category 3 can be found on the PCORI website. Coverage of Patient Care Costs All applicants submitting to this PFA may request coverage of patient care costs.

Coverage of these costs will be subject to meeting specified criteria that PCORI will use to determine which costs, if any, may be acceptable for potential funding. PCORI funding for requested patient care costs is not assured.

All applicants submitting to this PFA may propose coverage of structured mentorship activities for early- or mid-career investigators, investigators making a career transition to patient-centered CER and/or patient and community partners. As detailed further in the PFA, applicants must address specific criteria for potential funding. PCORI funding for requested structured mentorship activities is not assured.

Application Deferral Policy This policy allows applicants who have submitted an LOI and are invited to submit a full application to defer their application submission once to the immediate next PFA cycle. This request may cross cycle years, if applicable. For questions regarding the Cycle 2 2026 BPS funding announcement, please reach out to pfa@pcori.

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What You Need To Know To Apply Foundational Expectations for Partnerships in Research PCORI’s Portfolio of Funded Research Population Insights Reports Powered by PCORnet ® Download Full Announcement Letter of Intent Deadline April 28, 2026, 5 pm (ET) Letter of Intent Status Notification April 2027 (Subject to Change) $120 million total for all categories (1, 2 and 3) -- Less than or equal to $5 million in direct costs -- Greater than $5 million; up to $12 million in direct costs -- Up to $12 million in direct costs Up to five years for all categories (1, 2 and 3) To Apply for This Opportunity Read the full funding announcement Submit a Letter of Intent Submit an application (if invited) Broad Pragmatic Studies PFA Broad Pragmatic Studies Submission Instructions Broad Pragmatic Studies Submission Checklist Broad Pragmatic Studies FAQs Required Templates for Submitting an Application for the BPS PFA Broad Pragmatic Studies LOI Template Broad Pragmatic Studies Research Plan Template Broad Pragmatic Studies Letters of Support Table Broad Pragmatic Studies Milestones Template Methodology Standards Checklist Budget Justification Template Subcontractor Detailed Budget Template Dual-PI Leadership Plan Template (if proposed project is dual-PI) Scientific PI & Key Personnel Template Patient/Stakeholder Partner Template Project/Performance Site(s) and Resources Template If You Are Resubmitting Your Application Resubmission Letter Template Additional Applicant Resources