Current Research Funding Opportunities for Primary Care Research at AHRQ
AHRQ Announces Support of Projects Designed to Advance the Science of Primary Care
January 2023
AHRQ has published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for small research grants to advance the science of primary care.
This Small Research Grant (R03) NOFO will support discrete primary care-focused health services research projects designed to advance the science of primary care. The research strategy proposed by applicants must be related to the mission and research interests of AHRQ and its National Center for Excellence in Primary Care Research (NCEPCR). This NOFO aims to support small research projects that advance the understanding of the role and capacity of primary care to increase the value and quality of care and improve patient outcomes and population health by delivering person-centered care.
AHRQ Announces Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Management of Substance Use Disorders in Primary Care
February 2023
AHRQ has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the management of substance use disorders (SUD) in primary care and other ambulatory settings (R18).
AHRQ seeks applications that develop and test strategies to improve the capacity of primary care and ambulatory settings to provide evidence-based, patient-centered care for people who misuse opioids and other substances.
The initiative will fund up to 4 projects that build on recent research on effective treatments and effective models of care and lead to sustainable changes in how SUD care is delivered in primary care and/or develop lasting partnerships between primary care and other care settings. Applications will be required to describe how they will assess implementation, how the intervention will improve health equity, and plans for sustainability.
The due date for this Notice of Funding Opportunity is April 14, 2023.
All applications are due by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.
Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow adequate time to make any corrections to errors found in the application during the submission process by the due date.
Special Emphasis Notices
Primary care research is critical to AHRQ's mission to make health care safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable. It cuts across all of AHRQ's Centers and priorities. AHRQ has numerous opportunities to support primary care research through funding opportunities related to health information technology, patient-reported outcomes, addressing multiple chronic conditions, and many more topics integral to primary care. AHRQ has described its specific interest in primary care research in a Special Emphasis Notice:
- Released March 2022; active until February 2025: NOT-HS-22-011: AHRQ Announces Interest in Primary Care Research (nih.gov)
AHRQ has also expressed interest in other topics relevant to primary care via a Special Emphasis Notice:
- Released January 2023; standing: NOT-HS-23-006: AHRQ Announces Interest in Research on Climate Change and Healthcare (nih.gov)
- Released February 2022; active until February 2025: NOT-HS-22-010: AHRQ Announces Interest in Health Services Research on Health System and Healthcare Professional Responsiveness to COVID-19 (nih.gov)
- Released March 2021; active until March 2023: NOT-HS-21-010: AHRQ Announces Interest in Health Services Research to Address Substance Use Disorder Epidemic (nih.gov)
AHRQ also strongly encourages applications that focus on primary care in response to its standing Program Announcements for small and large research grants, demonstration grants, and conference grants. You can read more about different types of grants and steps for applying for grant funding.
Career Development Opportunities
In October 2021, AHRQ issued a standing Special Emphasis Notice in support of career development of primary care researchers.
AHRQ is interested in career development applications that will provide the opportunity for qualified promising primary care research scientists to develop into independent primary care researchers. Meritorious proposals will detail and describe:
- Plans for mentorship with an established primary care researcher.
- Sufficient infrastructure to support practice-based research.
Further Guidance
AHRQ sponsors several career development awards intended to foster the career development of promising new investigators. These programs provide salary and research support for a sustained period of time for early career clinicians and research scientists.
AHRQ will use standing program announcements for the K08 and K01 funding mechanisms to support this research.
Please direct all inquiries to: Tamara Willis, Ph.D., M.P.H. Tamara.Willis@ahrq.hhs.gov.