AHRQ Health Services Research Projects (R01) | PA 24 154

Opportunity Information: Apply for PA 24 154

The AHRQ Health Services Research Projects (R01) funding opportunity (PA 24-154) is a discretionary grant program from the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) that supports investigator-initiated health services research aligned with AHRQ priorities. The main aim is to generate practical evidence that can improve how healthcare is delivered in real-world settings, with a clear emphasis on improving healthcare quality and patient safety, strengthening healthcare delivery and practice improvement, and advancing whole-person healthcare delivery. In plain terms, AHRQ is looking for research that helps patients receive safer, higher-quality care, and helps health systems, clinicians, and communities organize and deliver that care more effectively.

A defining feature of this opportunity is its broad view of where healthcare happens and who needs to be involved. AHRQ explicitly supports research conducted across essentially all major healthcare environments, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, ambulatory and outpatient care, home healthcare, pharmacies, and the transitions between these settings (for example, discharge from the hospital to home or to a skilled nursing facility). This signals interest in studies that look at coordination, handoffs, communication, and system processes that can break down across settings and lead to gaps in quality or safety. Projects can be designed to address operational and implementation challenges, test improvement strategies, or produce evidence that healthcare organizations and policymakers can use to make better decisions.

The NOFO also highlights a strong expectation for engagement with a wide range of partners and stakeholders. Research teams may involve patients and families, clinicians, and non-clinical healthcare staff, as well as policymakers, payers, healthcare organizations, providers, and accreditors. It also notes the potential role of local and State governments and the Federal Government, among others. This points toward applied health services research that is grounded in the needs of end users, and it supports approaches that incorporate perspectives from the people who deliver care, receive care, pay for care, or regulate and evaluate care. While the announcement does not prescribe a single method, the scope fits many common health services research approaches, including pragmatic trials, implementation studies, mixed-methods evaluations, comparative effectiveness research in delivery contexts, and system-level analyses focused on quality, safety, access, equity, efficiency, and patient-centered outcomes.

Eligibility is intentionally broad, allowing participation from many organization types that can contribute to health services research. Eligible applicants include State, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and independent school districts; public and State-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) and Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments); public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) as well as small businesses; and other entities as allowed under the announcement. AHRQ also calls out additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible agencies of the Federal Government, Indian/Native American tribal governments that are not federally recognized, and U.S. territories or possessions.

At the same time, the opportunity draws clear boundaries around foreign involvement. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply. Practically, that means the applicant organization must be U.S.-based and the work supported under the award must not be carried out through an ineligible non-U.S. component of a U.S. institution.

Key administrative details in the source information include the activity category (Health) and CFDA number 93.226. The funding instrument is a grant using the R01 mechanism, which is typically used for substantial, multi-year research projects that require a well-developed research plan and can support a full project team and research infrastructure. The posting lists an original closing date of July 6, 2029, indicating it is structured as an ongoing program announcement over multiple receipt cycles rather than a single one-time deadline. The source data does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, suggesting applicants should rely on the full NOFO for budget parameters, submission dates, and any institute-specific or topic-specific guidance.

Overall, this AHRQ R01 opportunity is designed for teams proposing rigorous, stakeholder-relevant health services research that can measurably improve quality, safety, and the effectiveness of healthcare delivery across settings, especially where coordination and implementation challenges shape patient outcomes.

• The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "AHRQ Health Services Research Projects (R01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.226.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2029-07-06.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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