Deadline Date: January 06, 2026
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has launched a new funding opportunity — the Cancer Partner PFA Cycle 1 2026 — inviting research-community partnerships to propose comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) projects across the full spectrum of cancer care.
This initiative aims to support studies that help patients, caregivers, and communities make better-informed health decisions by comparing different care strategies and uncovering what works best under real-world conditions.
The program encourages projects that tackle critical questions around cancer screening, timely follow-up, treatment delivery, patient-centered care, and survivorship. Proposals can explore factors like access barriers to screening in underserved communities, optimal delivery models during active treatment (including mental-health support, care coordination, and mitigation of side-effects), and long-term follow-up care for survivors — including older adults, adolescents, young adults, or remote/rural populations.
PCORI is prepared to fund projects with substantial scopes: applicants may request up to USD $12 million in direct costs for a five-year project, or up to USD $13 million if outcomes are planned beyond 24 months (with a maximum duration of six years). The funding can cover patient care costs, interventions, and care services, allowing comprehensive real-world studies that address both clinical effectiveness and implementation.
Eligible applications must be led by a dual principal-investigator team: one from a research organisation and one from a community organisation. These partners should have a history of prior collaboration and a strong connection with the communities they intend to serve. Beyond this core partnership, a broader coalition of stakeholders — such as healthcare systems, payers, community groups — must be engaged to ensure interventions are feasible, sustainable, and scalable.
For organisations and researchers committed to improving cancer care equity, outcomes, and community-centered health delivery, the Cancer Partner PFA represents an exceptional chance to secure robust funding. It is both a platform to test innovative care models and a catalyst for building sustainable, community-driven health improvements across the cancer care continuum.
For more information, visit PCORI.
