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Rural Health Information Hub

Conducting Rural Health Research, Needs Assessment, and Program Evaluation – Funding & Opportunities

For additional funding options, please see RHIhub's Online Library: Funding & Opportunities

Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Data Informed, Place-Based Community-Engaged Research to Advance Health Equity
Notice of Special Interest for community-engaged research that leverages geospatial data to probe the influence of geographic factors on disease development and health outcomes. The program goal is to use place-based research to help advance health equity in different communities, including rural communities.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories
Application Deadline: Jan 8, 2027
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health
Understanding the Impact of Healthcare System and Clinician Factors on Disparities in Maternal Morbidity and Mortality (R01 - Clinical Trial Optional)
Funding for multidisciplinary and innovative intervention research to understand and address maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States. Populations of focus include racial and ethnic minorities, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and underserved rural populations, with a focus on understudied healthcare factors.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories
Application Deadline: Jan 8, 2027
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health
AHRQ Small Research Projects to Advance the Science of Primary Care (R03)
Funding to support small research projects that advance the role and capacity of primary care to increase the value and quality of care and improve patient outcomes and population health. Rural populations are among the priority populations.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Mar 19, 2027
Sponsors: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Long-Term Effects of Disasters on Health Care Systems Serving Health Disparity Populations (R01- Clinical Trial Optional)
Grants for research focused on understanding the long-term effects of natural and/or human-made disasters on healthcare systems serving health disparity populations. Health disparity populations include, but are not limited to, American Indians, Alaska Natives, and underserved rural populations.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: May 7, 2027
Sponsors: National Cancer Institute, National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
AHRQ Health Services Research Demonstration and Dissemination Grants (R18)
Supports the dissemination and implementation of research projects related to AHRQ's mission to produce evidence to make healthcare safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable. AHRQ's priorities include an interest in frontier and rural healthcare delivery.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: May 26, 2029
Sponsors: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
AHRQ Health Services Research Projects (R01)
Support for specified health services research projects related to AHRQ's mission to produce evidence to make healthcare safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable. AHRQ's priorities include an interest in rural and frontier healthcare delivery.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Jul 6, 2029
Sponsors: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
AHRQ Small Health Services Research Grant Program (R03)
Supports different types of health services research projects, including pilot and feasibility studies; secondary analysis of existing data; small, self-contained research projects; development of research methodology; and development of new research technology. Rural and frontier areas are considered a priority population.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Jul 17, 2029
Sponsors: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Research to Advance the Science of Primary Care (R01)
Funding to support research projects that advance the understanding of the role, capacity, and value of primary care to improve patient outcomes and population health.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Nov 6, 2029
Sponsors: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Mercer University School of Medicine Ph.D. in Rural Health Sciences Stipend and Assistantship Opportunity
Stipend, tuition waiver, and assistantship opportunity while working on a Ph.D. in Rural Health Sciences at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia. The program is designed to prepare students for research careers focused on improving the health of rural areas using multidisciplinary approaches.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Mercer University School of Medicine
PCORI Ambassador Program
A national volunteer network designed to engage healthcare stakeholders in strengthening the patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) community and increasing the dissemination of PCORI-funded​ research. PCORI supports research to give patients a better understanding of the prevention, treatment and care options available while considering potential for differences in treatment effectiveness among subpopulations, such as rural residents.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute

Last Updated: 5/21/2024