Conducting Rural Health Research, Needs Assessments, and Program Evaluations – Funding & Opportunities
For additional funding options, please see RHIhub's Online Library: Funding & Opportunities
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
Application Deadline: Nov 6, 2029
Sponsors: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
PCORI Ambassador Program
A national volunteer network designed to engage the healthcare community in strengthening the patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) 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.
A national volunteer network designed to engage the healthcare community in strengthening the patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) 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
Applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Sponsor: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Cancer Health Research Centers (CHERCs)
Inactive
Funding to support the formation of Cancer Health Research Centers (CHERCs) which are designed to achieve improved cancer health outcomes and reduce cancer mortality. Access to healthcare in rural communities is a program priority.
Funding to support the formation of Cancer Health Research Centers (CHERCs) which are designed to achieve improved cancer health outcomes and reduce cancer mortality. Access to healthcare in rural communities is a program priority.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories
Letter of Intent (Required): Feb 9, 2026
Application Deadline: Jun 1, 2026
Sponsor: American Cancer Society
Letter of Intent (Required): Feb 9, 2026
Application Deadline: Jun 1, 2026
Sponsor: American Cancer Society
Emergency Medicine Foundation Pilot Research Grant
Inactive
Funding for pilot projects that impact emergency care research and are intended for a broad audience, including both clinical, translational, and basic science researchers.
Funding for pilot projects that impact emergency care research and are intended for a broad audience, including both clinical, translational, and basic science researchers.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Application Deadline: Dec 12, 2025
Sponsor: Emergency Medicine Foundation
Application Deadline: Dec 12, 2025
Sponsor: Emergency Medicine Foundation
NIH Extramural Loan Repayment Program
Inactive
Loan repayment assistance for researchers that are not employed by the NIH. Loan repayment awards are based on an applicant's potential to build and sustain a research career, not to support specific research.
Loan repayment assistance for researchers that are not employed by the NIH. Loan repayment awards are based on an applicant's potential to build and sustain a research career, not to support specific research.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. territories
Application Deadline: Nov 20, 2025
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Application Deadline: Nov 20, 2025
Sponsors: National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
VA Rural Health Career Development Award (RHCDA)
Inactive
Funding to support early career investigators in developing a research program focused on issues of relevance to rural veterans.
Funding to support early career investigators in developing a research program focused on issues of relevance to rural veterans.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Letter of Intent (Required): Oct 31, 2025
Application Deadline: Mar 6, 2026
Sponsors: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
Letter of Intent (Required): Oct 31, 2025
Application Deadline: Mar 6, 2026
Sponsors: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Funding: Broad Pragmatic Studies
Inactive
Funding for patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research designed to to improve patient care and health outcomes.
Funding for patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research designed to to improve patient care and health outcomes.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide
Letter of Intent (Required): Sep 23, 2025
Application Deadline: Jan 13, 2026
Sponsor: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Letter of Intent (Required): Sep 23, 2025
Application Deadline: Jan 13, 2026
Sponsor: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention Research
Inactive
Notice of Special Interest for research to improve understanding of the determinants of firearm injury; the identification of those at risk of firearm injury; the development, piloting, and testing of innovative interventions to prevent firearm injury and mortality; and the examination of approaches to improve the implementation of existing, evidence-based interventions to prevent firearm injury and mortality.
Notice of Special Interest for research to improve understanding of the determinants of firearm injury; the identification of those at risk of firearm injury; the development, piloting, and testing of innovative interventions to prevent firearm injury and mortality; and the examination of approaches to improve the implementation of existing, evidence-based interventions to prevent firearm injury and mortality.
Geographic coverage: Nationwide and U.S. Territories
Application Deadline: Sep 9, 2025
Sponsors: National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Application Deadline: Sep 9, 2025
Sponsors: National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Aging, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Last Updated: 1/28/2026