Funding Opportunities from PCORI
At MMHLA, it’s our mission to advocate for national policies that provide universal, equitable, comprehensive, and compassionate mental health care during pregnancy and the year following pregnancy. The maternal mental health field needs data to inform policy solutions, which is why the funding of research projects is so critical to this work.
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) continues to be a national leader in providing funding opportunities to conduct both large and smaller community engagement projects—uplifting the entire maternal mental health field with qualitative and quantitative data.
New Funding Opportunities, Deadlines Approaching
#1: Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Research
PCORI seeks to fund high-quality comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) projects that focus on maternal morbidity and mortality. For this funding announcement, maternal health research is defined as follows: the study of the physical, mental, and social health of individuals related to pregnancy (preconception, pregnancy, childbirth, and the first year postpartum).
Important Dates:
January 18, 2024: Funding announcement virtual town hall meeting.
February 6, 2024: Letter of intent deadline.
Those interested in applying can also email sciencequestions@pcori.org with questions or request to speak with a PCORI Program Officer about this funding opportunity.
#2: Community Engagement Awards
PCORI seeks to fund community engagement projects that bring more patients, caregivers, clinicians, and other healthcare stakeholders into the research process. The goal is to support projects that will build a community better able to participate in patient-centered clinical effectiveness research (CER) and serve as channels to disseminate study results.
Funding for the Community Engagement Awards supports three types of activities:
Capacity Building
Dissemination
Stakeholder Convening.
Important Date:
April 4, 2024: Letter of intent deadline.
Webinar: What’s In-Store for 2024 & Beyond
Join this informational webinar to learn from PCORI’s executive leadership about:
Upcoming funding opportunities.
Ways PCORnet® can support your patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research.
How to share your experiences and knowledge through public input, advisory panels, and more.
When: February 7, 2024 at 2:00pm - 2:30pm EST
This webinar is ideal for researchers, patients, patient advocates and healthcare community members.
$20M for Perinatal Mental Health Study
In November 2023, PCORI announced $20 million for a 5-year project addressing maternal mental health. The Pathways to Perinatal Mental Health Equity research study will examine what happens when healthcare and community-based teams partner to deliver care for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
This project is being led by the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School and Postpartum Support International. MMHLA is also part of the research team participating in an advisory role.
Projects Addressing Maternal Mental Health
PCORI funds several large research projects addressing maternal mental health:
Advancing Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing: The DC Mother-Infant Behavioral Wellness Program. Learn More
Comparing Three Programs to Increase Access to Mental Health Care for Pregnant and Postpartum Patients. Learn More
Pathways to Perinatal Mental Health Equity. Learn More
Testing the Effectiveness of Adding Group Therapy to Home Visiting Services on Reducing Postpartum Depression in Women with Low Incomes. Learn More
PCORI also funds smaller Community Engagement Projects that bring more patients, caregivers, clinicians, and other healthcare stakeholders into the research process, including the following:
Building Community-Perinatal Quality Collaborative Partnerships to Share Knowledge & Reduce Disparities in Mental Health. Learn More
FAQs About PCORI
What is PCORI?
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, or PCORI for short, is an independent nonprofit organization created by Congress in 2010. PCORI is committed to ensuring that patients and other healthcare stakeholders have a seat at the table throughout the research process. They are widely acknowledged as a leader in driving U.S. clinical research to be more patient-centered.
What does PCORI do?
PCORI funds clinical comparative effective research (CER), which compares two or more medical treatments, services, or health practices to help patients and other stakeholders make better informed decisions. PCORI funds two types of programs: Community Engagement and Research. PCORI funds studies that can help patients and those who care for them make better-informed healthcare decisions.
PCORI focuses on Research Done Differently®. What does this mean?
PCORI funds efforts designed to help people make better informed healthcare decisions. Research funded by PCORI:
Engages patients and stakeholders throughout the research process.
Compares at least 2 health treatments, services or practices.
Focuses on questions most important to patients and those caring for them.
Aims to produce evidence that can be applied in practice settings.
What is PCORI’s impact?
Since 2010, PCORI has awarded more than $4 billion to fund over 2,400 research and related projects. Results from these efforts have been published in leading medical journals and have been taken up into clinical guidelines.
How can I learn more about PCORI’s work?
PCORI sends weekly emails about opportunities to apply for funding, newly funded research studies and engagement projects, results of funded research, webinars, and other new information.
What are PCORI’s priority topics?
PCORI lists 30 research areas of priority, including several that focus on women’s and/or mental health, including Maternal Mortality and Morbidity, Mental and Behavioral Health, and Women’s Health.
