AHRQ Health Services Research Dissertation Program (R36)

The AHRQ Health Services Research Dissertation Program (R36), administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is a federally funded initiative designed to support doctoral candidates undertaking dissertation research in health services. This grant is intended for individuals pursuing a research doctorate in fields such as health services research, behavioral sciences, nursing, social sciences, epidemiology, health policy, and related disciplines. AHRQ operates under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and seeks to improve healthcare delivery by funding research that supports its mission to make healthcare safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable, and affordable. The R36 program provides funding to support dissertation work that is aligned with AHRQ's priorities. These include improving patient safety, utilizing data and technology to enhance healthcare outcomes, and increasing accessibility and affordability through innovative service delivery and financing. The program emphasizes the importance of research that is relevant to key stakeholders, including patients, providers, administrators, policymakers, and payers. It also strongly encourages applicants to propose research that addresses health equity and the needs of AHRQ’s defined priority populations, such as racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ persons, and underserved communities. To be eligible, applicants must be U.S. citizens, non-citizen nationals, or permanent residents, and be full-time doctoral students at accredited institutions. They must have completed all non-dissertation requirements for their degree, including qualifying exams, and not hold more than part-time employment exceeding 20 hours per week. Institutions applying on behalf of candidates must be accredited doctoral-granting institutions within the United States. Foreign institutions and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply as primary applicants but may serve as subcontractors. The R36 grant allows up to the current National Research Service Award (NRSA) pre-doctoral stipend level for salary, along with up to $15,000 in direct costs for additional non-salary expenses. The grant term must be between 9 and 17 months, and indirect costs are capped at 8% of modified total direct costs. Awardees who are already supported through NRSA mechanisms (T32, F31, or F32) can only apply for the $15,000 in non-salary expenses. Funds can be used for tuition, data collection, equipment, supplies, and conference travel within the U.S., but not for costs such as consulting, renovations, or advisor salaries. The grant opportunity follows a recurring application cycle with deadlines on February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 annually through May 7, 2028. A Letter of Intent is requested 30 days prior to the submission deadline. The review process typically concludes four months after submission, with award start dates approximately four months thereafter. Applications must be submitted electronically via NIH ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, or institutional system-to-system solutions and conform strictly to both the SF424 (R&R) Application Guide and program-specific AHRQ guidelines. Evaluation criteria include the significance of the proposed research, the applicant’s potential, innovation, methodological approach, and the strength of the mentorship plan. Required documentation includes letters of support from the dissertation committee and the applicant, institutional certifications, biographical sketches, and copies of any data instruments. Applicants must demonstrate how their research will impact policy or practice and disseminate findings to both academic and non-academic audiences. Contact information for this opportunity includes Dr. Amy Chanlongbutra at Amornrat.Chanlongbutra@ahrq.hhs.gov or (301) 427-1542 for scientific inquiries, and Anna Caponiti at Anna.Caponiti@ahrq.hhs.gov or (301) 427-1402 for financial and grants management questions.

Ensure that institutional and dissertation committee certifications are complete; clearly demonstrate how research addresses AHRQ priorities and health equity.