On Contracts: Strategies to Develop that Winning Application

As a young organization, one of the challenges we face is helping various communities connect with us. PCORI has regularly conducted outreach events centered on research methods and patient engagement, but a July workshop held in Washington, DC, was the first to address the administrative processes central to our funding opportunities. That event was designed specifically for project administrators for organizations. On September 22 to 23, we will host our second “Getting to Know PCORI: From Application to Closeout” workshop, this time in San Diego, California. It will include principal investigators and patients and other healthcare stakeholders, as well as administrators. Register now to secure your spot for this free event.

In response to applicant feedback, we have improved our funding announcements and enhanced our online system, yet we still receive proposals that miss the mark. Accordingly, in the Getting to Know PCORI workshops, we’ve created an opportunity where you will learn tips and tools on how best to hit that mark. Feedback from the July workshop was overwhelmingly positive, with some attendees saying that it was the most beneficial grants and contracts workshop that they had attended.

The interactive workshop led by our staff will offer an overview of:

• PCORI
• Our funding announcements
• Our application process and requirements
• Patient-centeredness and patient engagement
• PCORI's Methodology Standards
• Our merit review process
• Award and contract activation

Building on the success of our inaugural workshop, we have added several features:

• An enhanced “Voices of Experience” panel of PCORI awardees, including research administrators as well as principal investigators
• A new panel on patient engagement that includes a project team with patient-partner stakeholders
• Sessions on application preparation covering how to align your proposal with our National Priorities, how to integrate our Methodology Standards into your proposal, and PCORI’s evolving strategies for communication and dissemination

The workshop will provide opportunities to meet PCORI staff, ask questions, obtain resources, and network with other participants.

The “Getting to Know PCORI” workshop is about building bridges for us to connect with both new and previous applicants to help them better understand who we are and what we fund. It is about explaining why patient-centeredness and patient engagement play such an integral role in the research application. It is about describing the difference between a contract and a grant. And most importantly, it is about creating a dialogue that further supports PCORI’s mission to advance patient-centered research. Join us in San Diego, September 22 to 23—you’ll be glad that you did!

Solomon is Director of PCORI’s Contracts Management and Administration Department
Scott is the Communications Manager of PCORI’s Contracts Management and Administration Department