Policy Research Grants FAQ's
Why is NIHCM making this research support available?
NIHCM Foundation wishes to support innovative, solutions-oriented, investigator-initiated policy research that builds the evidence base and has the potential to inform strategies that improve the affordability, accessibility, and quality of health care in the US. Funded projects should produce new insights, data analysis, and evidence that are relevant to health plans, policymakers, health care delivery systems, and/or related stakeholders. All proposals should be geared towards improving the value of health care in the US.
This grant program does not fund pilot projects, studies involving direct patient care, or clinical, bench-science research.
Are there specific topic areas of interest?
Yes. Please see the call for applications for more details on the specific areas of interest. We are inviting letters of inquiry for projects that examine the key drivers and implications of rising health care spending, with a focus on costs, affordability, quality, and access. We are particularly seeking solutions-oriented health care research that evaluates or informs public and private sector strategies and policies, including at the state and federal levels. All proposals should be geared towards improving the value of health care in the US.
How much support will be available?
NIHCM is making a total of $500,000 available for the 2026-2027 Policy Research Grant cycle, with most individual grants awarded in the $50,000 range. We will be assessing the efficiency of the proposed budget relative to the expected impact and project scope. Awards made in prior years have been highly competitive on price, and this focus will continue.
Who may apply for these grants?
We welcome applications from individual researchers as well as from all types of organizations and institutions, including both nonprofit and for-profit entities. Multiple organizations may apply jointly, but one must be named as the principal organization, and others will have a subcontract relationship with that organization. There is no limit on the number of project ideas that may be submitted by a given researcher, organization, or academic department.
What timeframe is expected for the funded studies?
Applications will be judged on their potential to produce timely results. Projects that can be completed within one year are preferred, but studies requiring a longer timeframe may be proposed. Applicants with longer-term studies should consider the feasibility of organizing their work so as to yield interim findings and products that will maximize study impact.
Projects would normally begin in January 2027 unless there is a reason to delay the start (e.g., availability of data or key personnel). We understand that an extensive period of peer review and revisions is expected prior to final publication in academic journals. Submission of grant manuscripts to journals to initiate this peer review process is sufficient to mark the end of the grant’s active performance period.
What is the application process and timeline?
The awards will be made using the following process:
- All interested researchers are required to submit an initial letter of inquiry (LOI) for their proposed study by 5:00 PM EDT on June 8, 2026. Applications are welcome at any time prior to that deadline. LOIs must be submitted using NIHCM's online entry system and must conform to the required structure.
- Full (10-page) proposals will be invited from a small number of applicants in August and will be due in late August 2026. Other applicants will be subsequently notified regarding the status of their LOI submissions.
- NIHCM will notify grant winners in December 2026, for project start dates as early as January 2027.
How do I submit a letter of inquiry (LOI)? What information must be included?
Letters of inquiry must be submitted via NIHCM’s online entry system by 5:00 PM EDT on June 8, 2026. In addition to entering basic information about the Principal Investigator and the project, you will also provide a 150-word summary of the proposed work and upload a detailed narrative description of the proposed study. Narrative descriptions are limited to no more than 1000 words and must present information using the required structure.
You may complete your submission in stages if needed. The status of your application will show as "In progress" until you complete your submission.
What happens after an LOI is submitted?
After you submit the LOI, the status on your Submission Dashboard will change from "In progress" to "Submitted." A confirmation email will also be sent to the Principal Investigator stating that the LOI has been submitted.
What types of expenses are permitted in the project budget?
Allowable direct costs include salaries and fringe benefits for project personnel and the direct costs of data, supplies, other incidental expenses, and any subcontracts required to conduct the project. Domestic travel for the purpose of sharing results with policymakers and researchers at professional conferences and other venues is a permissible expense. Costs for items such as rent, utilities, and other costs of doing business must be included as part of overhead and not billed separately as a direct cost. Indirect costs (overhead) are limited to 12 percent of the budget, excluding any subcontracts. Your expected overhead charges (up to the 12 percent limit) should be included in the anticipated budget figure that you provide as part of the initial letter of inquiry. NIHCM will not cover expenditures for patient care, case management services, capital purchases including computers, international travel, or lobbying. Additionally, NIHCM will not accept a budget that includes an additional “fee” beyond the labor expenses, other direct costs, and overhead.
Who should I contact about the Policy Research Grants?
For questions related to the Policy Research Grant program, please contact Cait Ellis at cellis@nihcm.org using "Policy Research Grant Question" in the subject line. For technical questions about the entry system, please contact Mikayla Thompson at mthompson@nihcm.org.