Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)-sponsored National Research Service Award (NRSA)Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) | PA 17 481

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): AHRQ NRSA Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) - PA-17-481

What is this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is the AHRQ-sponsored National Research Service Award (NRSA) Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32), Funding Opportunity Number PA-17-481 (CFDA 93.225). It is a discretionary grant program that supports individual postdoctoral researchers through a structured fellowship focused on research training and career development in health services research.

Who administers the fellowship?

The fellowship is administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

What is the primary purpose of the F32 under this announcement?

The core purpose is training-focused: to support promising postdoctoral candidates who are building advanced research skills and preparing to become independent investigators in health services research. The research project is expected to function as the vehicle for training rather than being the sole purpose of the award.

How should an applicant align their proposal with AHRQ priorities?

AHRQ is looking for applicants whose research interests align with the agency mission and priority areas in health services research. Proposals should connect clearly to improving the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care delivery and outcomes.

Is this grant intended to fund a standalone research project?

No. The opportunity is oriented toward strengthening the postdoctoral trainee's research capabilities. While a research plan is part of the application, it is described as serving as the vehicle for the training plan and overall career development.

What types of plans are generally expected in an application?

Applicants generally need to propose a well-justified training plan alongside a research plan. The training plan may include elements such as mentorship, methods training, and career development activities. The overall intent is to help the fellow develop a trajectory toward research independence.

What kinds of skills or competencies is the fellowship intended to build?

The fellowship is intended to support competency development relevant to health services research careers. Examples mentioned include study design, analytics, responsible conduct of research, dissemination, and other skills that support the transition toward independent investigation.

What is the funding instrument used for this opportunity?

This opportunity uses the grant funding instrument.

Who applies: the individual fellow or an organization?

The opportunity supports an eligible individual fellow, but U.S.-based organizations may apply on behalf of that individual. In other words, an eligible organization serves as the applicant entity for the fellowship.

What types of organizations are eligible to apply?

A range of U.S.-based organizations may apply, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits).

Are minority-serving and Tribal-serving institutions included as eligible applicants?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly recognizes several categories of institutions as eligible applicants, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs).

What does it mean that "Others" are listed as eligible applicant types?

The extract indicates that an "Others" category is listed among eligible applicant types. This suggests additional organization types may qualify depending on the detailed eligibility rules in the full funding opportunity announcement.

Are non-U.S. (foreign) institutions eligible to apply?

No. Eligibility is restricted to domestic entities. Non-U.S. (foreign) institutions are not eligible to apply.

Can a non-domestic component of a U.S. organization apply?

No. Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are also not eligible to apply.

Can foreign collaborators participate in any way?

Yes, but only in a limited way as described in the extract. Foreign components (as defined under the HHS Grants Policy Statement) may participate through mechanisms such as consortia arrangements or as subcontractors, if structured appropriately and allowed under HHS policy and the terms of the announcement.

Does the training environment need to be U.S.-based?

Based on the domestic-entity restriction described, the main applicant organization and primary training environment must be U.S.-based, even if certain aspects of the work include international collaborators through allowable arrangements.

When was this opportunity created?

The source data provided indicates the opportunity was created on 2017-09-12.

What is the listed closing date?

The extract lists an original closing date of 2022-08-08.

What is the award ceiling for this fellowship?

The award ceiling is not specified in the provided extract. Budget limits and related policies would need to be confirmed in the full funding opportunity text.

How many awards are expected to be made?

The expected number of awards is not specified in the provided extract. Prospective applicants would need to consult the full announcement for this information, if provided there.

Where can applicants find details like duration, allowable costs, or NRSA-related policies (stipend/tuition)?

The extract indicates those details are not included here. Applicants would need to consult the full funding opportunity announcement for budget limits, duration, allowable costs, stipend and tuition policies (common to NRSA mechanisms), and any AHRQ-specific requirements.

How should this fellowship be described in plain terms?

Overall, it is best understood as a career development and research training pathway for postdoctoral scholars committed to becoming independent health services researchers, with an expectation that the proposed work and training environment will directly support that transition.