Clinical Trial & Research Network Kick-Start Grant

The Clinical Trial & Research Network Kick-Start Grant is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development in partnership with the Office of Transformation & Opportunity. This initiative is designed to strengthen Pennsylvania’s position in the life sciences sector by establishing a coordinated, statewide clinical research infrastructure. The program recognizes that clinical trials are essential to advancing medical innovation but are often hindered by high costs, fragmented systems, and operational inefficiencies. By supporting early-stage planning efforts, the grant aims to reduce barriers to conducting clinical trials and improve collaboration among healthcare stakeholders across the Commonwealth. The primary purpose of the grant is to fund the planning phase for a Clinical Trial & Research Network. This network is envisioned as a collaborative system of organizations that share clinical trial data, standardize procedures, and coordinate patient recruitment and study execution across multiple institutions. Applicants are required to propose a comprehensive strategy that aligns Pennsylvania’s Academic Medical Centers around three core priorities: data sharing, streamlining multicenter clinical trials, and establishing an effective governance structure. These planning activities are intended to lay the foundation for a more efficient and inclusive clinical trial ecosystem in the state. Funding under this program is limited to a single award of up to 1,000,000 dollars, with the final amount determined based on proposal quality and program needs. Eligible uses of funds include personnel expenses directly tied to the project, such as salaries and fringe benefits, as well as necessary supplies and operational resources required to complete planning activities. Certain costs are explicitly prohibited, including capital expenditures like real estate acquisition, construction, major equipment purchases, and lobbying or patent-related expenses. All expenditures must be documented and must directly support the project’s objectives. Eligibility is restricted to organizations operating within Pennsylvania that are active participants in the healthcare or life sciences ecosystem. Applicants must be either academic organizations, including Academic Medical Centers and higher education institutions, or nonprofit organizations. A critical requirement is the formation of a coalition: applicants must recruit at least one partner organization to collaborate on the proposed project. Additional partners may include academic institutions, nonprofits, for-profit entities, and municipalities. Collaboration is a central evaluation factor, and applicants are strongly encouraged to build diverse and robust partnerships that demonstrate long-term viability. The application process requires submission through the Pennsylvania Electronic Single Application system. Applicants must include extensive supplemental materials, such as coalition information, a collaboration statement, a grant management plan, a detailed strategy proposal, and a comprehensive budget. The strategy proposal is particularly important and must address barriers to collaboration, proposed solutions, governance recommendations, and measurable outcomes. Evaluation criteria include the strength and size of the coalition, feasibility of the proposed strategy, governance structure, and potential for sustained collaboration beyond the grant period. The application window opens on May 1, 2026, and closes on June 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Only complete applications submitted by the deadline will be considered. Following submission, applications are competitively reviewed, and selected applicants may be asked to provide additional information or participate in interviews. Awards are distributed on a reimbursement basis, requiring recipients to incur eligible expenses before requesting payment. Grantees must maintain detailed records and submit periodic progress reports, including quarterly updates and a final closeout report. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant, although applicants are encouraged to demonstrate additional funding sources to strengthen their proposal. The program is not explicitly stated as recurring, and no future cycles are guaranteed. The grant period, reporting requirements, and compliance obligations will be outlined in the grant agreement issued to the selected applicant. For inquiries, applicants may contact representatives from the Department of Community and Economic Development or the Office of Transformation & Opportunity via the provided email addresses.

Strongly emphasize coalition size and diversity; clearly define partner roles; demonstrate feasibility and long-term sustainability; provide detailed governance and implementation strategy; align closely with evaluation criteria