The "Stand with AHRQ Toolkit" is designed to empower and equip our community with the necessary tools to advocate for collaborative reforms between the Administration, Congress, and stakeholders involving the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). This comprehensive resource includes:

  • Urgent Calls to Action
  • Instructions for Contacting Congress
  • Email Template
  • Messaging Guidance
  • Sample Social Media Posts
  • Social Media Images
  • Other Resources

Urgent Calls to Action: Canceled AHRQ Grants

In July 2026, researchers across the country began receiving official notices from AHRQ informing them that continuation funding for their grants would not be awarded. While many investigators had already gone months without receiving expected funding, these are the first formal notifications that ongoing projects are effectively being ended. AcademyHealth is actively collecting information from researchers nationwide to understand the full scope of these actions.

Learn more about canceled grants, affected funding, and the real-world impact that this will have in AcademyHealth’s Research Interrupted tracking site.

We are asking our community to take action in the following ways:

  1. If you received a notice that your AHRQ grant has been affected, we encourage you to contact us at [email protected].

If you’re willing, include:

  • Your grant number
  • Your institution
  • The date you received the notice
  • A copy of the notice

Every report helps us better understand the scope of these actions and strengthens our ability to advocate on behalf of the research community.

2. Share our Substack article about the grant cancelations with colleagues who may not yet know what’s happening.

3. Subscribe to AcademyHealth’s Situation Report Substack for the most recent updates.

4. Support AcademyHealth’s advocacy efforts with a donation so we can continue responding rapidly when the evidence ecosystem is under threat.

5. Use Your Voice - Contact Your Representatives

This moment calls for the health services research community to speak with one voice. The most impactful action you can take to support researchers who have been affected by grant cancelations is to directly contact your congressional representatives.

Instructions for Contacting Congress

  1. Call your congressional office. Utilize your representatives' direct phone numbers instead of going through the U.S. Congress operator line. You can find these numbers on your congressional leader's website. Find your representative here. Find your senator here.
     
  2. Ask for the health staffer's email address. Once connected, request the contact information for the health policy staffer to ensure your message reaches the right person.
     
  3. Email the health staffer with messaging from below. Use the prepared messages to succinctly communicate the importance of collaboration between Congress and stakeholders to preserve AHRQ’s vital contributions to national health.

Email Template

Subject: Please Protect AHRQ Research

Dear [Senator/Representative],

I am writing as a constituent to express my concern about recent actions affecting research funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Researchers across the country are receiving notices that continuation funding for ongoing projects is being canceled, despite Congress appropriating funding for the agency.

AHRQ-supported research helps improve patient safety, reduce health care costs, expand access to care, and ensure that clinicians have the evidence they need to deliver high-quality care. These projects are not abstract academic exercises—they directly improve the health care Americans receive every day.
I urge you to conduct oversight of these actions, seek transparency regarding the scope of the cancellations, and ensure that the funding Congress appropriated for AHRQ is used consistently with the law and congressional intent.

Thank you for your leadership and your attention to this issue.

Messaging Guidance

Customize your email or phone call to Congress using the following focus areas, key messages, and supporting details.

Focus AreaKey MessageSupporting Details
Cost Savings  AHRQ initiatives have led to significant financial savings in healthcare systems. 
  • Maryland/D.C. health system reduced safety-related costs by $70 million in five years through AHRQ strategies.  
  • Tennessee hospitals saved $17 million by reducing readmissions and safety events.
  • Chicago hospital saved $500,000 by eliminating catheter-related infections. 
Patient Safety AHRQ plays a vital role in enhancing patient safety across the nation, reducing serious safety events and preventing infections. 
  • AHRQ strategies reduced serious safety events by 65% in a Maryland/D.C. health system.  
  • Achieved zero catheter-related infections in a Chicago hospital using AHRQ strategies.
  • Reduced patient falls by 25% in a Mississippi medical center, saving approximately $238,000. 
Chronic Diseases AHRQ is a key player in reducing the burden of chronic diseases, providing evidence-based insights to improve health outcomes and care quality. 
  • AHRQ funds research on root causes of poor health, such as nutrition and access to care, to inform preventive measures.  
  • Supports studies on primary care spending and the impact of Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visit, highlighting areas for financial efficiency and improved preventive services.  
  • Guides healthcare professionals with evidence-based resources on managing chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes. 
Rural Health AHRQ is dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare challenges faced by rural Americans, making healthcare more accessible and equitable. 
  • AHRQ identifies and tackles rural healthcare disparities, such as limited OB-GYN access, through research and reports.  
  • Supports telehealth innovations like Project ECHO to enhance healthcare access and expertise in rural areas, including tackling issues like diabetes and opioid use disorder.  
  • Works to address rural hospital closures and evaluate alternative care models to ensure continued access and quality of care for rural communities. 
Opioid Crisis AHRQ addresses the opioid crisis through research and initiatives aimed at reducing opioid-related deaths and improving treatment in rural areas. 
  • Supports innovations like Project ECHO to train rural doctors in new opioid treatment methods, enhancing their ability to manage patients with opioid use disorder.  
  • Evaluates effective opioid intervention strategies, including combining talk therapy with medication, to improve recovery outcomes in resource-limited rural settings.  
  • Researches barriers to accessing opioid treatment to inform policy and program improvements. 
Health Services Research AHRQ supports essential HSR, which evaluates and improves healthcare delivery to make it safer, more effective, and cost-efficient. 
  • HSR examines the structure and delivery of healthcare, impacting both quality and cost outcomes.  
  • AHRQ has saved healthcare systems over $12 billion by implementing evidence-based improvements.  
  • HSR translates scientific innovations into practical care, addressing pressing healthcare challenges. 

Sample Social Media Posts

Bluesky/X:

  1. AHRQ grants that help hospitals prevent infections, improve patient safety, and reduce unnecessary health care costs are being canceled across the country. Join me in urging your reps to protect this vital research. Learn more here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ahsituationreport/p/ahrq-has-begun-canceling-research?r=8azy3&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web 
     
  2. AHRQ grants across the country are being canceled, even though Congress appropriated funding for this year. You can take action by contacting your reps and urge them to use their power to protect this research. Learn more here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ahsituationreport/p/ahrq-has-begun-canceling-research?r=8azy3&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web 
     
  3. Research grants that protect patients and make hospitals safer are being canceled, jeopardizing the health of all Americans. Join me by calling your reps to urge them to use Congressional oversight to reinstate this funding. Learn more here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ahsituationreport/p/ahrq-has-begun-canceling-research?r=8azy3&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web 

LinkedIn/Facebook:

  1. This past month, over 100 AHRQ grants have been canceled across 28 states. These grants supported research to improve patient safety, reduce hospital infections, train the next generation of health services researchers, and more.

    Without this research, patients lose opportunities for better care, health systems lose evidence they need to improve, researchers lose years of work, and taxpayers lose the return on investments Congress has already made. Join me in urging your reps to protect this vital research. Learn more here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ahsituationreport/p/ahrq-has-begun-canceling-research?r=8azy3&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web 

  2. This past month, researchers across the country began receiving official notices from AHRQ informing them that continuation funding for their grants will not be awarded. Without this research, patients will lose opportunities for better care, health systems will lose evidence they need to improve, and researchers will lose years of work.

    You can help. Contact your reps to urge them to use Congressional oversight to reinstate this funding. Learn more here: https://open.substack.com/pub/ahsituationreport/p/ahrq-has-begun-canceling-research?r=8azy3&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web 

    Has your AHRQ grant been affected? Contact [email protected] so we can advocate on behalf of the community.

Social Media Images

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Other Resources

AcademyHealth Blog Posts

One-Pagers

AcademyHealth has developed one-pagers that are free to use in your advocacy and education efforts for AHRQ:

News Articles