R3 2026 Grantees

The Foundation is thrilled to announce the newest recipients of the R3 Grant Program. This initiative provides up to $88,000 for 18-month research projects, empowering past or current Donaghue grantees to scale, implement, or spread the impact of their previously funded research. Recognizing that research teams may not have expertise in all areas required for successful translation, applicants partner with consultants who specialize in dissemination, implementation, stakeholder engagement, business strategy, and culturally grounded communication

Sarah Emond, MPP; Catherine Koola Fischer, MPH | Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) | “Strengthening the Patient Voice in Cost-Effectiveness Research”

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) is advancing efforts to make cost-effectiveness research more transparent, accessible, and responsive to patient perspectives. Building on prior Donaghue-supported work that established ICER’s Patient Council and patient-friendly communication tools, this R3 project expands earlier research focused on improving patient engagement in health technology assessment. The initiative centers on developing new educational resources and structured opportunities for patients to engage directly in economic modeling discussions, addressing longstanding barriers such as the technical complexity of health economic analyses and limited training resources for patient communities.

Through this next phase of work, ICER will translate lessons learned from its previous research into scalable tools that support meaningful patient participation in value-based decision-making. The project will pilot new engagement strategies, develop accessible health economics materials, and strengthen trust in cost-effectiveness research while advancing Donaghue’s commitment to practical, patient-centered innovation.

Elizabeth Sutton, PhD | Women’s Hospital | “Her Health Program Sustainability”

Dr. Elizabeth Sutton’s R3 project focuses on sustaining and scaling the Her Health Program, a community health worker–supported model designed to improve maternal health outcomes by addressing relational and social drivers of care. Building on findings from an ongoing randomized controlled trial and earlier program development work, this project moves the research toward long-term implementation by developing an operational and financial pathway that enables health systems to maintain and expand the program beyond the research phase.

Through stakeholder engagement, financial modeling, and collaboration with external consultants, the team will translate prior research insights into a practical business case for integrating this model into routine clinical care. Emphasizing reimbursement strategies, cross-sector partnerships, and real-world adoption, the project positions the program for broader dissemination while advancing Donaghue’s commitment to sustainable, patient-centered healthcare improvements.