Proposals will be reviewed and scored by the NPCRC Scientific Review Committee (SRC). The SRC is composed of internationally prominent scientists with expertise in palliative care, patient-oriented research, health services research, communication, research design, epidemiology, and biostatistics.

The SRC will convene annually to review pilot/exploratory grant applications and career development award applications in two separate sessions. Reviewers in conflict with an application (i.e. PI on a proposal being reviewed; consultant; or mentor of a career development award applicant) will be excused entirely from the session that the proposal is reviewed in, but may still participate in the remaining session.

The SRC's application scores, comments, and funding recommendations will be forwarded to the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) who will make the final decision regarding funding and allocation of Center resources. The SAB will base its funding decisions on the SRC recommendations, investigator status and productivity, the scientific contribution of the proposed work, the match with the Center's themes, alternative sources of support, potential for collaborative research with Center investigators, and the likelihood of progression to externally and federally funded research. Applications focusing on underrepresented minorities will receive high priority.