+ More Filters

Reset Filters

Title

Funding Organization

Funding Type

Eligible Country

Deadline

Other (Select all that apply)

Show Expired Programs

Show Verified Programs

Verified

Investigator Award

Rheumatology Research Foundation

Support for junior investigators to conduct innovative research

Purpose
Encourage junior investigators in the period between completing post-doctoral fellowship training; while being competitive for more significant funding and establishing themselves as independent investigators

Award Amount
$375,000

Award Term
3 Years

Letter of Intent
In order to help recruit the most appropriate peer reviewers and assist with study section assignments, applicants are required to submit a brief, non-binding Letter of Intent to the Foundation by July 1, 2025. Submit here

Notice of Special Interest - LRA/RRF Empowering Lupus Research Partnership
This cycle, in partnership with the Lupus Research Alliance (LRA), the Rheumatology Research Foundation (RRF) is pleased to issue a notice of special interest (NOSI) to highlight the availability of funds aimed towards driving the discovery and development of next generation lupus diagnostics and curative treatments. Please note that this NOSI complements but does not replace the RRF’s annual programs. Funded projects via this partnership will be in addition to those funded via the standard Scientist Development Award and Investigator Award.

Application Deadline
August 1, 2025 by 5 PM ET

AI Based Application Success Predictor

Key Predictors of RRF Grant Success

1. Rigorous NIH-modeled peer review

RRF follows an NIH-style peer review. Applications are scored by expert reviewers based on rigor, innovation, feasibility, and overall impact. Funds are allocated after further ranking and approval by its Scientific Advisory Council and Board .

2. Strong track record and institutional environment

A solid research history—with publications and past funding—indicates capability and enhances competitiveness.

Supportive labs/institutions with robust infrastructure signal readiness for high-impact work .

3. Emphasis on early– and mid‑career investigators

Programs like the Scientist Development Award and Career Development Awards cater to emerging researchers—and have a high conversion rate to NIH K awards .

Bridge awards provide support to those who narrowly missed NIH paylines—15 out of 19 recipients later secured K funding .

4. High-risk/high‑reward (innovative) science

RRF explicitly funds innovative, translational, and collaborative projects that may not yet attract NIH funding .

5. Alignment with strategic mission: workforce & discovery

Supports workforce development (e.g., fellowships, training) alongside pioneering research.

Publishing benchmarks (e.g., 70% of their awardees receive follow-on funding; most remain in academia) indicate a strong emphasis on sustained research impact

🛠 Tips for Crafting a Winning Application

Highlight past outcomes
Emphasize relevant publications, presentations, prior funding, and lab resources.

Clearly articulate innovation & impact
Explain how your work is novel, translational, and fills research gaps.

Demonstrate sustainable career growth
Detail mentorship plans, career development strategy, and how this award propels you toward NIH grants or leadership roles.

If eligible, consider bridge funding
Show how bridge support will elevate your proposal to NIH standards.

Align with RRF’s dual mission
Emphasize training elements (for fellows, nurse practitioners, etc.) as well as discovery goals.

📊 Why These Predictors Matter

Success Factor	Rationale
Peer review rigor	Ensures fair, high-standard assessment
Investigator/institution strength	Reflects capacity to deliver on proposals
Career-stage focus	Helps sustain rheumatology research pipeline
Funding innovation	Supports breakthrough science
Workforce-research integration	Builds a future-ready research ecosystem

✅ Take-Home Message

To maximize your chance with RRF grants:

Establish a solid research track record.

Focus on high-impact, innovative ideas.

Showcase institutional backing and mentorship.

Align your project with both career development and broader mission goals.

Specialties

Rheumatology

Eligibility Requirements

 Applicant must meet all eligibility requirements as outlined in the Awards and Grants Policies.

 Applicant must be an ACR or ARP member at the time of submission and for the duration of the award.

ACR members must meet the following criteria:

• Have earned a DO or MD degree and who have completed a Rheumatology fellowship.

• Individuals more than 8 years from the beginning of fellowship (or 9 years for pediatric rheumatologists) at the time of award start date may not apply.

• MDs and DOs who are not licensed to perform clinical care may not apply.

ARP members must meet the following criteria:

Have earned a PhD*, DSc, or equivalent doctoral degree.

• Must be within 6 years of terminal degree at the time of award start date.

 * Non-MD/DOs submitting basic science projects must clearly demonstrate direct applicability to rheumatic diseases, relevance to the Foundation’s mission and demonstrate a clear future career path in the field of rheumatology.

 Applicant must have a faculty appointment (e.g. instructor, assistant professor) at the time of the application, and a firm institutional commitment to support the applicant’s academic career for the duration of the award.

 Applicant must be able to commit a minimum of 75 percent full-time professional effort to research, academic career development, and other research related activities. Candidates may not spend more than 25 percent in clinical and/or teaching activities. It is expected that about 50 percent full-time professional effort will be spent on the Foundation Funded project.

 Former or current recipients of research grants at the K level or higher (excluding institutional K12, KL2 or equivalent) and past awardees of this or equivalent Foundation grants or NIH intramural awards are NOT eligible to apply.

 Individuals at the NIH, FDA and CDC are NOT eligible to apply

 Applicant may not apply for the Scientist Development Award in the same funding cycle.

 Individuals may not apply for more than one Investigator Award per funding cycle.

 Applicant is not eligible to receive funding from the Foundation’s Career Development Bridge Funding Awards during the Investigator Award term.

 Investigators interested in using data from the ACR’s RISE registry as part of their proposed research project need to get their data use request approved before applying for funding. Please visit RISE for Research for more information on RISE data.

Patient and community engagement can enhance the quality of research questions being asked and the ability of investigators to get answers. Therefore, the Foundation strongly encourages scientists of all levels to collaborate whenever possible with the people who will participate in and benefit from their studies. This applies not only to patient-oriented research, but also to studies relying on clinical or observational datasets or other resources.

The Foundation is sensitive that life and professional challenges may arise. Applicants or awardees may contact the Foundation to request reasonable accommodations to eligibility criteria, award terms, award policies, application deadlines, extensions, etc. when needed. All requests are subject to review and approval by the Scientific Advisory Council.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Rheumatology Research Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 2200 Lake Boulevard NE | Atlanta, GA 30319 | (404) 365-1373

Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer

Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.

Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.

Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.

Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.

Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.

Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.

Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.

View Funding Opportunity