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Scientist Development Award

Rheumatology Research Foundation

Support for individuals in the early stages of their career or those without significant prior research experience.

Purpose
Encourage rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals to pursue innovative research ideas

Award Amount
Up to $225,000

Award Term
Up to 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.

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

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 by the start of the award term have completed at least one year of training in an ACGME accredited rheumatology training program.

• Individuals more than 4 years from the beginning of fellowship (or 5 years for pediatric rheumatologists) at the time of application 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 by the time of award start.

• Must be within 3 years of terminal degree at the time of application.

 * 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 be affiliated with an accredited graduate or medical school.

 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 of full-time professional effort will be spent on the Foundation funded project.

 Receive acceptance by a mentor who will oversee the training and research experience.

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

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

 Individual may not apply for more than one Scientist Development Award per funding cycle.

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

 Investigators interested in using data from the ACR’s RISE registry as part of their proposed research project must have their data use request approved before applying for funding.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Rheumatology Research Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

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

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