Reproductive Scientist Development Program (RSDP) (K12 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) | RFA HD 23 012

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 23 012

The Reproductive Scientist Development Program (RSDP) (K12 Clinical Trial Not Allowed) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) training and career development grant opportunity administered through the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). It is a re-competition funding announcement (RFA HD 23 012) intended to continue and strengthen a longstanding national program designed to develop the next generation of physician-scientists in obstetrics and gynecology. Unlike many K12 institutional career development programs that are housed within a single university or medical center, the RSDP is structured as a national network that connects scholars with a broad, coordinated community of mentors and peers across institutions. The emphasis is on building a pipeline of academic obstetrician-gynecologists who can translate modern scientific advances into better clinical care and ultimately become independent investigators.

The central purpose of the program is to provide protected career development support for obstetricians and gynecologists who have completed their clinical training and are committed to conducting basic science research in an academic environment. In practice, this means the program is aimed at clinicians who are ready to pivot strongly toward research and need a structured mentored period to deepen scientific skills, generate publishable findings, and position themselves competitively for independent NIH funding later on. The long-term goal is field-level: strengthening obstetrics and gynecology and its subspecialties by ensuring that clinically trained physicians are equipped to bring contemporary biomedical discoveries back into reproductive health practice and to lead research programs that advance the discipline.

This opportunity uses the NIH grant mechanism and falls under the broad federal assistance category of Health, Income Security and Social Services, with CFDA listing 93.865. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity is a discretionary funding program. The notice specifies that clinical trials are not allowed under this K12, signaling that supported activities should align with non-clinical-trial research and career development consistent with the program's basic science focus. The original application closing date listed for this competition was November 30, 2022, and the award ceiling shown is $920,000. The announcement was created on August 10, 2022.

Eligibility is broad in terms of the types of organizations that can apply, reflecting an intent to build and sustain a nationwide consortium rather than limiting the program to a narrow set of academic hubs. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, and Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments. Nonprofit organizations are eligible whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not institutions of higher education, and the listing also includes an "Other" category that typically captures additional domestic entities allowed under NIH rules for this mechanism.

The funding announcement also explicitly calls out several categories of institutions and organizations as eligible, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible agencies of the federal government, Indian/Native American tribal governments other than federally recognized entities, and U.S. territories or possessions. At the same time, it clearly excludes non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations, meaning the applicant and supported program components must be U.S.-based rather than housed in overseas branches or affiliates.

Overall, the RSDP is best understood as a national mentored career development platform for early-career obstetrician-gynecologists who want to become basic science researchers and independent academic investigators. It is designed to provide the structure, mentorship network, and resources necessary to move clinician-researchers from post-training into a stable trajectory toward independent research leadership in obstetrics, gynecology, and related subspecialties, while keeping the program squarely focused on non-clinical-trial research and career development activities.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Reproductive Scientist Development Program (RSDP) (K12 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-08-10.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-11-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $920,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.

Apply for RFA HD 23 012

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