Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development Program (K12 Clinical Trial Optional) | RFA HD 25 005

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA HD 25 005

The Women’s Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development Program (K12 Clinical Trial Optional) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) institutional career development grant opportunity run through the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). It is a re-competition of an existing national program designed to support structured, mentored research career development at institutions that can build and sustain a strong training environment in women’s reproductive health research. The funding instrument is a grant under the K12 mechanism, which is specifically meant to help institutions develop and operate a mentored program that supports multiple early-career clinician-scientists rather than funding only a single individual. The “Clinical Trial Optional” designation indicates that the program may support scholars proposing research that does or does not include a clinical trial, consistent with NIH definitions and requirements, depending on the specific projects proposed within the career development program.

The core purpose of the WRHR K12 program is to train junior faculty who have recently completed postgraduate clinical training in obstetrics and gynecology and who are committed to building independent research careers focused on women’s reproductive health. In practical terms, the program is meant to create a strong pipeline of clinician-investigators by providing protected time, mentorship, and a well-designed career development structure that helps participants transition from being clinically trained physicians to independently funded researchers. The broader public health objective is capacity-building: expanding the national workforce of outstanding obstetrics and gynecology clinician-investigators who can strengthen the field, generate high-quality evidence, and ultimately contribute to improvements in women’s health outcomes.

This opportunity is open to a wide range of domestic applicant organizations that can serve as the institutional home for a mentored career development program. Eligible applicants include many types of U.S.-based public and private entities, such as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, state and local governments (including county, city, township, special district governments, and independent school districts), and certain housing authorities. The eligibility list also includes nonprofit organizations (both those with and without 501(c)(3) status), as well as for-profit organizations other than small businesses and small businesses. Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are eligible, as are Native American tribal organizations that are not federally recognized. The announcement also highlights additional categories of eligible organizations that NIH is specifically calling out, including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, regional organizations, and U.S. territories or possessions. This emphasis signals that NICHD is open to a broad and diverse range of institutions capable of delivering high-quality mentored research training environments.

At the same time, the NOFO is clear about limits related to foreign organizations and components. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) are not eligible to apply as the applicant organization, and non-domestic components of U.S. organizations are not eligible to apply. However, “foreign components,” as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, are allowed. This typically means that while the primary applicant and core program infrastructure must be U.S.-based, certain aspects of the research or training experience may involve justified international elements (for example, specific collaborations, unique resources, or research populations), provided they meet NIH policy requirements and are appropriately documented and approved.

The funding opportunity is identified as RFA HD 25 005, categorized as a discretionary grant program in the federal assistance listings under CFDA numbers 93.313 and 93.865. The sponsoring agency is the NIH, with NICHD as the issuing institute. The original application closing date listed is November 15, 2024, and the opportunity was created on July 19, 2024. The posted summary does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards, so applicants would need to consult the full NOFO text for budget structure, program size expectations, scholar support levels, duration, and any institute-specific limits or preferences.

Overall, this NOFO is best understood as an institutional investment in the next generation of obstetrics and gynecology clinician-scientists. It funds organized, mentored career development programs that help newly trained OB/GYN faculty establish the research skills, preliminary data, publication record, and grant-writing experience needed to become independent investigators in women’s reproductive health. By strengthening training environments and supporting cohorts of scholars, the WRHR K12 is intended to expand national research capacity and improve the evidence base that ultimately shapes clinical care and health policy for women.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health, income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Women's Reproductive Health Research (WRHR) Career Development Program (K12 Clinical Trial Optional)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.313, 93.865.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-07-19.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-11-15. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, 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, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

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