Thank You AAOGF Partners

Bridge Funding Award: Request for Proposals

Deadline August 30, 2024

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The American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation (AAOGF) is pleased to announce that it is currently seeking applications for bridge grants. These awards are made possible with generous support from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) Education Foundation. The AAOGF Bridge Funding Award is designed to stabilize research programs of promising physician scientists in obstetrics and gynecology who have not been successful in obtaining independent research funding or who have a temporary lapse in funding. This award will be for an eight-month period from November 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 with an automatic one year extension through June 30, 2026.

Bridge funds are intended to enhance the likelihood of successful application for other funding opportunities by enabling ongoing research productivity and by ensuring that essential research personnel are not lost due to lapses in funding. Priority will be given to those programs with a strong likelihood that the investigator will be able to successfully apply for independent extramural funding by the end of the award. The proposed research should address important problems in obstetrics, gynecology, or women’s health. Basic and translational research projects are encouraged. Under-represented in medicine (URM) physician investigators are encouraged to apply. Applicants who have successfully completed a funded research training award (e.g. AAOGF/ABOG, AAOGF/MFM, RSDP, K, T or F Award, or other mentored training award) are encouraged to apply. Each award will be for up to $75,000 for one year. No indirect costs are allowed.

Successful candidates must agree to provide a progress and financial report, and attend an annual research retreat sponsored by AAOGF during the period of the award and immediately following the conclusion of the award. Successful candidates must also agree to respond to periodic requests for information regarding their career development.

Eligibility:

Investigators who have been awarded an M.D. (or D.O.) and are at the rank of assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology or above, who have successfully completed a mentored research award or have previously had an R grant and who have applied for funding but who have not been successful in either obtaining or maintaining independent research funding may submit an application for this award. Submissions by underrepresented groups are encouraged. Investigators who currently have an R award for the period of funding are not eligible. Submission of critiques of recent funding applications for the project must be provided with the application. Assurance of adequate protected research time for the research project and a delineation of financial support provided by the applicant’s Department or institution will be important factors in considering applications.

Contact Information:

All applications must be received electronically by August 30, 2024. To apply, please upload application materials to SmarterSelect https://app.smarterselect.com/programs/94991.

Inquiries regarding this RFP should be directed to Shelby Smiley, AAOGF Administrative Director.

Phone: (443) 640-1059 ext. 1253
Email: ssmiley@stringfellowgroup.net

Required Application Materials:

  1. A cover page including Applicant Name, Institution, Complete Mailing Address, Email, and Title of Proposal.
  2. A six-page proposal written in abbreviated NIH grant format (1 page of Specific Aims, a 1 page maximum statement of Background and Significance, 1 page of Preliminary Data and 2-3 pages of Experimental Design and Methods). The font type should be number 11 Arial.
  3. A cover letter from the applicant.
  4. CV of the applicant, including funding record.
  5. A letter of support from the Department Chair. The Chair’s letter must include a clear statement of the protected time for research available to the applicant and detail any relevant mechanisms that will be in place to ensure protection.
  6. A letter of support from the current or former Research Mentor(s), if applicable.
  7. A personal statement that includes an explanation of the situation requiring bridge funds and the candidate’s plan to obtain funding.
  8. Copies of external reviewers’ comments for any unsuccessful grant application including a statement of the relative ranking of the application.
  9. Response by the applicant to the issues raised in the external reviews.
  10. Budget and justification, including a brief statement of need and other financial resources available to the applicant.
  11. Explanation of the outcome of any previous bridge fund award.

Applications are due August 30, 2024
Decision letters will be issued by October 11, 2024
Funding period starts November 1, 2024