RD Profession
Our Profession and Practice
To build an institution's reputation, research development professionals might lead strategic planning for the research enterprise, identify institutional research priorities, and act as ambassadors to funders or potential external partners.
The most commonly performed activities by research development professionals include:
- Identifying and distributing funding opportunities
- Supporting proposal development through workshops, editing, and project management for large-scale proposals
- Facilitating collaborations between investigators, and
- Tracking, utilizing, and/or reporting research metrics
Research Development Characteristics
A depiction of research development characteristics. Each segment in the center represents the four core activities common to most research development professionals.
The four core activities are:
- Funding Opportunities
- Facilitate Collaborations
- Proposal Development
- Success Metrics
The other research development characteristics:
- Internal Funding Programs
- Limited Submissions
- Communities of Practice
- Technical Communication
- Networking
- Training for Grant Seeking
- Mentorship for Grant Seeking
- Team Management
- Competitive Intelligence
- Strategic Planning
- Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI)
- Grand Challenges
- Scholarship
Eck, K. and Roney, J. (2022) A NORD Invited Opinion: What is Research Development?
Organizational Background
Formed in 2010 in response to increased research development investment by institutes of higher education, the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) coordinates and promotes the professional development of research development personnel. NORDP has over 1,400 members serving in research development roles in academic research institutions, medical schools, private foundations, private companies, and federal agencies.
As a national organization, NORDP is committed to diversity, inclusion, and access, particularly in the context of research competitiveness and capacity. Through its Committee on Inclusive Excellence, NORDP recruits minority-serving institutions and works to tailor NORDP activities for MSI research development professionals.