CDR Scholarships and Awards
To apply for scholarships and grants, credentialed practitioners and students must log in with their Academy/CDR ID number and password. The CDR Scholarships are open to students and credentialed practitioners who are not members of the Academy. If you do not have an Academy/CDR log in, refer to the Free Non-member Account for instructions.
Additional Application Resources:
The Commission on Dietetic Registration has provided funding to the Academy’s Foundation Disaster Relief program. This fund was established to support the personal and professional life-rebuilding efforts of Academy members, CDR credentialed practitioners and other nutrition and dietetics professionals and students who have been affected by disasters.
Click here for more details and to apply for the Disaster Relief program.
Advancing Practice Award (Application opens February 17 - April 8, 2025)
Award amount: $10,000 for RDs and $20,000 for Preceptor RDs
Number of recipients: Up to 10 for RDs/Up to 5 for Preceptor RDs, annually
The Advancing Practice Award is to support current Registered Dietitians (RDs) who want to pursue a Master’s degree. Preference is given to those pursuing their first graduate degree.
Expanding the Reach of Dietetics Scholarship Fund (Application opens February 17 - April 8, 2025)
Award amount: $5,000
Number of recipients: Up to 20
The Expanding the Reach of Dietetics Fund is to provide scholarships to dietetics with disclosed lived experiences that well-position them to relate to and work with underserved populations.
Expanding the Reach of Dietetics: Scholarship for Interns Fund (Application opens February 17 - April 8, 2025)
Award amount: $10,000
Number of recipients: Up to 10
The Expanding the Reach of Dietetics: Scholarship for Interns supports dietetic interns enrolled in freestanding dietetic internship programs who have high levels of financial need and are well-positioned to relate to and work with underserved populations.
Doctoral Scholarship Fund (Application opens February 17 - April 8, 2025)
Award amount: $10,000
Number of recipients: Up to 10
The Doctoral Scholarship provides funding to RDs who are pursuing a doctoral degree.
Faculty Fellowship Award (Application opens December 2, 2024 - February 24, 2025)
Continuing Education Award
Award amount: $10,000
The purpose of this fund is to provide awards not to exceed $10,000 for individuals with doctoral degrees seeking to become RDNs.
Leadership Award (Application opens December 2, 2024 - February 24, 2025)
Continuing Education Award
Award amount: Up to $5,000
The purpose of this fund is to provide financial support to RDs and DTRs to obtain leadership training. The training programs should prepare individuals to move into leadership positions within their organization. Up to four awards may be given.
Emerging Research Grant: (Applications will open September 2025)
Award amount: $10,000
Number of recipients: Up to 5 annually
The Emerging Researcher Grant aims to accelerate the professional development of emerging registered dietitian nutritionist researchers. The grant provides funding for research aligned with CDR’s Strategic Plan. Submissions for research whose findings may be used as pilot data for future investigations or submissions that build on existing investigations are encouraged.
Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant: (Applications will open September 2025)
Award amount: $5,000
Number of recipients: Up to 5 annually
The Student-Faculty Collaborative Research Grant aims to support the professional development of as many emerging registered dietitian nutritionist researchers as possible by funding program director and faculty-led research. The grant is intended for ACEND program directors and faculty who oversee ongoing research within their programs that engages enrolled nutrition and dietetics students who are completing their eligibility requirements to take the registration examination for dietitians.
Enhancing Practice through CDR Certifications Fund - (COMING SOON)
Award amount:
- $450 per recipient for a CDR Advanced Practitioner (AP) Certification in Clinical Nutrition
- $350 U.S. / $475 International per recipient for any CDR Board Certified Specialist Certifications
- $350 U.S. / $475 International per recipient for any CDR Board Certified Specialist Certifications.
Number of recipients: Up to 25 stipends for AP Certification/ Up to 100 stipends for Board Certified Specialist.
The purpose of the Enhancing Practice through CDR Certifications Fund is to advance the practice of current Registered Dietitians (RDs) who want to pursue a Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) credential for a CDR Advanced Practitioner Certification in Clinical Nutrition or for any CDR Board Certified Specialist Certifications.