Funding Opportunities for Test Method Developers
NICEATM and ICCVAM seek to facilitate development of test methods that replace, reduce, and refine the use of animals in testing. In addition, both organizations are committed to the protection of human health, animal health, and the environment. This page lists announcements of funding opportunities intended to support the development of alternative test methods. If you are aware of a funding opportunity that could be included on this page, please contact NICEATM.
SBIR and STTR Omnibus Grant Solicitations of the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Food and Drug Administration
NIEHS is offering funding for small businesses developing technologies of interest to the Tox21 program. These technologies include:
- Informatics tools and platforms to organize, store, retrieve, extract, and integrate information on exposures and health effects data.
- Application of machine learning methods and natural language processing for extracting and integrating diverse data types and for generating causal networks from experimental data and public knowledgebases.
- Adapting or developing new methods and tools for automating environmental health-related literature and systematic reviews, including article selection and prioritization, data extraction, study quality evaluation, and summarization of for environmental health impacts.
- Mid- to high-throughput and high-content assays using in vitro or tissue chip technologies to screen and rank toxicity of emerging engineered nanomaterials for cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and metabolic toxicity.
- Human and rodent organotypic culture models and microphysiological systems.
- Approaches to characterize and integrate key molecular and cellular changes related to effects of toxicant exposures in carcinogenicity, developmental neurotoxicity, or cardiotoxicity.
- Screening systems that incorporate genetic diversity into toxicology testing.
- Short-term tests, assays, or systems designed specifically to reduce or replace existing regulatory animal studies for acute toxicity (oral or inhalation), reproductive or developmental toxicity, carcinogenicity, or ocular toxicity
The funding is being offered as part of the 2024 Omnibus Solicitation of the NIH, CDC, and Food and Drug Administration. This funding is available for small business grant applications to support development and commercialization of innovative technologies. View more information on the NIEHS website.
SBIR/STTR Omnibus Solicitations and Accompanying Resources
- Solicitation notices on NIH website (posted July 3, 2024)
- Program Descriptions and Research Topics
- NIH Small Business Education and Entrepreneurial Development website
Next due date: September 5, 2025
For more information about this opportunity, contact:
NIH Funding Resources
The NIEHS SBIR/STTR Program Staff encourages applicants to submit grants at least one week before the deadline and to take advantage of the following resources:
- NIH "All About Grants" Podcast on the Office of Extramural Research website.
- NIH RePORTER Matchmaker – useful for an initial screen for matching your technology to an institute and a relevant study section for review. It is also a great place to better understand what types of technologies NIH institutes fund.
- NIH Grants Policy Statement – rules for applying for and accepting a grant.
- Frequently Asked Questions about SBIR and STTR grants on the NIH website.
- SBIR/STTR tutorials
- Annotated SBIR/STTR SF424 application forms.
- Webinar series for funding opportunities for environmental technologies.
- NIH study section identifier – allows you to search your topic of interest.
- Application cover letters are optional but provide you an opportunity to designate an institute or study section.
- Rules for calculating number of employees.
- Registration and application instructions (this process can take six to eight weeks and should be initiated well before the deadline).
HUMAIN Awards to Provide Support for Training and Implementation of Tissue Models
InSphero, a global leader in 3D in vitro technology for drug safety and efficacy testing, is partnering with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine to offer the 2025 Human Advanced In Vitro Model Initiative (HUMAIN) Award. This award will provide materials, funds, and support for up to five laboratories to expand access to and accelerate the uptake of human-specific nonanimal approaches. Each award includes InSphero technology or services, training and customized support from InSphero experts, and funding for scientific promotion of results. Five awardees will receive:
- $20,000 U.S. toward InSphero technology or services.
- Access to a one-day training course in Switzerland, with a $1000 U.S. travel grant per award.
- Two hours of monthly consulting with InSphero experts.
- Up to $2000 U.S. in travel grants to present findings at scientific conferences.
- $2500 U.S. toward open-access publication fees.
PCRM Offering Early-career Travel Awards for 2025 Conferences
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) ERA21 travel awards are designed to support the next generation of life sciences researchers using human-based nonanimal methods. The monetary value of each award will be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the conference. Recipients must be dedicated to promoting the replacement of animals in science and must have been accepted to present animal-free research at the conference in which the travel award will assist.
An applicant may apply for more than one award but is eligible to receive only one ERA21 award within a one-year period. Priority will be given to applicants who apply prior to two months from the date of the event. Additional travel awards are available on a case-by-case basis for early career researchers who are dedicated to using nonanimal methods and who can demonstrate financial need. Please send a letter of intent briefly describing your presentation, the conference, a statement of need, and how your research advances nonanimal science (250 words maximum) to Mikalah Singer, [email protected].
Grants Offered to Support Development of Animal-free Antibody Applications
PETA Science Consortium International e.V., the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and the Alternatives Research and Development Foundation are offering grants for free recombinant antibodies for use in research and testing. Awardees will receive commercially available recombinant antibodies to test in applications that currently use animal-derived antibodies. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and a proposal describing in detail the how the antibody will be used. Awardees will be expected to provide updates to grant sponsors on the progress of their work and publish their results. The offering has a rolling deadline, and grant amounts will vary based on details of the projects.
Recurring Open Grant Programs
The organizations listed below award grants periodically supporting research projects to develop or implement alternatives to animal testing. While none of them are currently accepting applications, links are provided to help prospective applicants plan future proposals.