On June 15, 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that moving forward, NICEATM will continue its important work as a division of the newly created NIH Office of Research Innovation, Validation, and Application (ORIVA). Soon, NICEATM content that you see on this webpage will be transitioned to the NIH ORIVA webpage. In the meantime, you can learn more about the new office and how it is structured.

https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/go/alt-funding

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.

On April 17, 2020, the NIEHS SBIR/STTR program in coordination with NICEATM presented a webinar-based town hall meeting, "Development of New Approach Methodologies to Reduce Animal Use in Toxicity Testing." View presentations >>
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 development of toxicity testing approaches through their Small Business Innovation Research, Small Business Technology Transfer, and Commercialization Readiness Pilot Programs. This funding will support U.S. small business that are developing innovative high-throughput or high-content assays/model systems, computational toxicology approaches, and other related NAMs for toxicity testing and understanding effects on human health and disease. The next deadline to apply for this funding is January 5, 2027. For details about the funding, visit the webpages linked below:

For more information about this opportunity, contact:

  • Lingamanaidu V. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
  • Health Scientist Administrator
  • 530 Davis Dr Durham, NC 27713
  • 984-287-3309
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:

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.

Information on 3Rs Funding Opportunities on Animal Welfare Information Center Website

The Animal Welfare Information Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Library connects users with reliable, evidence-based information about animal welfare laws, the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement of animal use in research and testing), the care and use of animals, and other related subjects. Resources include information about funding opportunities for 3Rs research, including the Global 3Rs Award Program, research and project awards, and small project and travel awards.