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 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

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.