ARDF Annual Open Grant Program

The Alternatives Research & Development Foundation (ARDF) offers the Annual Open Grant Program to support research that develops, validates, and promotes non-animal methodologies in biomedical science, education, and product testing. As part of its broader mission to reduce and replace the use of animals in scientific procedures, ARDF has funded over $4.5 million in projects since 1993 across 34 U.S. states and nine countries. The foundation aims to support innovative approaches with the potential for meaningful scientific contributions while eliminating animal-based testing and procedures. The 2026 cycle of the ARDF Annual Open Grant Program maintains a structured two-stage application process, beginning with a mandatory Letter of Intent (LOI). Only applicants who submit an LOI by February 20, 2026, and are subsequently invited to advance may submit a full application by May 25, 2026. Notification of full application invitations will be issued by March 23, 2026, and funding decisions will be communicated by August 10, 2026. The program’s preferred project start date is September 1, 2026, with flexibility up to November 1, 2026. All funded projects must be completed within one year. This opportunity is open to nonprofit, tax-exempt, non-governmental educational or research institutions globally. While international proposals are considered, preference is given to applicants based in the United States to expedite the implementation of alternatives domestically. Projects are evaluated primarily on their scientific merit, feasibility, and potential to significantly reduce or replace the use of animals in the near term. Research fields may include testing, biomedical research, or education. Strict eligibility conditions apply: projects must not use intact, non-human vertebrate or invertebrate animals, nor monoclonal antibodies produced via in vivo methods. Proposals using antibodies or biological culture supplements must detail their sources and production methods, with strong encouragement to use recombinant or animal-free alternatives. Investigators are urged to consult tools like the FCS-Free Database and the Recombinant Antibodies and Mimetics Database when planning materials. The LOI phase requires a completed template detailing the research rationale, study design, significance, material usage, and applicant background. A biosketch following NIH standards must be submitted for the principal investigator, and optional co-principal investigators may be included. Invited full applications must closely mirror the submitted LOI without major changes to the core research question, team, or design. The full application consists of a research plan, budget and justification, biosketch, and optionally, relevant publications or letters of support. These must follow formatting and content guidelines, with a limit of ten pages for the research narrative. Evaluation criteria for full applications focus on scientific rigor, feasibility within a one-year timeline, alignment with ARDF’s mission, and the broader impact of the proposed methods. ARDF funds up to $50,000 per project, inclusive of indirect costs, and does not cover tuition, travel, or principal investigator salary. Awardees are required to submit interim and final progress reports, including financial reporting, and are expected to present research findings through publications or conference abstracts, acknowledging ARDF’s support in dissemination materials.

Avoid animal-derived materials including in vivo antibodies; align materials and methods with ARDF's non-animal research mission