Resource-Related Research Projects for Development of Animal Models and Related Materials (R24 Clinical Trials Not-Allowed)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP), offers funding under the Resource-Related Research Projects for Development of Animal Models and Related Materials program (R24 Clinical Trials Not Allowed). This opportunity is a reissue of RFA-OD-19-027, aimed at supporting the creation, characterization, and enhancement of animal models and related biological tools broadly relevant to multiple NIH Institutes or Centers (ICs). These models are critical for understanding the genetic and biological mechanisms of human diseases, developing therapeutic interventions, and improving disease diagnosis and control in laboratory animals. Projects supported under this FOA must have broad applicability across multiple organ systems and NIH ICs. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and various government entities, such as state, county, and tribal governments. Foreign institutions are not eligible to apply, although foreign components of U.S. organizations are permissible. Applicants may submit more than one scientifically distinct application, and all Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) must have eRA Commons accounts. This FOA is not subject to intergovernmental review, and cost-sharing is not required. Applications are expected to clearly articulate the relevance of the proposed models or tools to a wide biomedical research audience. Suitable projects include those developing transgenic models, generating novel biological reagents, or improving animal model research technologies through integrative data systems or AI tools. Projects must include plans for dissemination, potential long-term maintenance, and community access to the developed resources. Cost recovery is not required, and there are specific restrictions on types of projects not supported, such as those narrowly focused on single diseases or individual NIH IC interests. The total funding available is $5 million per fiscal year from 2023 to 2026, with an expectation of at least six awards annually. There is no budget cap, but applicants requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs in any year must obtain prior approval. The maximum project period is four years. Renewal applications are allowed only once, and revised or resubmission applications are acceptable within specified guidelines. Clinical trials are not permitted under this funding announcement. Applications must follow detailed submission instructions via Grants.gov, NIH ASSIST, or institutional systems, and conform strictly to the SF424 (R&R) guidelines. Review criteria include significance, innovation, investigator capability, and resource dissemination plans. Reviewers will also evaluate feasibility, broader impact, and compliance with NIH policies on data sharing and human and animal subject protections. The next application due dates follow NIH standard deadlines, with the final submission date being September 25, 2025, as recently extended.