Animal and Biological Material Resource Centers (P40 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

The Animal and Biological Material Resource Centers funding opportunity is administered by the National Institutes of Health within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs. This program supports the development and maintenance of specialized research resource centers that provide high-quality laboratory animals, biological materials, and associated services to the biomedical research community. These centers are intended to operate at a national scale and serve multiple NIH Institutes and Centers, aligning with ORIP’s mission to strengthen research infrastructure and improve scientific rigor and reproducibility. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support centers that create, preserve, characterize, and distribute valuable biological resources such as animal models, genetic stocks, tissues, and reagents. These centers are expected to address broad scientific needs across multiple research areas rather than focusing narrowly on a single disease or discipline. In addition to traditional animal-based resources, the program emphasizes integration with emerging methodologies such as cell culture systems, organoids, computational models, and microphysiological systems. These complementary approaches are intended to enhance predictive modeling and reduce reliance on animal testing over time. Funding supports a combination of core activities including resource development, curation and informatics, and applied research. Centers must include a structured applied research component that improves or expands the utility of the resource, though this component is limited to a small percentage of total costs. Applicants must also maintain robust data systems that align with FAIR data principles, enabling accessibility, interoperability, and long-term preservation of research data. Additionally, centers are required to generate program income through cost recovery mechanisms, which must increase over time to support sustainability. Eligibility for this program is broad and includes higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, and various levels of government within the United States. Foreign organizations and non-domestic components are not eligible. Applicants must demonstrate strong institutional support and provide evidence of national demand for the proposed resource. Centers must also establish an external advisory board to guide operations, evaluate progress, and ensure long-term relevance and sustainability. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov using NIH systems such as ASSIST or institutional system-to-system solutions. Applications must follow strict multi-component formatting requirements, including separate sections for overall strategy, resource core, informatics, and applied research. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult NIH program staff prior to submission to ensure alignment with program priorities and competitiveness. Applications are reviewed through NIH’s peer review process based on criteria such as significance, innovation, approach, investigators, and environment. Additional emphasis is placed on the resource’s national impact, quality control measures, and integration with new research methodologies. Successful applications undergo both scientific merit review and advisory council review before funding decisions are made. The funding opportunity includes multiple recurring submission deadlines per year, beginning in February and continuing through 2028. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM local time on the stated deadlines. The maximum project period is five years, and funding levels are based on project needs rather than fixed caps. Applicants should anticipate a structured review timeline with potential award start dates several months after submission, depending on the review cycle.

Ensure the resource demonstrates national demand and serves multiple NIH institutes; emphasize integration with new approach methodologies and reproducibility; provide strong institutional support and sustainability plan