Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 24 251
The Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers (U18) funding opportunity (PAR 24-251) is a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) initiative designed to build long-term, collaborative partnerships with academic research institutions. Through cooperative agreements, CVM is looking to establish a set of designated “Innovation Centers” that can align research capacity with FDA priority needs in animal health, veterinary product development, and regulatory science. The overall goal is to create durable, multi-year relationships where funded centers generate evidence, tools, and approaches that help move promising interventions and technologies toward practical use while also strengthening the science FDA relies on for oversight and decision-making.
A major focus area is Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The FOA emphasizes research that supports the development of interventions to prevent, control, or eliminate HPAI virus in animals, as well as interventions that reduce viral circulation in the broader ecosystem. In practical terms, this can include work that improves detection and surveillance approaches, develops countermeasures or management strategies that reduce transmission, or generates data that supports regulatory pathways for new veterinary interventions. The announcement also signals flexibility for future years, noting that the centers may pivot or expand into other emerging zoonotic disease threats or broader One Health topics as needs evolve, reflecting the reality that animal, human, and environmental health risks are often interconnected.
A second priority area is intentional genomic alterations in animals and the advancement of regulatory science to support this fast-moving field. CVM is seeking research that helps clarify, evaluate, and responsibly advance intentional genomic changes, with particular attention to applications that strengthen agricultural resilience, improve food security, and protect animal or public health. This component is not just about creating or testing new genomic approaches; it is also about producing the kinds of validation methods, risk assessment frameworks, and standards that can help regulators and developers understand performance, safety, and intended outcomes. The emphasis on “regulatory science” highlights that FDA wants research outputs that are directly useful for evaluating and guiding real-world products and innovations.
The third core area targets veterinary medical product development for unmet needs, especially where market forces often leave gaps. The FOA prioritizes research that supports products for minor species, minor uses in major species, and other unmet veterinary medical needs in major species that create a meaningful animal or public health burden. The major species explicitly referenced include dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, chickens, and turkeys. This priority recognizes that many important conditions lack well-supported, appropriately studied treatments or preventives, particularly for less common species or for narrower indications where traditional commercial development may be limited. By supporting research that can de-risk development and clarify pathways, FDA aims to help enable more options for veterinarians, producers, and animal owners while addressing broader health impacts.
Structurally, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism (U18). That matters because cooperative agreements typically involve substantial federal scientific or programmatic involvement compared to standard grants, meaning applicants should be prepared for active collaboration with CVM and alignment with FDA priorities over time. The activity category is listed under Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition, and the CFDA number is 93.103. The opportunity is intended for higher education institutions, including both public/state-controlled and private institutions, and the eligibility language also includes “others,” indicating potential flexibility depending on the specific application and FOA terms.
The program strongly encourages applications from a wide range of institutions, including Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). This emphasis reflects a desire to broaden participation and strengthen the national research ecosystem by supporting diverse institutional perspectives and regional capabilities, which can be particularly important in applied animal health and agricultural research.
In terms of scale and timing, the award ceiling is $1,250,000, and FDA anticipates making about 8 awards. The original closing date listed is May 12, 2028, and the opportunity was created on June 20, 2024. Overall, this FOA is best understood as an effort to stand up a network of academically anchored centers that can deliver practical, regulator-relevant research in three key domains: controlling HPAI and related One Health threats, advancing science for intentional genomic alterations in animals, and closing critical gaps in veterinary product availability for both minor and major species.Apply for PAR 24 251
- The Food and Drug Administration in the agriculture, consumer protection, food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers (U18)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2028-05-12.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others.
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FAQs: Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers (U18) - PAR 24-251
What is the Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers (U18) funding opportunity?
It is an FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) initiative that uses cooperative agreements (U18) to build long-term, collaborative partnerships with academic research institutions. The goal is to establish designated "Innovation Centers" that align research capacity with FDA priority needs in animal health, veterinary product development, and regulatory science.
What is the main purpose of creating these "Innovation Centers"?
The program aims to create durable, multi-year relationships where funded centers generate evidence, tools, and approaches that help move promising interventions and technologies toward practical use, while also strengthening the science FDA relies on for oversight and decision-making.
Which agency and FDA office are sponsoring this opportunity?
The opportunity is an initiative of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).
What funding mechanism is being used and why does it matter?
The mechanism is a cooperative agreement (U18). This matters because cooperative agreements typically involve substantial federal scientific or programmatic involvement compared to standard grants, so applicants should be prepared for active collaboration with CVM and ongoing alignment with FDA priorities.
What are the core research priority areas for this program?
The FOA describes three core domains: (1) Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and related One Health threats, (2) intentional genomic alterations in animals and related regulatory science, and (3) veterinary medical product development for unmet needs (including minor species and minor uses in major species, plus other unmet needs in major species).
Why is Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) emphasized?
HPAI is identified as a major focus area. The FOA emphasizes research supporting interventions to prevent, control, or eliminate HPAI virus in animals, as well as interventions that reduce viral circulation in the broader ecosystem.
What kinds of HPAI projects appear to fit this FOA?
Examples described include work that improves detection and surveillance approaches, develops countermeasures or management strategies that reduce transmission, or generates data that supports regulatory pathways for new veterinary interventions.
Does the FOA allow work beyond HPAI?
Yes. The announcement notes flexibility for future years, indicating centers may pivot or expand into other emerging zoonotic disease threats or broader One Health topics as needs evolve.
What does "One Health" mean in the context of this opportunity?
The FOA frames One Health as reflecting interconnected animal, human, and environmental health risks, and suggests centers may address broader One Health topics as FDA needs change over time.
What is the second major priority area related to genomics?
The second priority area focuses on intentional genomic alterations in animals and advancing regulatory science to support this rapidly evolving field.
What types of outputs are expected for intentional genomic alteration projects?
The FOA emphasizes regulatory-science outputs that are directly useful for evaluating and guiding real-world innovations, including validation methods, risk assessment frameworks, and standards that help regulators and developers understand performance, safety, and intended outcomes.
What kinds of applications are highlighted for intentional genomic alterations?
The FOA calls out applications that strengthen agricultural resilience, improve food security, and protect animal or public health.
What is the third core priority area?
The third core area targets veterinary medical product development for unmet needs, especially in areas where market forces often leave gaps.
Which "unmet needs" does the FOA specifically emphasize for veterinary products?
It prioritizes research supporting products for minor species, minor uses in major species, and other unmet veterinary medical needs in major species that create a meaningful animal or public health burden.
Which major species are explicitly referenced in the FOA?
The FOA explicitly references dogs, cats, horses, cattle, pigs, chickens, and turkeys as major species.
What is the overall approach FDA is taking for veterinary product development in this program?
The FOA frames the goal as supporting research that can de-risk development and clarify pathways, helping enable more options for veterinarians, producers, and animal owners while addressing broader animal and public health impacts.
Who is eligible to apply?
The opportunity is intended for higher education institutions, including both public/state-controlled and private institutions. The eligibility language also includes "others," indicating potential flexibility depending on the specific application and FOA terms.
Are certain types of institutions especially encouraged to apply?
Yes. The program strongly encourages applications from a wide range of institutions, including Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed is $1,250,000.
How many awards does FDA anticipate making?
FDA anticipates making about 8 awards.
What is the closing date for the opportunity?
The original closing date listed is May 12, 2028.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on June 20, 2024.
What activity category is associated with this funding opportunity?
The activity category is listed under Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number provided is 93.103.
What does it mean that this is a "discretionary" funding opportunity?
It is described as a discretionary funding opportunity, meaning it is a competitive program where funding decisions are made based on the FOA priorities and the merits of applications, as reflected in the program description.
How should applicants think about "alignment with FDA priority needs"?
The FOA emphasizes that the Innovation Centers should align research capacity with FDA priority needs in animal health, veterinary product development, and regulatory science, and that cooperative agreement collaboration implies sustained engagement with CVM priorities over time.
What is meant by "regulator-relevant research" in this FOA?
The description emphasizes research outputs that strengthen the science FDA relies on for oversight and decision-making, including evidence, tools, approaches, and data that can support regulatory pathways and evaluation of new veterinary interventions and technologies.
Is this opportunity intended to fund one-off projects or longer-term center relationships?
It is framed as an effort to build durable, multi-year relationships through designated centers, rather than stand-alone short-term projects.
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