Applications are now open for the first set of awards from the 3Rs Collaborative! Details can be found below.
Additionally, the 3RsC has curated a list of 3Rs related funding & award opportunities applicable to individuals in the United States and beyond. If you are aware of additional funding or awards please send them to us at info@3rc.org.
An annual prize awarded to an individual that describes outstanding and original work that utilizes all 3Rs and both animal and non-animal methods.
Do you utilize or champion the 3Rs, animal and non-animal research methods in your research? If so, then you should apply for the annual 3RsC Building Bridges award which is funded by Biomere to recognize leadership across all 3Rs.
This year’s competition is open with applications due Sept 15, 2025.
What is the 3RsC Building Bridges Award? Who can apply? What are the assessment criteria?
This award provides a 1000 USD personal award and free registration + speaking spot at the next 3Rs Sharing Conference.
Although the efforts of a team of individuals will be recognized, one individual must act as the primary applicant.
Assessment criteria include:
Information on how to apply is detailed after the description of our other award.
An annual prize awarded to an individual that describes outstanding work to implement a specific R in their scientific research.
Have you made concrete impacts to advance the 3Rs in your research, animal program, or facility? If so, then you should apply for the annual 3RsC 3Rs Awards which is funded by Charles River to recognize impactful 3Rs efforts.
In 2025, the focus of this award is on Reduction. Applications should focus on efforts and tools that optimize research quality (e.g. rigor, reproducibility, translation) while reducing the number of animals necessary to obtain reliable and useful information. This includes implementing powerful, high-quality experimental design and analysis practices that are robust and reproducible, resulting in a “right sized” project that uses the minimum number of animals to fulfill the requirement and objective of the test. Note that reduction only occurs once an animal study has been deemed necessary. Additional examples include responsible animal breeding and, in well justified cases, re-use of animals.
What is the 3RsC 3Rs Award? Who can apply?
This award provides a $2500 USD personal award and free registration + speaking spot at the next 3Rs Sharing Conference.
Although efforts of a team of individuals will be recognized, one individual must act as the primary applicant.
How to Apply
Award applications are due Sept 15, 2025.
Assessment & Award Procedures
Applications are assessed by the 3RsC Prize Selection Panel.
The prize is awarded at the annual 3Rs Sharing Conference and virtual event recognizing the individual who will be asked to give a brief presentation about their work.
3RsC Prize Selection Panel
The 3RsC panel aims to be balanced in terms of ‘R’, scientific discipline, use of animal versus non-animal methods, gender, etc. Panel members do not listen to or comment/score applications from their own institutions. The panel chair is a current board member of the 3RsC. The prize panel may be made up of 3 to 9 individuals selected from the current board of directors, 3RsC initiative members, and external reviewers.
All panel members are required to declare any private, professional or commercial interests that give rise to, or could give rise to, a conflict of interest.
Questions about our awards? Reach out to info@3rc.org
Alternatives Research & Development Foundation (ADRF) Open Grant Program – $50,000
LOI deadline February 10 2025. ARDF’s Annual Open Grant Program was established to fund research projects that promote the development, validation, and adoption of non-animal methods in biomedical research, product testing, and education. Research proposals are invited from non-profit, tax-exempt educational or research institution worldwide, although preference is given to proposals from U.S. institutions.
NIH Common Fund: Complement ARIE Challenge – 20 x $50,000
Currently closed. The NIH Common Fund is officially announcing the launch and submission opening for the ARIE Challenge program in November. This is meant to catalyze the development, validation, standardization and use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) to more accurately model human outcomes. They will award up to 20 winners up to $50, 000 each. Open to citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
Grants for Laboratory Animal Science – $50,000 or $7,500
Due February. The GLAS Program provides competitive short-term research grants in the laboratory animal science field. Current AALAS members are invited to apply for one-year grants of up to $50,000 (Standard Grant) or $7,500 (Small Grant). The principal investigator (PI) must be an AALAS member but Co-PIs need not be members.
Animal Welfare Institute Refinement Research Award – $10,000
Due October 13, 2025. The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) offers rewards of up to $10,000 for this award.
*Please note the long-standing “AWI Refinement Grant” was renamed AWI Refinement Research Award. This award, which funds research projects that develop and test innovative methods of refinement to the care, housing, and husbandry of animals in research, will continue to be offered in the fall of each year. This is now distinct from the AWI Implementing Refinement Grant outlined below.*
Animal Welfare Institute Implementing Refinement Grant – $8,000
Currently closed. The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) offers grants of up to $8,000 toward the purchase of equipment or training of staff for the purpose of refining the care, husbandry and/or housing of animals in research to improve their welfare. This grant supports the implementation of existing refinements to improve research animal welfare.
Universities Federation of Animal Welfare – >£3,500
Rolling Deadline. Each year a limited amount of money is available through the UFAW Research and Project Awards to make substantial awards (over £3,500) for research or other animal welfare projects (e.g. for educational initiatives or publications). UFAW seeks to promote both fundamental research aimed at providing new insight into the subjective mental experiences of animals relevant to their welfare and at understanding their needs and preferences, and also to promote applied research aimed at developing practical solutions to animal welfare problems.
April Deadline. These awards are given to research projects whose objective is to significantly reduce or replace laboratory animals in toxicology. Examples of acceptable projects could include: providing mechanistic understanding of in vitro responses to toxicants in human cells, development of AOPs, or conducting systematic reviews. Consideration should be given to the translation of this new method to evaluate/predict health outcomes.
Quarterly Deadline Through Feb 2025. The National Cancer Institute.
International 3Rs Prize Award – $28,000 grant + $2000 personal
Due in February/March. Have you published a paper that describes outstanding and original work that has or could have major impacts on the replacement, reduction or refinement of the use of animals in research? If so, then you should apply for the annual NC3Rs prize which is sponsored by GSK to recognize a paper published in the last three years with demonstrable 3Rs impacts.
Due June 1. The Global 3Rs Awards program recognizes significant innovative contributions toward the 3Rs of animal research to advance ethical science. Award nominations must be based on a primary research paper that advances any of the 3Rs (i.e., the Refinement, Replacement or Reduction of animal use) and is published in a peer-reviewed journal in the last three years.
American Association for Laboratory Animal Science Awards – $2000 to $2500
Due in March/April. The Charles A. Griffin Award recognizes an individual or group of individuals who have demonstrated ethical scientific and/or technological advancements in humane experimentation or improved animal care practices. Must also be involved in their local or national AALAS. The Technician of the Year Award recognizes an individual for their accomplishment and contribution to the promotion of laboratory animal care. Must be a member of AALAS. The Charles River Prize recognizes a veterinarian who has had significant, consistent contributions to laboratory animal science and medicine including the 3Rs. The nominee must be either a member of AALAS or an AALAS-recognized affiliate organization.
American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine Awards
Due Feb 1. The Mentoring Award is given to individuals who have contributed substantially to the membership of ACLAM in terms of mentoring. The Career Achievement Awards in Laboratory Animal Medicine is given to a senior level diplomate of ACLAM who has afforded rare & exceptional contributions to the field over the bulk of their career. The Honorary Member Award is given to individuals, not necessarily veterinarians, who have made outstanding contributions to the specialty of laboratory animal medicine.
Due Spring. The Bio-Serve Enhancement or Improvement of Animal welfare Award is given to a person who has exhibited a positive impact to enhance the lives of animals and displaying the 3Rs. The Charles River Canada Award is given to a person to recognize outstanding contributions to the Canadian lab animal science field.
John Hopkins Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) Awards – $5000 to $7000
Due January. The Charles River Laboratories’ Excellence in Refinement Award honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the development, promotion, and/or implementation of refinement methods in practice. The Next Generation Humane Science Award is available annually to young scientists to acknowledge and encourage researchers who focus on replacing the use of animals in experiments
Lab Animal Welfare Training Exchange (LAWTE) Awards – Plaque to $250
Due April 1. LAWTE provides awards to recognize outstanding educators and training in the laboratory animal field. They also provide an award to individual, group, or organization that has demonstrated outstanding achievement and excellence.
Your local AALAS or CALAS chapter may also have 3Rs related awards you can apply for.