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Alternatives in Research (AiR) Challenge Program

Alternatives Research and Development Foundation

PROGRAM GOAL

The Alternatives in Research (AiR) Challenge program is an initiative of the Alternatives Research & Development Foundation (ARDF) to support innovative biomedical research that advances human health using non-animal research methods. The goal of the Focus on Childhood Cancer program is to support research that improves the understanding or treatment of childhood cancers while demonstrating the value of non-animal approaches for biomedical progress.

PROGRAM SCOPE AND RESEARCH AREAS OF INTEREST

• Projects should be clearly and specifically focused on childhood cancer, either the most common types of cancer that affect children or rarer types. Proposals that address cancer broadly but do not focus on childhood cancers specifically will not be considered responsive.

• Projects should explicitly address the dual aims of the program’s goal to improve knowledge or treatment of childhood cancers and demonstrate the value of non-animal approaches for biomedical research.

• Non-clinical or pre-clinical research projects focused on developing new non-animal methods/models, novel applications of existing non-animal methods/models, or validation efforts that substantially increase the confidence in existing nonanimal methods/models are of particular interest.

KEY INFORMATION

• The deadline for letter of intent (LOI) submission is 11:59 pm (ET) on September 15, 2025.

• Applicants will be notified regarding an invitation to submit a full application by December 1, 2025.

• The deadline for full applications (by invitation only) is 11:59 pm (ET) on March 24, 2026.

• Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by June 30, 2026.

• The preferred project period is October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2028. However, projects may start as late as December 1, 2026. All projects must be completed in two years (from the project start date).

• The maximum award amount is $210,000 (including indirect costs).

BUDGET AND JUSTIFICATION

A detailed Budget and Justification for personnel, materials, and supplies is required. ARDF does not require that applicants use a specific template for the Budget and Justification, but this section should include: 1) a table that lists the planned expenditures by year, and 2) a narrative justification of the expenditures. This section should also describe additional funding related to the proposed project over the past two years, for example, previous grant support related to the proposed work. If applicable, describe additional sources of funding for the project (both currently available or pending award). Applicants should take the following budget requirements into consideration when preparing the Budget and Justification:

• Funding is for two years, with a preferred start date of October 1, 2026. However, projects may start as late as December 1, 2026.

• ARDF funds cannot be used for tuition but stipend costs for students working on the project are eligible as personnel expenses.

• The Principal Investigator’s (PI) salary/benefits are allowed expenses, but only up to ten percent (10%) of the award amount. Co-PI salary is not an allowed expense.

• Travel costs are not allowed expenses, although supplemental funding for travel may be available on a case-by-case basis, post-award.

• Publication costs up to $2,500 are an allowed expense.

• ARDF can provide up to ten percent (10%) for indirect costs.

• The total of direct and indirect costs cannot exceed $210,000. This section should be uploaded as a separate document (PDF) using the “Attach Files” button in the “Uploads” section in ProposalCentral.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

To be competitive for ARDF funding, strong applications typically share several core advantages:

🧠 1. Direct Alignment With ARDF Mission

The foundation exists to advance 3Rs alternatives — proposals must clearly articulate how the project reduces, replaces, or refines animal use in research, toxicity testing, or education. Projects that lack a strong animal-reduction focus are unlikely to compete well. Alternatives Foundation

Tip: Emphasise metrics or pathways showing actual reduction of animal use and potential for adoption.

🔬 2. Human-Relevant Technological Focus

ARDF puts preferential emphasis on in vitro and in silico methods using human cells or data, as these directly offer human biology relevance without animal models. Alternatives Foundation

Tip: Structure methodologies around human-derived cells, tissues, organoids, computational models, or similar approaches.

📊 3. Strong Scientific Merit & Feasibility

Reviewers look for projects that have clear hypotheses, sound experimental design, realistic timelines, and achievable milestones within the modest budget and one-year timeframe. Alternatives Foundation

Tip: Address feasibility, preliminary data (if available), and statistical or computational plans where relevant.

🤝 4. Clear Impact Pathway

Competitive proposals describe how the outcome will be useful to the broader research or regulatory community (e.g., adoption in toxicity testing, integration into safety assessment pipelines, or use in educational settings).

Tip: Include potential benchmarks for adoption or outreach plans to promote uptake of the alternative method.

🌍 5. Institutional Support & Team Expertise

Given the limited award size, proposals that leverage institutional expertise, relevant technology platforms, and collaborations are stronger — particularly when demonstrating capacity to deliver results quickly. Alternatives Foundation

Tip: Detail team roles, facilities, and supporting infrastructure.

🧾 6. Conformance With Technical Guidelines

ARDF provides detailed technical guidance — for example, avoiding the use of animal-derived supplements unless justified, and sourcing reagents from non-in vivo methods. Conformance to these boundaries is essential. Alternatives Foundation

Tip: Explicitly describe reagents, culture conditions, and computational tools in context of non-animal methods.

🧠 Practical Application Advice

✔ Submit a strong LOI first: Most cycles begin with a letter of intent followed by invitation to a full proposal (e.g., LOI deadline Feb 28, 2025 for the 2025 cycle). Alternatives Foundation
✔ Provide context: Demonstrate how your approach intersects with current trends in new approach methodologies (NAMs) and relevance to regulatory science or human health.
✔ Explain constraints: If any reagents or methods skirt the boundaries of non-animal use, explain sources and alternatives clearly.
✔ Define deliverables: Show what the project will achieve within 12 months and how outcomes will be communicated.

📌 Summary: ARDF Funding & Success Checklist

Success Predictor	Why It Matters
Alignment with replacement/reduction goals	Core mission of ARDF; essential for eligibility and scoring. Alternatives Foundation
Human-relevant methods (in vitro/in silico)	Preferred approaches for impact. Alternatives Foundation
Scientific rigour & feasible design	Improves reviewer confidence immediately. Alternatives Foundation
Clear reduction impact	Quantifies contribution to 3Rs paradigm. Alternatives Foundation
Team & resource strength	Ensures project deliverability. Alternatives Foundation
Compliance with ARDF technical restrictions	Avoids disqualification.

Specialties

Biomedical Engineering

Clinical Trials

Cancer

Pediatrics

Eligibility Requirements

• Eligible applicants:

॰ Only non-profit, non-governmental, tax-exempt (510(c)(3)), educational and/or research institutions based in the U.S. are eligible to receive AiR Challenge funds.

॰ There is no citizenship requirement for applicants.

॰ Applicants must have a PhD or MD (or equivalent degree) at the time of LOI submission.

• Eligible projects:

Proposals will not be considered if they

॰ involve the use of non-human vertebrate or invertebrate animals (note that this is more expansive than the U.S. regulations or policy regarding animal research and includes all non-human metazoans at all stages of life), or

॰ use monoclonal antibodies produced by in vivo methods.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Alternatives Research and Development Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 801 Old York Road, Suite 218 Jenkintown, PA 19046

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