FDA opens grant applications for veterinary drug research

The FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has opened applications for fiscal year (FY) 2026 grant funding to establish Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers (AVICs), long-term research partnerships designed to address pressing animal, human, and environmental health needs across several priority areas relevant to veterinary practice.

Funding priorities

CVM is soliciting applications from public and private academic research institutions in 4 targeted research areas, including the following:

1. Aquaculture: Addressing regulatory science gaps in aquaculture drug development and conducting research to develop viable drugs that meet unmet needs in US aquaculture.

1. Minor ruminant species: Generating research to develop viable drugs for sheep, goats, and other minor ruminants to support the US ruminant industry.
2. Human food safety for minor species drugs: Using innovative approaches to address human food safety requirements tied to minor species drug development and review.
3. Antimicrobial use and stewardship: Advancing understanding of the judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in veterinary medicine.

The CVM may initiate up to 5 grants for FY 2026, with funding renewable for up to 4 years, contingent on progress and funding availability. Funding amounts will follow the structure outlined in the existing Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Several of these priority areas have direct implications for veterinary practitioners. The limited availability of approved drugs for minor ruminant species and aquaculture has long been a challenge for clinicians working in these sectors, often forcing reliance on extralabel drug use with its attendant regulatory and safety considerations. Research funded through these grants could expand the approved therapeutic armamentarium for these underserved species.

The antimicrobial stewardship priority is equally significant. As regulatory scrutiny of antimicrobial use in food-producing animals continues to intensify, data generated through AVIC-funded research could shape future guidance on judicious use practices—information that practitioners working in food and animal medicine will need to integrate into everyday decision-making.

Public information session and application details

The CVM will hold a virtual public technical session on May 11, 2026, from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM EDT, offering interested parties an opportunity to learn more about the funding opportunity and ask questions. The session will be held via Microsoft Teams (meeting ID: 275 581 706 897 72; passcode: 4e3xC98U).

Applications must be submitted by June 12, 2026, through the National Institutes of Health ASSIST system or Grants.gov.

Additional details on the CVM's FY 2026 grant priorities are available on the FDA's AVIC page.