Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers (U18)

What the official notice requires

Pulled from the funding notice PAR-24-251_Animal_and_Veterinary_Innovation_Centers_Full_Notice_of_Funding_Opportunity_Announcement.pdf (16 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words; open the page to read it in context. The notice itself always controls.

Registrations you need first

• SAM.gov · p. 5

  “System for Award Management (SAM)– Applicants must complete and maintain an active registration, which requires renewal at least annually.” Open page 5

• Unique Entity ID (UEI) · p. 6

  “SAM registration includes the assignment of a Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code for domestic organizations which have not already been assigned a CAGE Code. o NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code – Foreign organizations must obtain…” Open page 6

• Grants.gov · p. 6

  “eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their Grants.gov registration; all registrations must be in place by time of submission. eRA Commons requires…” Open page 6

• eRA Commons · p. 6

  “eRA Commons - Once the unique organization identifier is established, organizations can register with eRA Commons in tandem with completing their Grants.gov registration; all registrations must be in place by time of submission. eRA Commons requires…” Open page 6

New to these? SAM.gov registration can take weeks, so start early: grant-ready checklist.

Steps before the deadline

• Letter of intent · p. 2

  “Key Dates Posted Date May 4, 2026 Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) May 4, 2026 Letter of Intent Due Date(s) Not applicable for June 05, 2026 application due date.” Open page 2

• Letter of intent · p. 7

  “Letter of Intent Although a letter of intent is not required, is not binding, and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, the information that it contains allows IC staff to estimate the potential review workload and plan the review.” Open page 7

What to submit

• Form SF-424 · p. 7

  “SF424(R&R) Cover All instructions in the How to Apply - Application Guide must be followed.” Open page 7

• Budget narrative / justification · p. 9

  “All activities proposed in your application and budget narrative must align with applicable law, including but not limited to statutes, executive orders, federal regulations, and applicable judicial holdings.” Open page 9

• Form HHS-690 · p. 14

  “The recipient must also submit an Assurance of Compliance (HHS-690).” Open page 14

• Audit or financial statements · p. 15

  “Reporting When multiple years are involved, recipients will be required to submit the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) annually and financial statements as required in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.” Open page 15

Length limits

• Research Strategy: 30 pages max · p. 7

  “For this specific NOFO, the Research Strategy section is limited to 30 pages.” Open page 7

How applications are scored (100 points listed)

Build your narrative outline from these criteria

• Significance: 25 points · p. 10

  “Significance (25 points) Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in the field?” Open page 10

• Investigator(s): 15 points · p. 11

  “Investigator(s) (15 points) Are the PD(s)/PI(s), collaborators, and other researchers well suited to the project?” Open page 11

• Innovation: 20 points · p. 11

  “Innovation (20 points) Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms by utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions?” Open page 11

• Approach: 25 points · p. 11

  “Approach (25 points) Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project?” Open page 11

• Environment: 15 points · p. 11

  “Environment (15 points) Will the scientific environment in which the work will be done contribute to the probability of success?” Open page 11

Dates in the notice

• May 4, 2026 · p. 2

  “Key Dates Posted Date May 4, 2026 Open Date (Earliest Submission Date) May 4, 2026 Letter of Intent Due Date(s) Not applicable for June 05, 2026 application due date.” Open page 2

• April 14, 2027 · p. 2

  “April 14, 2027, for May 14, 2027 application due date.” Open page 2

• April 12, 2028 · p. 2

  “April 12, 2028, for May 12, 2028 application due date.” Open page 2

• June 12, 2026 · p. 3

  “Application Due Date(s) June 12, 2026 May 14, 2027 May 12, 2028 All applications are due by 11:59 PM local time of applicant organization.” Open page 3

• September 30, 2028 · p. 3

  “AIDS Application Due Date(s) Not Applicable Scientific Merit Review August 2024, June of each subsequent year Advisory Council Review Not Applicable Earliest Start Date September 2026 Expiration Date September 30, 2028 Due Dates for E.O. 12372 Not Applicable…” Open page 3

Mistakes that get applications rejected

• Could get your application rejected · p. 3

  “Late applications will not be accepted for this FOA.” Open page 3

• Could get your application rejected · p. 9

  “Paper applications will not be accepted.” Open page 9

• Could get your application rejected · p. 10

  “Applications that are incomplete, non-compliant and/or nonresponsive will not be reviewed.” Open page 10

• Could get your application rejected · p. 13

  “Appeals of initial peer review will not be accepted for applications submitted in response to this NOFO.” Open page 13