最大资源

RESTORE Grants Program

最大资源’s RESTORE Grants Program provides up to one year of funding for 最大资源 member-led research projects funded by grants that were unexpectedly frozen or terminated by NIH or other federal government agencies for reasons other than scientific merit. Applicant eligibility criteria are provided below.

Awards will be made directly to recipient institutions, which must be recognized as exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code with public charity status or otherwise be a public institution. Recipient eligibility criteria are provided below.

最大资源 leadership has dedicated up to $8M to this program.

Please note: An institutional commitment letter is required for a RESTORE application. See below for details.

Application Deadline: August 28

Download the full information pack for 最大资源’s RESTORE Grants Program.

For more information, please contact awards@aai.org.

Rationale

Many researchers and research institutions, including 501(c)(3) organizations, have faced unexpected grant terminations in 2025. When grants are frozen or withdrawn, meritorious projects face significant disruption.

The 最大资源 RESTORE Grants Program is geared toward replacing some of these terminated or frozen funds for immunology-focused grants from NIH or other federal agencies. Supported NIH mechanisms will be R- or K-series grants (including K99/R00 grants), and DP2 and DP5 grants. Terminated grants from other federal agencies under mechanisms similar to those listed for NIH will be considered on a case-by-case basis

By offering this funding, 最大资源 aims to:

Provide temporary resources to immunologists in the face of abrupt unforeseen funding cancellation.
Retain top scientific talent in the field.
Help institutions and 最大资源 members remain competitive for successful future applications for funding opportunities.
Support vital immunology research.

Eligibility Criteria

An applicant must:

Be the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI of an immunology-focused NIH R- or K-series grant (including K99/R00 grants), or DP2 or DP5 grant, or a grant from NSF or another federal agency, that was awarded to a 501(c)(3) institution with public charity status or to a public institution AND was terminated in 2025 due to non-scientific reasons.
Be an 最大资源 member in good standing for at least two of the last three years (2023-2025) and at the time of application. (Member dues must have been paid in full for 2025 in order to apply.) The membership requirement can be satisfied by two or more years of regular membership OR a combination of trainee and regular membership years.
Reside in the U.S. and work at a qualifying U.S.-based research institution.
Only one terminated or frozen grant per applicant will be considered for funding.

Members of the RESTORE Grants Review Group are not eligible to apply.

A recipient organization must:

Be a 501(c)(3) institution with public charity status or a public institution.

Grant Funding and Conditions

Program Budget: Up to $8 million

Award Amount: Up to $100,000 per award

Number of Awards: Dependent on amount per award

Award Duration: Up to 12 months

Award Payment Schedule: Paid in one installment at the start of the grant term

Award Conditions:

最大资源 membership in good standing, with membership being maintained for the duration of the award term.
Recipient institution must either be recognized as exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code with public charity status or be a public institution.
Any publication, poster, or presentation describing research conducted under this program during the period of the award must cite support from 最大资源.
Institution must verify at time of award that the federal grant funds have not been reinstated and agree to notify 最大资源 immediately if reinstatement occurs after the award is given. If funding for the frozen or terminated grant is restored prior to the award being conferred, the 最大资源 grant will not be awarded/activated.
If the funding for the frozen or terminated grant is restored during the 最大资源 grant term, or if the recipient institution ceases to conduct the funded research for any reason, including departure of the PI from the institution, then the institution must alert 最大资源 and return any unused 最大资源 grant funds that remain at the time of federal grant restoration.
A final expenditure report describing actual expenses must be submitted within 60 days of the end of the grant term. Any unused funds must be returned to 最大资源.
The grant is non-transferable between individuals or institutions.

Allowable Costs (must be addressed in an institutional commitment letter):

Reasonable compensation for key personnel other than PIs (e.g., postdocs, technicians)
Research supplies and resources, including core or animal facilities
Equipment repair/maintenance

Unallowable Costs:

PI compensation
Indirect costs or overhead

Application Components

Online grant application form with applicant information
Applicant’s NIH biosketch
Institutional commitment letter to:
- affirm allowable costs
- commit to efficient processing of the grant agreement (for funding to begin October 1), and
- commit to alert 最大资源 promptly to any changes in federal funding status for the frozen/terminated grant, or if the recipient institution ceases to conduct the funded research for any reason, including departure of the PI from the institution
Specific Aims page from terminated federal grant
Total grant amount awarded and budget from terminated federal grant
Copy of the federal grant termination notice
Funding confirmation form reporting current funding for (1) the research project supported by the terminated federal grant, and (2) the laboratory. See Funding Confirmation Form Instructions and download Funding Confirmation Form.

Award Cycle

Applications will be accepted immediately upon program implementation with an application deadline of August 28, 2025.
Decisions on applications will be finalized by September 15.
Grant agreements for applicants selected for funding will be sent to recipients for signature by the end of September 2025.
Grant term will be October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026.
Funds will be provided on or as soon after October 1 as possible, depending on institutional verification that the federal grant remains frozen or terminated, and receipt by 最大资源 of fully executed copies of grant agreements.

Review Process

最大资源 will not conduct a thorough scientific review but the RESTORE Grants Review Group will review the contents of the grant to ensure that it is immunology focused. All immunology-focused grants will be assessed based on the stated criteria.

FAQs

Q:Are frozen or terminated NIH Fellowship (F-series) or Training (T) grants eligible for funding under the RESTORE program?

A: This program supports NIH R- or K-series grants (including K99/R00 grants), or DP2 or DP5 grants, which support Principal Investigators (PIs) or foster the transition to independence. F and T grants are not eligible, but we will consider this input if 最大资源 is able to offer any additional programs.

Q: A copy of the federal grant termination notice is listed as a requirement for RESTORE application. All federal grants at my institution have been frozen in an institution-wide freeze but grant termination notices were not issued by NIH for each individual grant. Can I still apply without a termination notice and, if so, how should this be addressed in the application?

A: Yes, you can apply. In place of the grant termination notice, please provide an affidavit from your institution confirming that all grant funding has been frozen as of [effective date].

Q: I have more than one frozen or terminated federal grant. Can I submit a separate application for each grant?

A: Only one frozen or terminated NIH grant will be considered per applicant, so you will need to select which grant to submit for your single RESTORE application. Please know, however, that there is a section on the application Funding Confirmation Form on which you will report all federal grants for your laboratory which are terminated or frozen (Section C), so this will be considered for evaluation of financial need.

Q: My frozen federal grant is currently being subsidized by my university, but it is uncertain how long this may continue. Can I apply for RESTORE funding for this grant and, if so, how should this be addressed in the application?

A: Yes, you can apply. Please report this interim funding from your institution in the section on the application Funding Confirmation Form for institutional bridge funding (Section F). This section addresses funds which are intended to bridge funding gaps but are not renewable funding mechanisms. Please report as accurately as possible given the uncertain duration of the funding.

Q: I am not a member of 最大资源. Can I join now to become eligible to apply for the RESTORE Grants Program?

A: This program is intended to assist current and active 最大资源 members, requiring membership for at least two of the past three years and current membership at the time of application. It is not possible for you to join now, or join and retroactively pay the past dues, to qualify for this program.