The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) has introduced an $8 million emergency funding initiative designed to support US researchers affected by sudden terminations or freezes of their federal grants. The RESTORE Grants Program aims to provide one-year grants of up to $100,000 to principal investigators in immunology whose federal research funding was disrupted for reasons unrelated to scientific merit.This initiative responds to growing concerns over the impact of unstable federal funding on the US biomedical research community. Researchers who had their NIH R- or K-series grants, as well as DP2/DP5 grants, abruptly frozen or terminated will be eligible to apply for the RESTORE grants, which intend to maintain research continuity and enable competitiveness for future funding.Details of the restore grants programThe RESTORE Grants Program offers funding to allow principal investigators to retain personnel and continue progress on immunology-focused research projects. The funding is specifically aimed at projects unexpectedly frozen or terminated by the NIH or other federal agencies for non-scientific reasons. Grants awarded under this programme will last for one year, with a maximum value of $100,000 per award.Applications for the RESTORE grants must be submitted by August 28, 2025, with decisions on awards finalised by September 15. Grant agreements will be sent to recipient institutions for signature by the end of September, and funding is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2025, running through to September 30, 2026.AAI’s response to grant terminationsAAI President Dr Uli von Andrian emphasised the programme’s importance, saying the association is “hearing from accomplished investigators who’ve had grants pulled or frozen with little notice, placing entire labs and years of scientific progress at risk,” as reported by the AAI. He added that “we cannot let this volatility dictate the trajectory of scientific discovery.”The $8 million allocated for the RESTORE Grants Program reflects the significant effect these grant terminations are having on the research community. The initiative is intended to be a temporary solution to assist affected scientists in continuing their work despite funding disruptions.Funding context and institutional eligibilityAAI CEO Dr Loretta Doan highlighted the broader funding challenges faced by US researchers, stating the “real solution must come from stable, sustained public investment in research.” As quoted by the AAI, she noted that AAI has urged Congress to maintain bipartisan support for the NIH, advocating for no less than $51.3 billion in the NIH base budget for fiscal year 2026.To be eligible, recipient institutions must be exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code with public charity status or be a recognised public institution. An institutional commitment letter is required as part of the application process. Awards will be made directly to the recipient institutions following verification that the federal grant remains frozen or terminated.More information about the RESTORE Grants Program and application details are available on the AAI website.TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here.
