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  1. IN
  2. NAU Research
  3. Resources and opportunities
  4. Impact and opportunities
  5. Intramural funding
  6. Faculty funding
  7. Bridge funding

Bridge funding

Funding for FY27 animal care rate increases

Overview

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is offering a limited Bridge Funding Opportunity to assist NAU investigators with covering increases in animal care per diem costs that will take effect on July 1, 2026. This transitional support is intended to help principal investigators maintain continuity of ongoing, externally sponsored animal research while the increased costs are incorporated into future proposal budgets or approved sponsor rebudgeting actions.

This opportunity is temporary and limited in duration and is designed to support existing, active awards that were funded under the previous per diem rate structure.

General Rules for Intramural Funding Opportunities

This program is subject to overarching rules and guidelines in place for all intramural programs. A summary of these rules may be found under the General Rules for Intramural Funding Opportunities.

Effective July 1, 2026, NAU will implement updated animal care per diem and service rates based on a comprehensive rate study conducted using the NIH Cost Analysis and Rate Setting Manual methodology. These adjustments are necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability, regulatory compliance, and accreditation of NAU’s animal care and use program.

OVPR recognizes that investigators with currently funded, ongoing studies may face challenges absorbing these increased costs mid-award. The purpose of this bridge funding is to:

  • Mitigate short-term financial impacts on active animal research projects
  • Prevent disruptions to ongoing, sponsor-funded studies
  • Provide investigators time to transition increased animal care costs onto sponsored project budgets through rebudgeting, renewal, or new proposal submissions

Projects must meet all of the following criteria:

Projects that were submitted after March 6, 2026 are not eligible, as investigators are expected to budget the updated rates in all new proposals.

  • Bridge funding is provided on a limited, temporary basis
  • Support is intended to offset only the incremental increase in animal per diem and space rental costs
  • Funding will generally be limited to a defined transition period (e.g., up to one fiscal year), subject to availability and demand

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) reserves the right to prorate awards or limit support based on overall institutional need and available resources.

Bridge funding may be used only for:

  • Increased animal husbandry per diem and/or space rental costs resulting from the July 1, 2026 rate changes

Bridge funds may not be used for:

  • Personnel, supplies, or equipment
  • New animal protocol activities
  • Technical service fees unrelated to per diem increases
  • Costs that can reasonably be rebudgeted or charged to the existing sponsored project

  • Work with Sponsored Projects Services to re-budget allowable animal costs to their sponsored project when permitted by the sponsor
  • Incorporate the new animal care rates into all future proposal submissions and renewals
  • Use bridge funding strictly as temporary transitional support, not as a long-term subsidy

Please send an email to scott.pryor@nau.edu and OVPR@nau.edu with the following information:

    1. IACUC protocol number(s), award number(s), and funding source(s) for each project for which you are requesting bridge funding
    2. The species (for animal husbandry per diems) and/or space (for room rental) for which you are requesting bridge funding
    3. For each animal species and project, provide your anticipated census numbers in FY27
    4. For each project, list the amount that you had originally budgeted to cover animal husbandry and/or space rental in FY27
    5. List the anticipated total additional FY27 costs that each project/protocol will need to absorb to cover the increase in rates

  • New animal care rates effective: July 1, 2026
  • Bridge funding request period: Open until June 30, 2027

For questions regarding eligibility, application requirements, or animal care rate impacts, please contact:

Scott Pryor
Associate Vice President for Research Compliance
Office of the Vice President for Research
scott.pryor@nau.edu
tel:(928) 523-5927