CHARTER Program

The Charles River CHARTER (Commitment to Humane Animal Research Through Excellence and Responsibility) program is committed to funding organizations and projects that support the objectives of the Humane Care Initiative. Our mission is:

  • To fund organizations and projects whose principal goal is to educate the public about biomedical research.
  • To enhance education that furthers the humane care of laboratory animals and advance the values of the 3Rs (Reduction, Refinement, and Replacement). This includes but is not limited to research, development, and testing related to best practices and fostering the health and quality of laboratory animals.
  • To support activities that increase the awareness of the ethics of humane animal care and foster alliances between organizations with similar goals.

Our budget cycle is January through December. The budgeting process for the next fiscal year begins in August. A funding request should include the main activities that the funding will support and discuss how those activities support the objectives of the CHARTER program and the Humane Care Initiative. A request can be submitted at any time by writing to:

Charles River CHARTER Program
c/o Dr. Marilyn Brown
251 Ballardvale Street
Wilmington, MA 01887

Examples of programs supported include:

  • National and International Organizations
  • Awards and Scholarships
  • Lectures