Register Today:

Proposer’s Day: September 3, 2026

11 AM-12 PM ET (Register Here)

Join Preeti Subramanian, PhD, Vice President, Preclinical Research, on September 3 to learn more about these funding opportunities, hear details about the upcoming call for proposals, and get answers to your questions.

THREE NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Foundation Fighting Blindness seeks applications for the Individual Investigator Research Award , Postdoctoral Fellowship Award, and Clinical Research Fellowship Award

Individual Investigator Research Award Program

The Foundation Fighting Blindness (the Foundation) seeks letters of intent for its Individual Investigator Research Award Program. Individual Investigator Research Awards are designed to concentrate research in areas with the greatest potential to move toward treatments and cures for the inherited retinal degenerative diseases (IRDs) and dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD). For dry AMD, the proposal must:

• Emphasize research on early dry AMD
• Utilize animal or cellular models that are most appropriate for studying dry AMD pathobiology
• Clearly demonstrate how the project’s outcomes will have a direct impact on AMD understanding or treatment

The Foundation Fighting Blindness expects to fund at least nine new Individual Investigator Research Awards, to be awarded in July 2027. The award will be approximately $100,000 per year for up to three years.

The Foundation Fighting Blindness has identified six Research Priority Areas that align with its mission. This targeted open call for proposals addresses specific gaps identified in current retinal disease research.
Individual Research Awards are available in the following Research Priority Areas:

• Clinical: Structure and Function
• Genetics
• Cell and Molecular Mechanisms of Disease
• Genetic Technologies
• Restorative Therapies (includes cell-based approaches, visual prosthetics, and optogenetics)
• Novel Medical Therapies

See the Letter of Intent Guidelines for full details.

Eligibility:

Applicants must hold a Ph.D., M.D., D.M.D., D.V.M., D.O., O.D., or equivalent degree and have a faculty position or equivalent at a domestic or foreign non-profit organization, or public or private institution, such as a university, college, medical school, hospital, research institute, or laboratory. Individuals from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and gender groups, as well as individuals with disabilities, are always encouraged to apply.

Letter of Intent Deadline: October 8, 2026
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO APPLY

NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Postdoctoral Fellowship Award

The Foundation Fighting Blindness expects to fund a limited number of Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards to be awarded in July 2027. The award will be approximately $80,000 per year for two years. The Postdoctoral Fellowship Award supports the training of postdoctoral fellows engaged in innovative research projects focused on IRDs and dry age-related macular degeneration.

The Foundation Fighting Blindness has identified six Research Priority Areas that align with its mission. This targeted open call for proposals addresses specific gaps identified in current retinal disease research.
Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards are available in the following Research Priority Areas:

• Clinical: Structure and Function
• Genetics
• Cell and Molecular Mechanisms of Disease
• Genetic Technologies
• Restorative Therapies (includes cell-based approaches, visual prosthetics, and optogenetics)
• Novel Medical Therapies

See the Letter of Intent Guidelines for full details.

Eligibility:
Applicants must hold a doctoral degree or equivalent (Ph.D., D.V.M., D.O., O.D.) earned within the past 5 years. At the time of application, candidates must not be serving in an internship or residency. Applicants must be affiliated with an eligible research institution, either domestic or international. Eligible institutions include non-profit organizations and public or private entities such as universities, colleges, medical schools, hospitals, research institutes, or laboratories. Exceptions will be made for applicants with more than five years of postdoctoral experience on a case-by-case basis, at the Foundation’s discretion. Individuals from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and gender groups, as well as individuals with disabilities, are always encouraged to apply.

Letter of Intent Deadline: October 8, 2026
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO APPLY

NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Clinical Research Fellowship Award Program

The Foundation Fighting Blindness annually makes available funds to support clinician-scientists in their first- or second-year fellowship. Clinical Research Fellowship Award (CRFA) provides one year of support for aspiring clinician-scientists interested in inherited retinal degenerations. The one-year award is $65,000.

Eligibility
Clinicians who possess an M.D., D.O., O.D., or recognized equivalent foreign degree by the time the fellowship starts and will be eligible for subspecialty board certification at the completion of their training program are eligible to apply for a CRFA.

Ophthalmology residents or fellows with an interest in inherited retinal degenerations could apply for both a fellowship position and a CRFA in the final year of their residency program.

Ophthalmology residents or fellows with an interest in inherited retinal degenerations could apply for a CRFA the year before applying for the fellowship position itself, allowing the applicant and institution to know about funding prior to the fellowship application.

Applications may be submitted by candidates in coordination with domestic and foreign, public and private, academic institutions, as well as hospitals and laboratories affiliated with such institutions. Individuals from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and gender groups, as well as individuals with disabilities, are always encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline: October 15, 2026
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO APPLY

Have questions? Schedule a meeting.