RPB Unrestricted Grants

RPB Unrestricted Grants is sponsored by Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB). RPB Unrestricted Grants provide maximum flexibility in developing and expanding eye research programs for exceptional, research-focused departments of ophthalmology. These grants allow for creative planning beyond the scope of restricted project grants.

Unrestricted Grant - Research to Prevent Blindness Dry eye is a chronic medical condition that develops when the eye's tear film does not lubricate and protect the eye's outer surface. RPB Medical Student Fellow Works To Improve Glaucoma Detection RPB Unrestricted Grants provide maximum flexibility in developing and expanding eye research programs.

These annual $150,000 grants provide opportunities for creative planning that go beyond the scope of restricted project grants which scientists normally depend upon for their principal support. Only departments of ophthalmology with a full-time, permanent chair at university-connected, U.S.-based medical schools are eligible for support.

If approved, funds are automatically disbursed on an annual basis during the 5-year term of the grant unless the ophthalmology chair steps down or RPB requires the department to re-apply earlier. Advance notice will be given if the grant is to be terminated. Should the chair step down, RPB may provide one additional payment before the grant is terminated.

An acting or interim chair cannot re-apply for continued support. The Unrestricted Grant is intended for current Unrestricted Grantee departments or RPB supported departments whose Challenge Grants are ending. Departments not supported by an Unrestricted Grant are strongly encouraged to apply for RPB’s Challenge Grant.

New chairs at RPB supported departments should speak with RPB prior to the submission of an Unrestricted Grant application. We suggest new chairs be active at least six months prior to submitting an application. If a proposal for an Unrestricted Grant is rejected, the chair must wait two years before reapplying, so RPB strongly encourages thorough preparation and planning before an application is submitted.

The application forms for this award are not available online. Please contact MariaClaudia Lora-Montano ( mlora@rpbusa. org ) to discuss an Unrestricted Grant application and obtain the Unrestricted Grant application forms.

Frequently Asked Questions Am I eligible for a grant? Each RPB grant has different eligibility criteria, which is detailed on the relevant grant webpage. If you have questions about the eligibility details, please reach out to us; we’re happy to help.

Do I need to be at an RPB-supported department to get an individual research award?

While a few of our RPB individual awards (RPB Medical Student Eye Research Fellowship, RPB Career Development Award, and the RPB Physician-Scientist Award) are restricted to departments that have an RPB Unrestricted or Challenge grant, the majority of our awards are open to researchers at any academic medical center in the U.S. The reason that the three awards mentioned above are restricted to RPB-supported departments is that our Departmental Grantees undergo an extremely rigorous peer-review process.

The environment and leadership at these departments have met our stringent criteria and are appropriate venues for the research being conducted by these early- and mid-career researchers, giving us assurance that they will receive outstanding support and mentorship. If you are not sure if your department has a Departmental Grant, visit our current grantees here . Do you fund outside the U.S.?

No, all of our grants are awarded to researchers or departments of ophthalmology at U.S.-based academic medical centers. The RPB International Researcher Collaborators Award supports collaboration between U.S. and outside-the-U.S. researchers; however, the award is made to the U.S. academic medical center, which can then disperse the funds as needed to support the project collaboration.

I received an email about a grant requirement (Year-End Report, Financial Report, Progress Report, etc.). Who do I contact? For Financial Reports and Progress Reports, please contact Director of Grants Management MariaClaudia Lora-Montana ( mlora@rpbusa.

org ). For Year-End Reports (photos, research summaries and bibliographies), please contact Jo Casella ( jcasella@rpbusa. org ).

For more information about all RPB grant requirements, visit our helpful RPB Reports page . I’m a grantee and I published or presented (or plan to publish or present) a paper or poster. Who should I contact?

We love to help promote our grantees’ work! Please reach out to Director of External Affairs Diana Friedman ( dfriedman@rpbusa. org or 646-892-9565 ) to share your good news.

MariaClaudia Lora-Montano Director of Grants Management