← Back to search

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health

Vision Research

Federal program · program number 93.867 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · also called “NEI”

Key facts

Open now
68 grants
Opening soon
7 grants
Type of help
Project grant
Typical award
FOR 2023: Research Grants (R): $12,400 to $2,178,277; Avg $422,981. Cooperative Agreements: $10,980 to $7,324,750; Avg $1,067,398. Centers (P): $400,718 to $949,680; Avg $677,851. K (Institutional): $183,986 to...

Open now

Opening soon

Announced, but you can't apply yet. Get ready now.

What it pays for

The mission of the National Eye Institute is to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research. The goal is to drive innovative research to understand the eye and visual system, prevent and treat vision diseases, and expand opportunities for people who are blind or require vision rehabilitation. Research grants and cooperative agreements 1) Support eye and vision research projects that address the leading causes of blindness and impaired vision in the U.S. These include, but are not limited to, retinal diseases; corneal diseases; cataract; glaucoma and optic neuropathies; strabismus; amblyopia; and low vision and blindness rehabilitation. 2) To increase understanding of the normal development and function of the visual system in order to better prevent, diagnose, and treat sight-threatening conditions; and, to enhance the rehabilitation, training, and quality of life of individuals who are partially-sighted or blind. 3) To encourage high quality clinical research, including clinical trials, other epidemiological studies, and health services research.

Who can apply

In each year's official notice: Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Research (R01 Clinical Trial Optional)

How applications are judged

The following consideration will be used in determining projects to be funded: (1) Technical merit of the proposed project; (2) Availability of funds; and (3) Relevance to program priorities.

Match

None required (federal program listing).

Who in Tennessee has won this program

29 awards to Tennessee groups since 1978 · 0 in Gibson County. Largest shown:

Past Tennessee winners
Past winnerWhereAmountFiscal year
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$14M1997
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$12.7M2021
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$9.4M1997
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$8.7M1998
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$7.1M2018
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$6.7M2001
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$6.4M2010
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$6.3M spent that year2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson County$5.5M2002
University of TennesseeKnoxville, Knox County$5.4M1984
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$5.4M2006
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson County$5.4M1978

Source: USAspending.gov, Federal Audit Clearinghouse.

Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization

This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. 49 pass-through grants on file · 0 in Gibson County. Largest shown:

Tennessee pass-through grant winners
Past winnerWhereThroughAmountFiscal year
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University Medical Center$958K2023
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University$941K2025
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham$594K2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleVumc$562K spent that year2024
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University$537K2026
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyHuman Cell Co$468K spent that year2025
Vanderbilt UniversityNashvilleVanderbilt University Medical Center$456K spent that year2025
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University$404K2024
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyDuke University$374K2026
Vanderbilt UniversityNashville, Davidson CountyCornell University$357K2023
Tennessee Retina PcNashville, Davidson CountyThe Johns Hopkins University$353K2026
Vanderbilt University Medical CenterNashville, Davidson CountyVanderbilt University$317K2024

Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).

Official program listing (SAM.gov) Program website