RPB Career Development Award

The Research to Prevent Blindness Career Development Award is a flagship funding program administered by Research to Prevent Blindness, a private nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting vision research and advancing treatments for sight threatening conditions. The award is designed to support early career ophthalmology faculty at institutions that already receive departmental support from the organization, ensuring that recipients are embedded in strong research environments. By focusing on promising junior investigators, the program aims to foster independent research careers and accelerate scientific discovery in the field of vision science. The primary purpose of the award is to provide substantial, multi year funding to early stage researchers who have demonstrated potential for independence in ophthalmology research. The award is flexible in scope and does not restrict applicants to a specific scientific topic, allowing proposals across the full spectrum of vision related research. A variation of the program specifically targets data science and artificial intelligence applications in ophthalmology, highlighting the funder's interest in emerging methodologies that can improve understanding of eye disease. Funding is provided in the amount of 350000 dollars over a four year period, with structured disbursements contingent upon progress. Initial payments are distributed over the first two years, while continued funding for years three and four depends on the successful completion and approval of a substantive scientific mid term progress report. Funds must be expended within the designated project period and cannot be used for institutional overhead or indirect costs. Equipment purchased becomes the property of the hosting department, and funds must be returned if the awardee leaves the institution. Eligibility is restricted to junior faculty holding primary appointments in ophthalmology departments that are supported by the funder through institutional grants. Candidates must be within three years of their first full time faculty appointment and must not have previously held major independent federal funding such as an R01 grant. Applicants must be nominated by their department chair, and only one candidate per department per award category is permitted. Additional expectations include a significant commitment to research time and demonstration of a strong mentoring plan within the host department. The application process involves a required nomination step followed by submission of a full application. Nomination forms must be submitted in advance of the application deadline and include a biosketch. Full applications are submitted through a secure online portal and must include a completed application form along with supporting documentation such as a biosketch, chair statement, research proposal, budget, and collaboration materials if applicable. Separate recommendation letters from external referees must be submitted directly to the funder by the deadline. Applications are evaluated based on the candidate’s scientific potential, the strength of the proposed research, and the quality of the mentoring environment. The funder also considers the institutional commitment and the relevance of the research to advancing vision science. Reporting requirements include annual summaries, financial reports, bibliographies, and a mid term progress report, with a final report due after completion of the funding period. Failure to meet reporting requirements may result in termination of the award. The program operates on a recurring cycle with two annual deadlines. Nomination deadlines occur in mid June and mid December, followed by application deadlines in early July and early January. Awards are typically announced several months after submission, aligning with mid year and end of year funding cycles. This recurring structure allows institutions to regularly nominate new candidates and maintain a pipeline of early career researchers in ophthalmology.

Submit nomination form in advance; application must include all required components and adhere to format rules; missing or late items will lead to automatic rejection.