Vision Research
Active
- Assistance listing
- 93.867
- Agency
-
National Institutes of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
- Grant awards
- 16,704 $17,470,079,274 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- NEI
- Assistance types
-
- Project Grant
- Cooperative Agreement
- Block Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 75-0887-0-1-552
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health, funds vision research across a broad portfolio with Assistance Listing 93.867, most recently awarding grants on May 1, 2027.
The program funds fundamental and applied research to understand eye and visual system biology, prevent and treat vision diseases, and support vision rehabilitation—spanning molecular and cellular vision science, retinal degeneration, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, corneal disease, visual development and neuroscience, and clinical vision research. Recent awards demonstrate the scope: gene therapy for inherited retinal degenerations, visual system circuit mapping in primates and rodents, mechanisms of photoreceptor maintenance and renewal, development of retinal prosthetics and implantable devices, and clinical studies of diabetic retinopathy screening and oculomics. The program emphasizes training and workforce development alongside research.
The portfolio is dominated by Project Grants (96 percent, 15,998 awards) with smaller shares of Block Grants (3 percent, 508 awards) and Cooperative Agreements (1 percent, 198 awards). Combined federal funding stands at $17.47 billion across 16,704 awards since 1974. The NEI funds 4,801 awards totaling $11.81 billion federal dollars obligated—the largest single funder by far. Broader NIH mechanisms contribute an additional $4.92 billion across 11,515 awards; other NIH institutes (NINDS, NIMH) and HHS agencies fund smaller tranches, collectively accounting for less than 5 percent of the program's total investment. Recent award magnitudes for individual grants range from $37 thousand (fellowship training) to over $2.27 million (large R01 programs), with typical R01 and R21 awards in the range of $400 thousand to $700 thousand.
Active grant opportunities remain available. The NEI Translational Research Program for Therapeutics (R61/R33, PAR-28-072) supports product development for biological, pharmaceutical, and device therapies for visual system disease, with a due date of November 16, 2029. The NEI New Innovator Award (DP2, PAR-26-087) funds exceptional early-career investigators proposing novel vision research without preliminary data requirements. The NEI Center Core Grant (P30, PAR-26-113) supports shared research infrastructure for groups of R01-funded investigators. Collaborative mechanisms including the NEI Collaborative Clinical Vision Research (UG1, PAR-26-119) and the BRAIN Initiative Integrative Team-Research program (RM1, RFA-NS-27-002) remain open. Award activity has declined moderately in 2026–2027 (234 and 16 awards respectively year-to-date), suggesting normal annual variability after consistent annual funding of 357–362 awards during 2023–2024.
Objective and description
- Objective
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
- Description
The mission of the National Eye Institute is to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through vision research. To achieve this mission, NEI provides leadership to: 1) 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; 2) Foster collaboration in vision research and clinical care to develop new ideas and share knowledge across other fields; 3) Recruit, inspire, and train talented new generation of individuals to expand and strengthen the vision workforce; 4) Educate health care providers, scientists, policymakers, and the public about advances in vision research and their impact on health and quality of life.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible organizations determined at the NOFO level.
- Beneficiary eligibility
Any nonprofit or for-profit organization, company, or institution engaged in biomedical research.
- Uses of assistance
Research Grants provide funds for salaries, equipment, supplies, travel, and other expenses associated with scientific investigation relevant to program objectives.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Up to five years for research grants and cooperative agreements, Career Development Awards, Core Grants, individual predoctoral NRSAs, and institutional NRSAs. Up to three years for Academic Research Enhancement Awards and NRSA individual postdoctoral awards. Clinical Study Planning Grants: one year. SBIR: Normally, Phase I awards are for six months; normally, Phase II awards are for two years. STTR: Normally, Phase I awards are for one year; normally, Phase II awards are for two years. Loan Repayment Program Awards are for two years with the opportunity for renewal.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
Applicants for core grants, clinical study planning grants, cooperative agreements, small research grants for data analyses, and bioengineering research partnerships should seek preapplication coordination through contact with the National Eye Institute staff. All staff may be contacted at (301) 451-2020. Applicants for planning to submit a research project grant application requesting $500,000 or more in direct costs for any year are required to discuss their eligibility with the NEI staff, at (301) 451-2020.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
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.
- Award procedure
Applications are reviewed initially for scientific and technical merit. A second level review of the programmatic relevance of applications is provided by the National Advisory Eye Council. Final approval is made by the Director, National Eye Institute. Formal award notices are transmitted to the appropriate institutional official.
- Time to approval or disapproval
Approximately nine months for Research Grants, Individual Career Development Awards, Clinical Study Planning Grants, cooperative clinical studies or conferences, Core Grants, and NRSA Institutional applications; from six to seven months for NRSA individual applications; and for SBIR, about eight months.
- Renewals
Renewals of research grant or cooperative agreement support are by competitive application and review. Individual Career Development Awards, Clinical Study Planning Grants, NEI Translational Research Program on Therapy for Visual Disorders, and NEI Research Grants for Secondary Data Analysis are non-renewable.
- Appeals
A principal investigator may question the substantive or procedural aspects of the review of his/her application by communicating with the staff of the Institute. A description of the NIH Peer Review Appeal procedures is available on the NIH homepage http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-11-064.html
Grant opportunities
Show 40 more
Latest 50 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 16,704 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Johns Hopkins University | $597,687,467 | 3% |
| 2 | Jaeb Center For Health Research Foundation, Inc. | $452,997,750 | 3% |
| 3 | The Leland Stanford Junior University | $386,056,259 | 2% |
| 4 | The Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania | $356,592,732 | 2% |
| 5 | The Regents Of The University Of California. San Francisco | $345,157,499 | 2% |
| 6 | University Of Washington | $320,387,835 | 2% |
| 7 | Duke University | $291,085,065 | 2% |
| 8 | Oregon Health & Science University | $281,197,149 | 2% |
| 9 | The Schepens Eye Research Institute. Inc. | $279,425,760 | 2% |
| 10 | University Of California, LOS Angeles | $275,326,196 | 2% |
10 of 796 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | $633,865,357 |
| FY2025 | $1,055,918,297 |
| FY2024 | $1,122,470,156 |
| FY2023 | $1,372,167,133 |
| FY2022 | $1,473,695,801 |
| FY2021 | $1,290,699,657 |
| FY2020 | $653,471,103 |
| FY2019 | $632,276,329 |
| FY2018 | $606,847,871 |
| FY2017 | $569,923,819 |
| FY2016 | $566,601,206 |
| FY2015 | $543,097,575 |
| FY2014 | $550,462,135 |
| FY2013 | $537,477,499 |
| FY2012 | $577,809,365 |
| FY2011 | $574,477,581 |
| FY2010 | $581,257,955 |
| FY2009 | $574,451,239 |
| FY2008 | $318,347,244 |
| FY2007 | $354,913,366 |
| FY2006 | $522,584,091 |
| FY2005 | $529,484,412 |
| FY2004 | $516,827,705 |
| FY2003 | $492,205,668 |
| FY2002 | $448,558,185 |
| FY2001 | $214,927,924 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 93.867?
Assistance Listing 93.867 is Vision Research, a federal grant program run by National Institutes of Health (Department of Health and Human Services).
What is the CFDA number for Vision Research?
Its CFDA number is 93.867: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 93.867 awarded?
16,704 grant awards under 93.867 have obligated $17,470,079,274 in federal funds to 796 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 93.867?
The recipients obligated the most under Vision Research are The Johns Hopkins University ($597,687,467), Jaeb Center For Health Research Foundation, Inc. ($452,997,750) and The Leland Stanford Junior University ($386,056,259).
How much did 93.867 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 93.867 obligated $1,055,918,297 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 93.867?
40 of the latest 50 opportunities under 93.867 are open or forecasted. The latest, Investigator-Focused Award (Parent R35), was posted on July 30, 2026.
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