NEI Collaborative Clinical Vision Research: Chair's Grant (UG1-Clinical Trial Required) | PAR 23 209

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 209

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is offering a cooperative agreement funding opportunity called "NEI Collaborative Clinical Vision Research: Chair's Grant (UG1-Clinical Trial Required)" (Funding Opportunity Number PAR-23-209, CFDA 93.867). This program is designed to support investigator-initiated, large-scale and complex clinical vision research projects that rise to a level of operational difficulty, cost, or safety oversight that goes beyond a typical clinical study. The emphasis is on clinical trials that are high impact for public health and that require robust governance, clearly defined leadership roles, and ongoing monitoring and performance oversight throughout the life of the study.

The scientific scope is focused specifically on human clinical studies intended to evaluate interventions related to vision disorders. That includes trials aimed at screening, diagnosing, preventing, or treating eye and vision diseases, as well as comparative effectiveness studies that directly compare two or more established interventions to determine which works better, for whom, and under what conditions. The opportunity explicitly notes that UG1 mechanisms under NEI are used for demanding trial types such as large-scale clinical trials, human gene-transfer trials, stem cell therapy trials, and other studies that are considered complex, high resource, or higher risk from a safety perspective. In practical terms, applicants are expected to propose a well-justified clinical trial with a strong rationale, meaningful endpoints, and a structure that can handle multi-site coordination, safety reporting, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance.

This specific NOFO encourages applications for the "Chair's Grant," which is one piece of a broader, multi-award structure NEI commonly uses for these initiatives. NEI typically funds these large efforts as a set of companion awards that may include (1) the Chair's Grant, (2) a Coordinating Center, and (3) Resource Centers when needed. The Chair's Grant is positioned as the component that lays out the core scientific leadership for the study, including the scientific rationale, the main study aims, and the overall significance and public health importance of the proposed trial. Because this is a cooperative agreement (UG1) rather than a standard grant, the project is expected to involve substantial programmatic involvement from NEI, reflecting the need for close coordination, milestone tracking, and active oversight commonly required for large or higher-risk clinical trials.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that can carry out clinical research, spanning government, academic, nonprofit, and commercial entities. Eligible applicants listed include state, county, city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) as well as other Native American tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities. The announcement also highlights additional eligible applicant categories such as Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, AANAPISI institutions, Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, and even non-U.S. (foreign) organizations and regional organizations, signaling an intent to allow participation from a wide range of capable groups when scientifically and operationally appropriate.

Key administrative details include that the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, uses the cooperative agreement funding instrument, and falls under the health funding activity category. The original closing date shown is 2026-05-25, and the posting indicates a creation date of 2023-05-25. An award ceiling is not specified in the provided source text, and the number of expected awards is not provided there either, which usually means applicants should consult the full NOFO on NIH/Grants.gov for budget expectations, project period details, and any limits tied to the companion-award structure.

Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a route for proposing and leading a major NEI-aligned clinical trial in vision research, where the applicant team can credibly demonstrate both strong scientific justification and a mature operational plan. The Chair's Grant component, in particular, is meant to anchor the scientific direction and importance of the clinical trial within a larger NEI-supported infrastructure that may include separate awards for coordination and specialized resources.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NEI Collaborative Clinical Vision Research: Chair's Grant (UG1-Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 23 209

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