DoW Vision, Investigator-Initiated Research Award
Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA
Program funding
$4,400,000
- Opportunity #
- HT942526VRPIIRA
- Agency
- Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity - DHACA
- ALN (CFDA)
- 12.420
- Status
- posted
- Posted
- May 5, 2026
- Closes
- Nov 12, 2026
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Category
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Cost sharing required
- No
Who can apply
- •Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility"
Synopsis
Summary: The fiscal year 2026 (FY26) Vision Research Program (VRP) Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA) supports basic through early translational research that will yield highly impactful discoveries or major advancements in the research and/or patient care of eye injury and/or visual dysfunction related to military exposure. The IIRA may be used to support preclinical studies and/or clinical research. Research must align with at least one of the FY26 VRP Focus Areas. The IIRA cannot be used to support clinical trials.
Distinctive Features:
· The IIRA offers two Funding Levels to support research at different stages and the exploration/development of ideas of different maturity levels.
· Funding Level 2 includes a Partnering Principal Investigator (PI) Option (PPIO) for two PIs, an Initiating PI and a Partnering PI.
· Scored peer review criteria include Research Idea/Rationale, Research Strategy and Feasibility, Impact, and Personnel.
· Programmatic review criteria include adherence to the intent of the IIRA, contribution to the VRP portfolio, relative impact, and relevance to military health.
· The VRP may share FY26 IIRA applications and reviews with the National Eye Institute (NEI) for independent funding consideration.
Contact
Teresa M Parker-Reeser Grants Officer · help@eBRAP.org