DOD Vision Research Program Releases FY2019 Program Announcement
Legislative Update
May 29, 2019
On May 24, the Department of Defenses (DOD) Vision Research Program (VRP) released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Program Announcements, with $20 million available for research. This year marks the first time that the VRP is funded at that level, after $15 million in funding in each FY2017 and FY2018.
For FY2019, the VRP is using three funding mechanisms:
- Focused Translational Team Science Award (FTTSA), with a maximum funding of $5 million over four years
- Investigator-Initiated Research Award (IIRA), with two separate funding levels: Level 1, with a maximum funding of $260,000 over two years; and Level 2, with a maximum funding level of $500,00 over three years
- Translational Research Award (TRA), with a maximum funding of $750,000 over three years
Previously funded VRP researchers are encouraged to apply for an Expansion Award under the TRA to support continued work on their original research project.
For all three awards, pre-proposals are due August 6, 2019. Researchers who are selected to submit a full proposal will be notified in September, and the deadline for full proposal submission is December 6, 2019.
All research projects must address one of the VRP focus areas, which for FY2019 include:
- Eye injury or visual dysfunction as related to a military-relevant traumatic event. Examples of military-relevant trauma may include, but are not limited to:
- Blast, blunt, thermal, or chemical trauma
- Trauma caused by directed energy weapons such as laser, microwaves, and particle beams
- Diagnosis and treatment of eye injuries in austere environments and prolonged field care settings
A link to the three Program Announcements as well as a synopsis of all three funding mechanisms is available on the CDMRP web site.