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RPB Stein Innovation Awards

Research to Prevent Blindness

RPB Stein Innovation Awards provide funds to vision researchers with a goal of understanding the visual system and the diseases that compromise its function. These awards are intended to provide seed money to proposed high-risk / high-gain vision science research which is innovative, cutting-edge, and demonstrates out-of-the-box thinking.

RPB offers two types of awards, a Stein Innovation Award inside ophthalmology and a Stein Innovation Award outside ophthalmology, depending on the primary appointment of faculty applying for this award:

For the January deadline, department of ophthalmology faculty who are performing innovative vision research may submit an application. For this review cycle, candidates may be from any institution of higher education in the U.S.
For the July deadline, scientists outside the department of ophthalmology who are actively engaged in innovative vision research may submit an application. For this review cycle, candidates may be from any institution of higher education in the U.S.

The Stein Innovation Awards are not to serve as venture philanthropy for start-up companies. The application should also not be a natural extension of the candidate’s research progress to date; it should catalyze a new line of inquiry or otherwise show a departure from previously funded research. The proposed research in the application should provide a clear and rational research plan, compelling preliminary data, and careful consideration of pitfalls, which should be addressed in the candidate’s scientific statement. Additionally, the application should be substantially different than an R01-type research endeavor. The proposed research should be something that federal funders are not apt to finance due to its unconventional and novel reasoning.

Type

Individual

Amount

$300,000

Eligibility

Associate Professor, Professor

Duration

3 years

Status

Open

Deadline

Nomination Due: June 15 (outside ophthalmology) or December 15 (inside ophthalmology)

Application Due: July 1 (outside ophthalmology) or January 10 (inside ophthalmology)

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Alignment with RPB’s Mission

RPB’s mission is to preserve and restore vision and prevent blindness by funding research that advances understanding, treatment, or prevention of vision-threatening conditions. Grants that clearly advance this mission — including basic, translational, and clinical research into eye diseases — are competitive.RPB USA

Predictor: A proposal that explicitly ties project goals to vision loss mechanisms, treatment innovation, or prevention strategies.

2. Scientific Excellence and High-Impact Potential

RPB supports research that is scientifically rigorous and has potential for major impact in vision science. Funded awards are intended to push the field forward and have been associated with breakthroughs in areas like retinal disease, amblyopia, and glaucoma.RPB USA

Predictor: A research plan with:

clear, important questions,

strong methodology,

compelling rationale for why results will matter.

3. Track Record and Environment

For individual investigator grants (e.g., Career Development Award, Physician-Scientist Award, Stein Innovation Award), successful applicants typically have:

A solid scientific track record appropriate to career stage,

A productive research environment,

Mentorship and support from their department.RPB USA

Predictor: Evidence that the applicant has capacity, productivity, and institutional backing to complete and disseminate the research.

4. Appropriate Career Stage & Mechanism Match

RPB offers awards tailored to different career stages and research profiles, including:

Career Development Award (for promising early-career faculty),

Physician-Scientist Award (for clinician researchers),

Stein Innovation Award (for high-risk, high-gain projects),

Medical Student Eye Research Fellowship (MSERF) (for MD students),

International Research Collaborators Award (for U.S.–international partnerships).RPB USA

Predictor: Correctly choosing the grant mechanism that fits the applicant’s experience and project scope improves competitiveness.

5. Institutional and Departmental Support

For department-level grants like Unrestricted Grants or Challenge Grants, predictors of success include:

A strong existing eye research portfolio,

A mature research environment,

Leadership from department chairs committed to eye research growth,

Institutional commitment (e.g., matching funds for Challenge Grants).RPB USA+1

Predictor: Demonstrating that the department has foundation (e.g., NIH awards) and strategic vision for eye research.

6. Innovation and Novelty

Awards such as the Stein Innovation Award explicitly aim to fund cutting-edge, unconventional research that might otherwise struggle to get funded. Projects should propose high-risk, high-reward ideas with strong justification and plausible impact pathways.RPB USA

Predictor: A bold, innovative concept with clear rationale and potential to transform understanding or treatment of eye disease.

7. Clear Focus on Disease Relevance

RPB supports research across many diseases that threaten vision — from AMD, glaucoma, and retinal dystrophies to amblyopia and myopia. Funded topics often include those with a high public health burden or scientific opportunity.Newswise

Predictor: Projects that address vision-threatening conditions with significant unmet research needs are more compelling.

8. International Collaboration (When Applicable)

The International Research Collaborators Award demonstrates that internationally partnered projects can be competitive, especially when they promise geography-wide impact and knowledge exchange.RPB USA

Predictor: Thoughtful, well-structured international collaborations with clear roles and benefits.

9. Compliance With RPB Processes

RPB uses nomination and application procedures managed through department chairs (for some individual awards), with set deadlines in the spring and fall grant cycles. Complete, compliant applications with all required letters and documents are essential.RPB USA

Predictor: Timely, complete submissions that follow all instructions.

🧠 Common Weaknesses That Reduce Competitiveness

Misalignment with vision research focus: Proposals that do not clearly address eye disease mechanisms or vision outcomes are unlikely to be funded.

Poor match to award type: Applying to a mechanism that doesn’t fit the applicant’s career stage or scientific maturity.

Lack of institutional support: Especially for department grants, weak departmental engagement or inadequate infrastructure reduces chances.

Insufficient innovation or rationale: Projects that are incremental, descriptive, or poorly justified rank lower.

📌 Summary: Predictors of RPB Funding Success

Predictor	Typical Importance
Mission alignment with eye research	Essential
Scientific excellence & strong methods	High
Appropriate mechanism for career stage	High
Institutional support & environment	High
Innovation and potential impact	High (especially for Stein/Innovation)
Clear disease relevance	High
International collaboration (if relevant)	Medium
Compliance with guidelines and process	Essential

Specialties

Ophthalmology

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates in either cycle must be either MDs, PhDs, MD/PhDs or equivalent doctoral degree with an academic position of Associate Professor through full Professor. Candidates must provide not less than 5% effort for the proposed research.

Department chairs (including interim or acting chairs) can nominate multiple candidates per department per school. Though multiple candidates can be nominated, only one award per department can be approved.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Research to Prevent Blindness

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 360 Lexington Avenue, 22nd Floor New York, NY 10017

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