Investigator-Initiated Research Award (Vision Research Program, FY26)
Funds innovative research into military-related visual injury or dysfunction, supporting projects from early discovery to clinical translation to improve care for service members and veterans.
Funder: Military Health System Research Program
Due Dates (Anticipated): May 2026: Pre-application/preproposal deadline (projected) | August 2026: Full application deadline (invitation-only; projected)
Funding Amounts: Level 1: up to $400,000 total costs/2 years | Level 2: up to $1,200,000 total costs/3 years
Summary: Supports innovative research on military-related visual injury or dysfunction, from early-stage studies to projects advancing toward clinical translation.
Key Information: Preproposal required; full application is invitation-only.
Description
This award supports investigator-initiated research addressing visual injury or dysfunction related to military exposure, including trauma from combat operations and blast injuries. Two funding levels are available: Level 1 funds exploratory, high-risk, high-reward research at the earliest development stages (no preliminary data required), while Level 2 supports projects advancing toward clinical translation and requires preliminary data. Both levels offer an option for collaborative proposals with a Partnering Principal Investigator. Projects must align with at least one of the Vision Research Program’s focus areas: understanding/treating military-related eye injury or dysfunction, diagnosis and stabilization in austere environments, or restoring visual function after severe impairment. The program is managed by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) and aims to advance care for service members and veterans affected by vision trauma.
