RPB International Research Collaborators Award
RPB International Research Collaborators Award supports U.S. and overseas vision researchers through reciprocal exchanges that build knowledge, skills, and partnerships to advance treatments for blinding disorders.
Funder: Research to Prevent Blindness
Due Dates: December 15, 2026 (January cycle nomination) | January 10, 2027 (January cycle application) | June 15, 2027 (July cycle nomination) | July 1, 2027 (July cycle application)
Funding Amounts: $75,000 per award; flexible collaboration duration
Summary: Supports reciprocal international vision-research exchanges that build knowledge, skills, and collaborations to advance treatments for blinding disorders.
Key Information: A prior departmental nomination is required; only one applicant per department per award category is permitted.
Description
Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) supports collaborations between U.S.-based and overseas researchers that may accelerate treatments for blinding disorders. The award funds a reciprocal exchange: a U.S. researcher visits an institution abroad, and that institution sends a researcher to the U.S. partner institution. Extended stays by each researcher or a member of each researcher’s laboratory are expected, with flexibility in implementation.
The collaboration must identify specific objectives for both participants toward gaining new knowledge and skills and strengthening international research relationships. Partnerships should draw on each researcher’s unique expertise, benefit both participants and the culminating project, and produce work greater than the sum of their separate contributions. Early-career investigators are particularly encouraged to apply.
