For Researchers
This page has information on funding opportunities and research policies.
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Learn about results from previous competitions.
Funding Opportunities
2023 Clinician-Scientist Emerging Leader Award
Registration Deadline: Thursday, April 27, 2023, 5 p.m. EST – Download Registration of Interest Form.
Full Application Deadline: Thursday, June 8, 2023, 5 p.m. EST – Download Application Form.
More details about the competition and application process can be found in the Competition Guide.
Clinician-scientists play an essential role in developing new sight-saving treatments. FBC’s Clinician-Scientist Emerging Leader Award aims to strengthen the community of ophthalmologists and optometrists who incorporate research into their careers.
This award will provide funding for two years for early-career clinician-scientists or clinician-scientists in training. Funding is available at two levels (up to $20,000 or up to $40,000) dependent on the amount of protected research time the applicant has.
This competition is open to applications on any aspect of vision research with the potential to significantly impact the lives of people living with a blinding eye disease.
2023 CIHR REDI EARLY CAREER TRANSITION AWARD
Application Deadline (TBC): May 2023
Fighting Blindness Canada is partnering with CIHR and BrightFocus on an upcoming Research Excellence, Diversity, and Independence (REDI) Early Career Transition Award.
The CIHR REDI Early Career Transition Award is available to post-doctoral researchers, clinicians, and research associates from specific underrepresented groups to help them launch their research faculty careers in Canada. This award has two phases across a maximum of 6 years, with funding of up to $660,000 per award.
This funding opportunity will support approximately 38 awards across a number of research areas, including one (1) dedicated Eye Diseases award funded by Fighting Blindness Canada, BrightFocus and CIHR.
2022/23 TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH AWARD: RETINAL DEGENERATION
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW COMPLETE. LEARN ABOUT THE COMPETITION RESULTS.
Fighting Blindness Canada is launching the Transformative Research Award (TRA) program to fund strategic areas of need within vision research.
The 2022/23 competition will fund innovative and ambitious research that will advance the development of new therapies for retinal degenerative diseases. This competition is open to discovery, translational or clinical research.
The program is open to Canadian or international investigators, with a budget of up to $1.25 million over five years per award. This competition has two stages: Letter of Intent and Full Application (by invitation only).
More details about the competition and application process can be found in the Competition Guide.
If you have questions or have trouble submitting please contact us at research@fightingblindness.ca
2022 Eye on the cURE aWARD
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW COMPLETE. LEARN ABOUT THE COMPETITION RESULTS.
The goal of this competition is to raise funds for and awareness of vision research and inspire Canadians. Three vision researchers or teams will be chosen to compete head-to-head at a live event for awards to support their research. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges and an academy of online jurors. Think Dragon’s Den meets TedTalk!
More details about the competition and application process can be found in the Eye on the Cure Competition and Event Guide.
If you have questions or have trouble submitting please contact us at research@fightingblindness.ca
2021 Research Grant Competition
THIS COMPETITION IS NOW COMPLETE. LEARN ABOUT THE COMPETITION RESULTS.
Letter of Intent Deadline: April 29, 2021, 5pm (EST) – Download Letter of Intent Form
Full Application Deadline: July 22, 2021, 5pm (EST) – Download Application Form | Download Budget Template
Download Research Grant Competition Guide
The goal of the 2021 Research Grant Competition is to fund research that advances Fighting Blindness Canada’s (FBC’s) mission to accelerate the development and availability of treatments and cures for blinding eye diseases. The program allows applications from all areas of vision research and will prioritize funding projects that have the greatest potential to advance FBC’s mission.
The program is open to independent investigators and/or research teams with a principal investigator from a Canadian institution and provides a budget of up to $100,000 a year for up to two years. Applications will be evaluated by a rigorous peer-review process based on scientific excellence and innovation, feasibility of the proposed work, track record of the investigator team and
More details about the competition and application process can be found in the 2021 Research Grant Competition Guide.
Please submit Letter of Intent and Application through the button below.
NOTE: If you experience difficulties submitting, please email your application directly to research@fightingblindness.ca
FBC Policies & Positions
Created and Implemented September 17, 2014
Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC) has implemented a patent rights policy for FBC-funded research. The policy can be downloaded here: PDF
Created March 22, 2010
Stem cell research holds promise for finding treatments for various retinal dystrophies. Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC) is committed to finding treatments for retinal dystrophies and supports stem cell research as per the Assisted Human Reproduction Act (AHRA), which became law in Canada in March 2004. The Act and its framework ensure the consistent and regulated conduct of research, which balances respect for human life and potential for modern science. FBC acknowledges the highly sensitive and ethical issues addressed by the Act concerning embryonic stem cell research, and supports efforts to identify alternative sources for therapeutic applications. FBC respects all points of view on this important topic.
For details about Assisted Human Reproduction in Canada visit www.ahrc-pac.gc.ca.
If you wish not to support embryonic stem cell research, your donation to FBC can be directed to alternative sources for therapeutic applications, such as gene therapy or to education and public awareness.
Created May 2007
Fighting Blindness Canada (FBC) does not provide funds for indirect costs associated with research. While FBC recognizes that these are indeed legitimate expenditures, we believe the funding of such costs is the responsibility of governments and/or research institutions – not donors.
Fighting Blindness Canada is a member in good standing of the Health Charities Coalition of Canada (HCCC). All HCCC members abide by this funding policy. See the HCCC position statement on indirect costs.
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