Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA EY 15 002
Apply for RFA EY 15 002
- The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NEI Audacious Goal Initiative Discovery based Science to Identify factors Influencing Neural Regeneration in the Visual System (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.867 Vision Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 21, 2015 and posted on Aug 21, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 15, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education City or township governments Special district governments Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments State governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Independent school districts Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses.
- Other Eligible Applicants include the following Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government Faith based or Community based Organizations Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Non domestic (non U.S.) Entities (Foreign Organizations) Regional Organizations Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) U.S. Territory or Possession.
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Opportunity Summary:
The NEI Audacious Goal Initiative Discovery-based Science to Identify Factors Influencing Neural Regeneration in the Visual System (U01) funding opportunity (RFA-EY-15-002) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) cooperative agreement aimed at accelerating progress toward repairing the damaged visual system by finding the key, currently unknown drivers of neural regeneration. The central focus is not on refining already well-studied pathways, but on using discovery-based strategies to uncover new factors that enable neurons to regrow, direct their axons back to appropriate targets, and ultimately re-establish functional connections. In other words, this initiative is designed to expand the field’s map of what matters for regeneration in the visual system by identifying critical players that may not yet be recognized or fully characterized.
A defining feature of this FOA is its emphasis on the earliest, discovery stage of the larger research arc. Applicants are invited to propose approaches that can reveal previously unknown influences on three tightly linked challenges in neural repair: (1) getting neurons to regenerate, (2) ensuring regenerating axons are properly guided to their intended destinations, and (3) supporting the formation of new connections that work well enough to restore useful function. The announcement also makes clear that later opportunities are expected to build on this by digging into the biological mechanisms behind the factors identified here. That framing signals that projects responding to this FOA should prioritize factor discovery and identification over deep mechanistic dissection, with the expectation that mechanistic work will be supported through subsequent, more targeted FOAs.
The award mechanism is a U01 cooperative agreement, which typically indicates an active partnership between the NIH and the award recipients, rather than a standard grant where investigators operate more independently. While the provided text does not spell out the specific cooperative terms, U01s generally involve substantial NIH programmatic involvement, which can include coordination, shared milestones, or participation in collaborative activities aligned with the initiative’s goals. This structure fits the Audacious Goal Initiative model, which often aims to mobilize multiple teams and approaches around a major, difficult biomedical challenge.
From an administrative and funding perspective, the opportunity falls under the Health funding activity category and is associated with CFDA 93.867 (Vision Research). There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants are not required to provide non-federal matching funds to be eligible. The award ceiling listed is $500,000, indicating the maximum amount that can be awarded under this FOA (as stated in the source data). The FOA was posted on August 21, 2015, with an original and current closing date of January 15, 2016, and an archive date of February 15, 2016, meaning it is no longer open but remains part of the historical record of NIH funding opportunities.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations. Eligible applicants include public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) organizations and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations other than small businesses, and small businesses. Government entities at multiple levels are eligible as well, including city or township governments, counties, states, special district governments, and certain tribal governments and tribal organizations. The eligibility list also explicitly includes a variety of mission- or community-focused institution types and organizations, such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs). Faith-based or community-based organizations and eligible federal agencies are also mentioned. Importantly, the FOA includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) and regional organizations, as well as U.S. territories or possessions, indicating an openness to international and geographically diverse participation depending on NIH policy and the specific terms of the announcement.
In practical terms, this FOA is meant for research teams prepared to run well-justified discovery efforts aimed at identifying regeneration-relevant factors in the visual system, with outcomes that can seed later mechanistic and translational work. The scientific payoff envisioned is a stronger, more complete set of targets and guiding principles for future interventions, potentially informing therapies for conditions where retinal ganglion cells, optic nerve pathways, or other visual system components are damaged and fail to regenerate effectively. The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide (link provided in the source data), and NIH’s Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact information is included for technical access or linking issues.
FAQs: NEI Audacious Goal Initiative (U01) - Discovery-based Science to Identify Factors Influencing Neural Regeneration in the Visual System (RFA-EY-15-002)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is the National Eye Institute (NEI) Audacious Goal Initiative: Discovery-based Science to Identify Factors Influencing Neural Regeneration in the Visual System. It is an NIH cooperative agreement funding opportunity announcement (FOA) with the identifier RFA-EY-15-002.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The purpose is to accelerate progress toward repairing the damaged visual system by identifying key, currently unknown drivers of neural regeneration. The FOA is designed to expand what the field knows about what enables neural regeneration in the visual system by discovering critical factors that may not yet be recognized or fully characterized.
What kind of research does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes discovery-based strategies aimed at uncovering new factors that help neurons regrow, guide regenerating axons to appropriate targets, and re-establish functional connections. The central focus is not on refining already well-studied pathways, but on finding previously unknown influences that matter for repair.
What are the three linked challenges this FOA is trying to address?
The FOA highlights three tightly connected challenges in neural repair that proposed discovery approaches should help illuminate:
- Getting neurons to regenerate
- Ensuring regenerating axons are properly guided to their intended destinations
- Supporting the formation of new connections that function well enough to restore useful function
Is the FOA focused on early-stage discovery or later-stage mechanism work?
It is focused on the earliest, discovery stage. Projects are expected to prioritize factor discovery and identification rather than deep mechanistic dissection. The FOA indicates that later opportunities are expected to build on discoveries made here by investigating biological mechanisms in more targeted follow-on FOAs.
What does the U01 award mechanism mean in this context?
The FOA uses a U01 cooperative agreement mechanism. In general, a U01 indicates an active partnership between NIH and award recipients, rather than a standard grant in which investigators operate more independently. While the specific cooperative terms are not detailed in the provided description, U01 awards typically involve substantial NIH programmatic involvement and may include coordination, shared milestones, or participation in collaborative activities aligned with the initiative.
Which NIH program or initiative is this associated with?
This FOA is part of the NEI Audacious Goal Initiative, an effort aimed at mobilizing multiple teams and approaches around the difficult biomedical challenge of repairing the damaged visual system.
What is the funding activity category and CFDA number?
The funding activity category is Health, and the opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.867 (Vision Research).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA states that there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants do not need to provide non-federal matching funds to be eligible.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed is $500,000, meaning the maximum amount that can be awarded under this FOA as stated in the provided source information.
When was the FOA posted, and what were the key dates?
The FOA was posted on August 21, 2015. The original closing date and the current closing date are both listed as January 15, 2016. The archive date is February 15, 2016.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. Based on the listed closing and archive dates, it is no longer open for applications and is part of the historical record of NIH funding opportunities.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types, including:
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofit organizations (including 501(c)(3) and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status)
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses
- City or township governments
- County governments
- State governments
- Special district governments
- Certain tribal governments and tribal organizations
- U.S. territories or possessions
- Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) and regional organizations
- Faith-based or community-based organizations
- Eligible federal agencies
Are minority-serving institutions explicitly included in eligibility?
Yes. The eligibility list explicitly includes several institution types often categorized as minority-serving or mission-focused, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
Are foreign (non-U.S.) organizations eligible?
Yes. The FOA includes non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) as eligible applicants, and also includes regional organizations. It also indicates eligibility for U.S. territories or possessions.
What kinds of outcomes is this FOA trying to produce?
The FOA is aiming for the identification of critical factors that influence neural regeneration in the visual system. The intended payoff is a stronger, more complete set of targets and guiding principles that can seed later mechanistic work and inform future interventions.
How does this FOA relate to future funding opportunities?
The FOA explicitly frames itself as an early discovery step and notes that later opportunities are expected to build on results from this initiative by digging into biological mechanisms behind the factors identified. That implies this FOA is meant to generate leads and targets that subsequent FOAs can investigate in more depth.
What parts of the visual system are mentioned as relevant?
The description notes potential relevance to conditions where retinal ganglion cells, optic nerve pathways, or other visual system components are damaged and fail to regenerate effectively. The FOA broadly targets regeneration in the visual system rather than a single cell type or structure.
Where was the full announcement made available?
The full announcement was made available through the NIH grants guide (a link was provided in the source data referenced in the description).
Who is listed for technical issues related to access or linking?
NIH's Office of Extramural Research (OER) webmaster contact information is included for technical access or linking issues.
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