named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Career Development Award
Four-year grant supporting promising junior ophthalmology faculty in launching independent research careers; RPB’s flagship individual award
Challenge Grant
Supports emerging eye research programs and new department chairs at university medical schools to build research capacity
International Research Collaborators Award
One-year grant promoting international research partnerships to accelerate development of treatments for blinding disorders
Medical Student Eye Research Fellowship
One-year fellowship enabling medical students to conduct research within RPB-supported ophthalmology departments
Stein Innovation Award
Three-year seed grant for high-risk, high-reward vision research demonstrating innovative, out-of-the-box thinking
Unrestricted Grant
Annual $150,000 grant to research-focused ophthalmology departments, providing flexible funding directed by department chairs to support innovative research
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Vision Research Funding 4 activities
- Funding departmental ophthalmology research programsProvides unrestricted annual grants of $150,000 to departments of ophthalmology, enabling department chairs to allocate funds for innovative research, including support for junior faculty and emerging research programs. Currently supports 32 departmental grantees.
- Funding innovative research on age-related macular degeneration (AMD)Funds researchers through Catalyst Award programs in partnership with AMDF and IRRF to pursue novel approaches to understanding and treating AMD, including translational projects not yet in clinical trials.
- Funding vision science research through competitive grantsFunds individual and departmental grantees to conduct vision science research via a competitive grant process, including early-career scientists, physician-scientists, and international collaborations. Awards are distributed through spring and fall cycles, with annual funding totaling over $12 million to support high-impact, innovative, and translational research in ophthalmology.
- Supporting early-career vision scientistsFunds early-career researchers through Career Development Awards and fellowships, including medical students conducting year-long research projects and scientists securing follow-on NIH R01 funding. Provides seed and challenge grants for high-risk, high-gain research.
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Research and Scholarly Fellowship Support 1 activity
- Building research capacity through expert advisory structuresEstablishes a Scientific Advisory Panel and engages Special Consultants and Advisors to guide research initiatives and support staff in evaluating and advancing vision science programs.
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Teacher & Classroom Innovation Grants 1 activity
- Monitoring grantee performance and research progressRequires grantees to submit annual financial and year-end reports, with templates provided in December and reports due in February. Uses online reporting systems and mandates mid-term progress reports for multi-year grants, which are externally reviewed to determine continuation of funding.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$13.10M
Contributions & grants$9K0%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$9.05M69%
Other revenue$4.04M
expenses
Total expenses$10.20M
Program expenses93%
Admin / overhead7%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$8.64M
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$285.95M
Cash$4.81M
Investments$275.67M
Liabilities$7.62M
Net assets$278.33M
Liquid reserves329.9 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -10.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRIAN F HOFLAND | PRESIDENT | 3 | $517K |
| DIANE S SWIFT | CHAIRMAN | 3 | $46K |
board members · 2
- DAVID BRENNER — VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY
- JOHN TINKER — TREASURER & ASST SECRETARY
relationships · 34
Who they work with
- Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Government — Federal agency investing in research areas pioneered by RPB-funded scientists
- American Macular Degeneration Foundation Partner — Co-funds the RPB / AMDF Catalyst Awards for innovative research on age-related macular degeneration.
- Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology Partner — Co-administers the RPB David F. Weeks Award for Outstanding Vision Research
- Cleveland Clinic Foundation Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Bela Anand-Apte
- Columbia University Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Stephen H. Tsang
- Duke University Medical Center Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Vadim Y. Arshavsky
- Emory Department of Ophthalmology Partner — Recipient of RPB Unrestricted Grant enabling treatment development for Ebola-related eye complications.
- Free Family Foundation Partner — Co-funds the RPB / Dr. H. James and Carole Free Catalyst Awards for innovative research on age-related macular degeneration.
- Grants Overview Network — Provides detailed information on RPB grants and eligibility criteria.
- Harvard University Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Special Consultant John E. Dowling
- International Retinal Research Foundation Partner — Co-funds the RPB / IRRF Catalyst Awards for innovative research on age-related macular degeneration.
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Special Consultant Sheila K. West
- Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Don Zack
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Mahnaz Shahidi
- King’s College London Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Robin Ali
- Mount Sinai Hospital Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Louis R. Pasquale
- Nature Partner — Published research funded by RPB in its journal
- Online Reporting System Partner — Platform used for grantees to file required year-end reports
- RPB Reports Network — Hosts information on all RPB report types including Financial Reports and Progress Reports.
- Stanford University Partner — RPB-supported department of ophthalmology involved in ARPA-H initiative for functional whole eye transplantation.
- University Health Network Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Valerie A. Wallace
- University of Alabama at Birmingham Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Cynthia Owsley
- University of Colorado Partner — RPB-supported department of ophthalmology involved in ARPA-H initiative for functional whole eye transplantation.
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Jayashree Kalpathy-Cramer
- University of Illinois College of Medicine Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Ali Djalilian
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member John H. Fingert
- University of Miami Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Scientific Advisory Panel member Zelia Maria Correa
- University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Partner — RPB-supported institution involved in ARPA-H initiative for functional whole eye transplantation.
- University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Partner — Collaborates with faculty through its Special Consultant Robert Eugene Anderson
- University of Oklahoma Health Campus Partner — Hosts an RPB-funded researcher conducting work on retinal cell biology.
+ 4 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Competitive, Peer-Reviewed Grantmaking with Milestone Accountabilitymethodology: competitive_grant_reviewBy using a competitive application process combined with external peer review of mid-term progress, the organization ensures research quality and effective use of funds, releasing further funding only upon demonstrated progress. This creates accountability and incentivizes high performance in vision research.
- Expert-Informed Research Prioritizationmethodology: expert_advisory_panelBy leveraging input from expert scientific advisory panels, the organization ensures that funding decisions are guided by deep domain knowledge, improving the strategic alignment and scientific validity of its research portfolio.
- Strategic Investment in High-Impact Research and Top Scientistsmethodology: high_impact_research_fundingBy focusing funding on high-impact areas and top-tier researchers in leading laboratories, the organization maximizes the likelihood of major scientific breakthroughs in vision science, leveraging excellence and institutional capacity to accelerate progress.
- Strategic Research Partnerships to Accelerate Impactmethodology: strategic_partnerships_in_vision_researchBy forming strategic partnerships with vision research organizations, the organization leverages additional resources and expertise, accelerating the development of treatments for eye diseases through coordinated investment and collaboration.
- Two-Pronged Support for Individual and Institutional Research Capacitymethodology: support_individual_and_institutional_researchBy funding both individual scientists and institutional ophthalmology departments, the organization balances targeted innovation with systemic capacity building, enabling responsiveness to emerging opportunities while advancing foundational research infrastructure.