Retina Australia Research Grants Program
As an independent organisation, Retina Australia funds and facilitates the top medical research into inherited retinal diseases through an annual competitive grants’ selection process of the best researchers from all the medical research institutions in the country. Since the program was initiated in 1989, we have invested over $6.5 million across more than 140 projects.
Research funding focus
Retina Australia’s research grants are focused on accelerating medical research into inherited retinal diseases in the following areas:
- detection
- prevention
- advancing better treatments
- cures
Priority will be given to studies of inherited retinal diseases and, to the extent that available funds permit, to age-related macular degeneration.
Who can apply
- Researchers with at least a PhD or Master’s Degree from an Australian university or one recognised by the Medical Board of Australia, may apply for funding.
- Retina Australia will also consider funding overseas research when deemed appropriate by the Grants Advisory Committee. Normally this research would be led by an Australian researcher working overseas and funded according to the same competitive basis as for Australian grants.
- A researcher may only apply once as the Chief Investigator each funding round.
- A researcher may be named as a co-investigator on up to two applications each funding round only. Therefore any application which names a co-investigator who has applied more than two times in one grant round may deem it ineligible.
Funding amount and project term
- Researchers can apply for funding up to a maximum of $60,000.
- Applicants are encouraged to apply for research grants across all budget levels, rather than exclusively targeting the maximum amount of $60,000. Smaller funding requests may strengthen the overall feasibility and impact of the proposed research and will be considered as part of our total funding capacity.
- Grants are for 1 year only, from January to December for the year following the application.
- A grant may be sought to part-fund a project. Retina Australia may also choose to part-fund a project.
Key dates
- Mid April – The Retina Australia Research Grants Program opens.
- 30 June – The Retina Australia Research Grants Program closes. All applications must be received by 5pm (AEST).
- November – Grant applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application.
Grant Application Process
- Applications for grant funding are be to made by completing the Retina Australia Grant Application Form.
- This Form is to be emailed to the Company Secretary at admin1@retinaaustralia.com.au before the close of the program at 5pm AEST 30 June.
- Applications received after this time will be deemed ineligible for funding.
Research Grants Program Review Process
- Applications will be peer-assessed and ranked by Retina Australia’s Grants Advisory Committee.
- Ranking recommendations along with associated reports from the Committee will be considered by the Retina Australia Board along with funds available in determining the grants to be awarded each round.
- Retina Australia funding decisions are final. Correspondence regarding the funding outcome for unfunded grants will not be entered into.
Grant conditions, acceptance and payments
- Successful applicants will be notified by the end of November and sent a Grant Acceptance Form to confirm their grant acceptance, with the associated Grant Conditions.
- Full details of the Retina Australia Research Program Funding Conditions can be viewed here.
- Grants, except for those with explicit timelines, will generally be paid in quarterly instalments, on the fifteenth day of January, April, July and October of the year of the grant, following receipt of written acceptance of the offer and conditions of the grant, and upon receipt of a tax invoice from the awarded research institution.
Interested individual researchers or institutions should contact the Company Secretary for additional information, if required, at admin1@retinaaustralia.com.au