The National Eye Institute (NEI), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) titled "NEI Research Grant for Vision-Related Secondary Data Analysis (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)" under funding opportunity number PAR-25-357. This NOFO seeks to support secondary data analyses using existing human data from vision-related clinical trials, epidemiologic studies, and healthcare databases, including electronic health records. The initiative aims to stimulate innovative research ideas, new statistical methodologies, and hypothesis testing without funding the collection of new data. Applicants are encouraged to use existing datasets to address new research questions, develop novel analytical approaches, or conduct meta-analyses.

The goals of this funding opportunity are to address the leading causes of blindness and impaired vision in the U.S., such as retinal diseases, corneal diseases, cataracts, glaucoma, and other optic neuropathies. Research areas of interest include disease detection, diagnosis, progression, prevention, and rehabilitation for partially sighted or blind individuals. Additionally, the initiative aims to support statistical and computational advancements for analyzing vision health data. Projects are expected to contribute to peer-reviewed publications, with at least one manuscript submitted within the first year of funding.

Funding for this initiative allows for direct costs of up to $275,000 for the entire two-year project period, with no more than $200,000 requested in any single year. The project period cannot exceed two years. The number of awards depends on the availability of NIH appropriations and the quality of the submitted applications. Clinical trials are not permitted under this NOFO. Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, nonprofits, for-profit organizations, local and federal governments, tribal organizations, independent school districts, and certain foreign entities.

Applicants must ensure that proposed research aligns with NEI priorities and that datasets are of sufficient quality and analyzable format. Proposals should include clear milestones, plans to control for biases, and mechanisms to address potential data deficiencies. Applications must be prepared using NIH’s ASSIST system, Grants.gov Workspace, or an institutional system-to-system solution. All necessary registrations, including SAM.gov, NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code (for foreign applicants), and eRA Commons, must be completed in advance.

Applications will be evaluated based on scientific merit, significance, innovation, feasibility, investigator expertise, and alignment with NEI program goals. The review will focus on factors such as the importance of the research, rigor of the approach, data quality, institutional support, and the potential impact on the field. Applications must also include a Data Management and Sharing Plan and adhere to NIH policies on human subject research and data sharing.

The earliest submission date is January 16, 2025, with standard NIH application deadlines applicable thereafter. The expiration date for this NOFO is October 17, 2027. Applicants are encouraged to submit early to address any potential submission errors. For further assistance, applicants can contact program staff, including scientific, peer review, and grants management contacts, whose details are provided in the NOFO.