NEI Collaborative Clinical Vision Research Project: Resource Center Grant (UG1 Clinical Trial Required) | PAR 23 201

Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 23 201

The National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is soliciting applications under a UG1 cooperative agreement mechanism for a Resource Center that supports large, complex, and higher-risk clinical vision research studies where a clinical trial is required. This funding opportunity (PAR 23-201) is designed for investigator-initiated projects that have major public health importance and that need a clearly defined, multi-site organizational structure with strong oversight, monitoring, and coordination due to the scale, complexity, or safety considerations involved. In practice, NEI uses this UG1 structure to back major efforts such as large-scale multicenter trials, human gene-transfer trials, stem cell therapy trials, and other studies that require substantial infrastructure, specialized capabilities, or careful safety monitoring.

The scientific scope is specifically focused on clinical studies intended to evaluate interventions related to vision disorders. That includes interventions aimed at screening, diagnosing, preventing, or treating eye and vision conditions, as well as studies that compare the effectiveness of two or more established interventions. The key point is that the proposed work must fit within a clinical trial framework and address vision-related outcomes in a way that is appropriate for a rigorous, often multicenter, clinical research environment.

A defining feature of this NOFO is that it encourages applications for the Resource Center component of a larger, companion set of awards that commonly make up an NEI UG1-supported clinical trial program. NEI often funds these efforts as a coordinated group of single-component awards that can include a Chairs Grant (leadership and scientific direction), a Coordinating Center (trial operations, data coordination, oversight), and one or more Resource Centers (specialized services). Under this announcement, the Resource Center is the focal point: it is meant to provide essential services that the broader multicenter trial depends on, such as imaging services (for example, standardized image acquisition, grading, reading-center functions, and quality control), laboratory services (such as centralized biospecimen processing, specialized assays, harmonized lab methods, and proficiency testing), or other specialized capabilities required to execute a complex or high-risk clinical trial reliably and consistently across sites. The Resource Center is therefore not just an add-on vendor function; it is intended to be an integrated, performance-critical part of the trial infrastructure with defined responsibilities and expectations for quality, consistency, and oversight.

Because this is a cooperative agreement, the relationship with NEI is more involved than in a typical grant. UG1 awards generally imply substantial federal scientific or programmatic involvement during the life of the project, reflecting the need for active coordination, monitoring, and milestone-driven management in complicated clinical trials. The underlying rationale is that these trials require careful performance oversight, clear delineation of roles, and strong governance so that participant safety, data integrity, protocol adherence, and operational consistency are maintained across multiple sites and components.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of domestic organizations and governmental entities, such as state, county, and city governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses) and small businesses; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and federally recognized Native American tribal governments as well as other tribal organizations. The opportunity also explicitly notes additional eligible applicant categories including Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISISs), Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), faith-based or community-based organizations, eligible federal agencies, U.S. territories or possessions, regional organizations, and even non-U.S. (foreign) entities. This wide eligibility reflects NEI interest in enabling the specialized infrastructure needed for major clinical vision trials, wherever the strongest capabilities reside, while still meeting NIH requirements for clinical trial oversight and compliance.

From the source details provided, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the cooperative agreement funding instrument. The activity category is health, with CFDA number 93.867. The listed original closing date is 2026-05-25. The award ceiling and expected number of awards are not specified in the provided data, which typically means applicants should consult the full NOFO text for budget expectations, project period limits, and any guidance on anticipated award sizes or the number of Resource Centers NEI expects to support.

In plain terms, this opportunity is best suited for organizations that can serve as a centralized, trial-critical hub offering specialized imaging, lab, or other technical services that a multicenter NEI vision clinical trial cannot run without. The strongest applications will typically show proven technical expertise, capacity to standardize procedures across sites, robust quality management systems, the ability to meet clinical trial regulatory and safety requirements, and a clear plan for integrating with the Chairs Grant and Coordinating Center so the overall trial functions as a single, well-governed program rather than disconnected parts.

• The National Institutes of Health in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NEI Collaborative Clinical Vision Research Project: Resource Center Grant (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.867.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-05-26.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-05-25. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have 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, Small businesses, Others.

Apply for PAR 23 201

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