NEI Funding Policies and Considerations

The National Eye Institute (NEI) allocates its resources across a range of programs and funding mechanisms including investigator-initiated research project grants, center grants, cooperative agreements, and career-development and training awards, and makes all funding decision in accordance with the NIH Unified Funding Strategy. Final award decisions are based on multiple criteria, including scientific merit, program relevance and portfolio balance, alignment with NEI priorities, and availability of funds. NEI does not use a fixed “payline” or strict score cutoff.  NEI is strongly committed to supporting new and early-stage investigators and gives special consideration to applications that address emerging scientific opportunities, fill critical gaps in the research portfolio, or propose innovative and promising approaches. We strongly encourage prospective applicants and recipients to discuss their proposed research ideas with the appropriate program staff before preparing an application.

Competing Applications 

• Each council round, NEI ranks applications within programmatic areas based on program recommendations and develops a funding plan designed to support the greatest number of meritorious projects possible.
• As in prior years, NEI’s Programmatic recommendations are based on scientific merit as determined by peer review, alignment with the NEI Strategic Plan, NIH, and HHS priorities; recommendations from the National Advisory Eye Council; and availability of funds. 

Non-competing Applications 

• NEI will generally award non-competing (Type 5) grant applications at the commitment level indicated on the Notice of Award.