Extramural Coordinated Funding

UM Submission Instructions: RPB Catalyst award for innovative Research approaches for age-related macular degeneration 2025

Sponsor:	Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB)
Award Title:	RPB Catalyst award for innovative Research approaches for age-related macular degeneration
Amount:	$300,000 Each award is $300,000 payable in two (2) payments, $150,000 per payment with the second payment contingent upon approval of a 14-month substantive progress report.
UM Deadline:	06/15/2025
Sponsor Deadline:	06/15/2025
Description:	The Catalyst Awards for Innovative Research Approaches for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) will provide funds to researchers who are working on novel approaches to understanding or treating AMD. Ideally, at least one of the awards given will focus on a translational project - clinically relevant research that could lead to therapeutics or treatment for AMD - not yet in clinical trials. RPB is partnering with: ---- American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF) ---- Dr. H. James and Carole Free ---- International Retinal Research Foundation (IRRF) to co-fund the Catalyst Awards. One award will be given with each partner. A wide range of applications will be considered to improve the understanding of AMD and/or to develop novel treatments for dry or wet forms of AMD. Example projects include but are not limited to AMD genetics and pathogenesis; predictive models of AMD development; new animal and in vitro models that can be used to study features in AMD; prevention of retinal degeneration; new methods of diagnosis or tracking AMD progression; metabolic factors in AMD; stem cell treatment of retinal degeneration; optogenetics; and therapeutics-delivery - or other treatment - innovations. These Catalyst Awards are intended to provide seed money to proposed high-risk / high-gain vision science research, which is innovative, cutting-edge, and demonstrates out-of-the-box thinking. The Catalyst Award will not fund: incremental extensions of previously or currently funded research by the NEI, NIH, other government agencies, non-profits, private funders, etc. or research that does not have a direct connection to AMD.
Number of Applicants University is Allowed to submit:	1 per department
Additional Requirements:	None
Sponsor Guidelines:	https://www.rpbusa.org/rpb/grants-and-research/grants/grants-for-individuals/irrf/
UM Nominations Process:	This award is available to researchers from any institution of higher education in the U.S. Department chairs (including interim or acting chairs) can nominate one candidate holding a primary academic position as Assistant Professor through full Professor (MD, PhD, MD/PhD or equivalent doctoral degree). Candidates must provide not less than 5% effort for the proposed research. Awardees are required to expend the award within three (3) years if granted the full $300,000. Otherwise, the awardee is required to expend the initial $150,000 within two (2) years.
Peer Review Coordination:	multiple
Status:	Open
Please note:	To be considered for peer review and internal selection, faculty must follow the above submission guidelines and meet the UM deadline as set by the office coordinating the peer review for this opportunity.

General Information

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Internal Requirements

Sponsor: Name of funder.
Award Title: Funding opportunity nameAmount: Range/Maximum dollar amount awarded.
UMN Deadline: Submission deadline for internal proposal as determined by the coordinating office.
Sponsor Deadline: External deadline identified by the sponsor.
Description: General information about the sponsor and the funding opportunity. Usually describes the purpose of the funding opportunity, overview of what the sponsor is looking for, including distinctive criteria. This is not meant to take the place of the sponsor guidelines; please read the sponsor guidelines before deciding to apply.
Number of Applicants University is Allowed to Submit: The maximum number of applications the sponsor will allow the university to submit.
Additional Requirements: Identifies any special requirements such as cost sharing, partners, etc.
Sponsor Guidelines: Link to the sponsor’s funding opportunity website.
UMN Nominations Process: Contains specific internal submission requirements including internal proposal instructions, deadline, eligibility, internal nomination process, contact information.
Peer Review Coordination: The name and contact email of the office coordinating the funding opportunity. RIO coordinates most limited submissions, but opportunities coordinated by other offices or programs are also posted on this webpage.
Status:
- Open: UM deadline has not passed and the opportunity is open for application.
- Forecasted: The funder has not yet formally published the opportunity. The deadline has yet to be determined.
- Archived: The opportunity has been archived by the funder.
- Spots Remaining: UMN deadline has passed, with some applicant spots still available. Contact collabor@umn.edu if interested
- First-Come, First-Served: Applicants accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact collabor@umn.edu if interested
- Contact Us: The internal deadline has passed, but no applicants were selected. Please contact the office coordinating the peer review for more information.
- In Review: Peer review process is in progress for the opportunity.
- PI Selected: The PI(s) have been selected as the official UMN nominees.
- Closed: UMN is no longer accepting applications.

UMN Selection Process

Once the internal deadline has passed, if the number of applicants is less than or equal to the number of spots the university is allowed to send forward, the applicants automatically become the UMN nominee(s).
If the status of an opportunity is "First-Come, First-Served", there was not time to hold an internal review. Applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
If there are no applicants, the status will change to "Contact Us". At this point, the opportunity changes to a first-come, first-served opportunity.
If there are multiple applicants, the office coordinating the nomination will determine the review criteria and coordinate the review process. The status will change to "In Review".
Once the review has been completed all parties will be notified via email.
Nominees will be provided with an email from RIO (or the designated coordinating office) indicating that they are the university's nominee. This letter should accompany the nominee's proposal.
SPA is notified of the university's nominee(s) and the status is updated to "PI(s) Selected".

*If you have questions about the University's process related to extramural funding opportunities requiring nomination or if you have any technical issues with the site, contact collabor8@umn.edu.