Opportunity Information: Apply for W81XWH 19 VRP TRA
The DoD Vision Research Program (VRP) Translational Research Award (FY19) is a Department of Defense funding opportunity aimed at pushing vision-related research beyond basic discovery and into real-world clinical use for problems tied to military-relevant trauma. The program is focused on eye injuries and visual dysfunction that can result from combat or trauma scenarios, and it supports projects that can directly improve prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, or treatment. The central idea is to back work that is far enough along to credibly move toward patient impact, not early exploratory science without a defined route to clinical adoption.
A competitive project under this award is expected to lay out a concrete translational plan that turns a promising finding into something clinically actionable, such as a drug, a medical device, or a clinical practice guideline that is ready for definitive testing in clinical trials. In other words, the application should not just describe interesting lab results; it should explain what the end product will be, what steps are needed to reach that product, and why the proposed work will make it ready for clinical trial-level evaluation. A key expectation is regulatory progress: applicants should be planning to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application or an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application during the project or by the end of the performance period, signaling that the work is being driven toward FDA-regulated clinical testing rather than stopping at preclinical proof-of-concept.
Because regulatory readiness is a major emphasis, applicants are strongly encouraged to include at least one collaborator who has experience with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval process. This reflects the practical nature of the program: strong teams are typically those that combine scientific and clinical expertise with regulatory strategy, quality systems thinking, and a realistic understanding of what is required to advance an intervention into trials. The opportunity also points applicants to the National Cancer Institute Translational Research Working Group (TRWG) framework as a reference for structuring translational projects. While the TRWG framework comes from oncology, it is used here as a general roadmap for translational pathways, helping investigators clarify where their project sits along development stages and what milestones are needed to reach a clinical goal.
The announcement also includes an Expansion Option. This option is meant for investigators who previously received VRP funding and want to build on a prior, highly impactful project. Using the Expansion Option is encouraged but not mandatory. If an applicant chooses it, they must submit an Outcomes Statement that summarizes the earlier VRP-funded work and clearly explains the results, accomplishments, and outcomes achieved. The application should then connect those prior outcomes to the new proposal, making the case that the earlier award generated momentum and that the expansion funding will move the program closer to a clinical deliverable.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the Department of Defense, Department of the Army, through USAMRAA, under Funding Opportunity Number W81XWH-19-VRP-TRA. The eligible applicant category is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types as allowed by any additional eligibility language in the full announcement. The funding instruments include both cooperative agreements and grants, placing it within science and technology and other research and development activity (CFDA 12.420). The opportunity was created on May 24, 2019, with an original closing date of December 6, 2019, and it anticipated making about three awards. The award ceiling is listed as 0 in the provided record, which typically means applicants must rely on the full solicitation for actual budget limits or that ceiling information was not captured in the summary record. Overall, the award is designed for projects with a clear, milestone-driven pathway to clinical translation, especially those prepared to engage FDA-regulated development and move decisively toward clinical trials for trauma-relevant vision conditions.Apply for W81XWH 19 VRP TRA
- The Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD Vision, Translational Research Award" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.420.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 24, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 06, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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DoD Vision Research Program (VRP) Translational Research Award (FY19) - FAQs
What is the VRP Translational Research Award (FY19)?
The VRP Translational Research Award (FY19) is a U.S. Department of Defense funding opportunity intended to move vision-related research beyond basic discovery and toward real-world clinical use. It emphasizes projects that can produce patient-impacting outcomes for vision problems tied to military-relevant trauma.
Which agency and office are offering this opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of the Army, administered through USAMRAA.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is W81XWH-19-VRP-TRA.
What types of problems or conditions is the program focused on?
The program focuses on eye injuries and visual dysfunction that can result from combat or other trauma scenarios, specifically problems relevant to military-related trauma.
What is the overall goal of projects supported by this award?
The award supports projects intended to directly improve prevention, diagnosis, mitigation, or treatment of trauma-relevant vision conditions by advancing work toward clinical adoption and clinical trials.
Is basic or exploratory research a good fit for this award?
The award is not aimed at early exploratory science without a defined route to clinical adoption. Competitive applications are expected to present a clear pathway to clinically actionable outcomes rather than only describing interesting laboratory findings.
What does "translational" mean in the context of this award?
In this opportunity, "translational" refers to work that is sufficiently advanced to credibly move toward patient impact. Applicants are expected to describe a concrete plan that turns a promising finding into something clinically actionable, such as a drug, medical device, or clinical practice guideline that is ready for definitive testing in clinical trials.
What kinds of end products are envisioned?
The opportunity describes clinically actionable end products such as a drug, a medical device, or a clinical practice guideline, with the expectation that the work will make the product ready for clinical trial-level evaluation.
What is meant by a "concrete translational plan"?
A concrete translational plan explains what the end product will be, what steps are required to reach it, and why the proposed work will advance the product to the point that it is ready for definitive testing (for example, in clinical trials).
How important is regulatory readiness for this award?
Regulatory readiness is a major emphasis. Applicants are expected to plan for regulatory progress and to drive the work toward FDA-regulated clinical testing rather than stopping at preclinical proof-of-concept.
Are applicants expected to pursue an IND or IDE as part of the project?
Yes. A key expectation is that applicants should be planning to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application or an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application during the project or by the end of the performance period.
Is FDA experience required on the project team?
The opportunity strongly encourages including at least one collaborator with experience in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval process, reflecting the program's emphasis on practical, trial-oriented translational development.
What types of expertise are implied to strengthen an application?
Based on the emphasis in the announcement, strong teams typically combine scientific and clinical expertise with a regulatory strategy and a realistic understanding of what is required to advance an intervention into trials, including quality systems thinking.
Does the announcement recommend any framework for planning translational work?
Yes. Applicants are pointed to the National Cancer Institute Translational Research Working Group (TRWG) framework as a reference for structuring translational projects and clarifying development stages and milestones.
What is the Expansion Option?
The Expansion Option is an optional component intended for investigators who previously received VRP funding and want to build on a prior, highly impactful VRP-funded project.
Is the Expansion Option required?
No. The Expansion Option is encouraged but not mandatory.
What must be included if applying under the Expansion Option?
If an applicant chooses the Expansion Option, they must submit an Outcomes Statement summarizing the earlier VRP-funded work and clearly explaining results, accomplishments, and outcomes achieved. The application should then link those outcomes to the new proposal to justify how expansion funding will move the program closer to a clinical deliverable.
Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant category is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any additional eligibility language in the full announcement.
What funding instruments are used for this opportunity?
The opportunity indicates that funding instruments include cooperative agreements and grants.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 12.420.
When was the opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created on May 24, 2019, and the original closing date was December 6, 2019.
How many awards were anticipated?
The summary record anticipated making about three awards.
What is the maximum award amount (ceiling)?
In the provided record, the award ceiling is listed as 0. This typically indicates that applicants should rely on the full solicitation for the actual budget limits, or that the ceiling was not captured in the summary record.
What is the key differentiator of a competitive application?
A competitive application is expected to be milestone-driven and oriented toward clinical translation, clearly defining the end product, the steps to reach it, and explicit progress toward regulatory submissions (IND or IDE) to enable FDA-regulated clinical testing and clinical trials.
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| DoD Vision, Focused Translational Team Science Award Apply for W81XWH 19 VRP FTTSA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 VRP FTTSA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Vision, Investigator- Initiated Research Award Apply for W81XWJ 19 VRP IIRA Funding Number: W81XWJ 19 VRP IIRA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Idea Development Award Apply for W81XWH 19 DMDRP IDA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 DMDRP IDA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, North Atlantic Coast CESU Apply for G19AS00067 Funding Number: G19AS00067 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $198,161 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Gulf Coast CESU Apply for G19AS00069 Funding Number: G19AS00069 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU Apply for G19AS00068 Funding Number: G19AS00068 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| DoD Accelerating Innovation in Military Medicine Research Award Apply for W81XWH 19 DMRDP AIMM Funding Number: W81XWH 19 DMRDP AIMM Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Reconstructive Transplant Research, Investigator-Initiated Research Award Apply for W81XWH 19 RTRP IIRA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 RTRP IIRA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Reconstructive Transplant Research, Idea Discovery Award Apply for W81XWH 19 RTRP IDA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 RTRP IDA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Analysis of Breeding Salamanders in the Greater Yellowstone Area Apply for P19AS00212 Funding Number: P19AS00212 Agency: Department of the Interior, National Park Service Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $30,107 |
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| DoD Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, Federal Interagency Traumatic Brain Injury Research Analysis Award Apply for W81XWH 19 PHTBIRP FITBIRA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 PHTBIRP FITBIRA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Implementation Science for Strengthening Family Health (IS4FH) Apply for 7200AA19APS00014 Funding Number: 7200AA19APS00014 Agency: Agency for International Development Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $35,000,000 |
| DoD Kidney Cancer, Concept Award Apply for W81XWH 19 KCRP CA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 KCRP CA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Kidney Cancer, Idea Development Award Apply for W81XWH 19 KCRP IDA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 KCRP IDA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Kidney Cancer, Translational Research Partnership Award Apply for W81XWH 19 KCRP TRPA Funding Number: W81XWH 19 KCRP TRPA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Joint Directed Energy Transition Office (DE-JTO) Educational Initiative Apply for FOA RDK 2019 0001 Funding Number: FOA RDK 2019 0001 Agency: Department of Defense, AFRL DET 8 Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,475,000 |
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