Retina Uk

Charity Number: 1153851

Annual Expenditure: £1.8M
Throughout England And Wales, Scotland

Contact Info

Website: www.RetinaUK.org.uk

Phone: 01280 821334

Email: info@RetinaUK.org.uk

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £870,000+ (recent grants announced)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: 1 month (Innovation Fund)
  • Grant Range: £50,000 (Innovation Fund) to £300,000+ (Project Grants)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily UK, exceptional international projects considered

Contact Details

Address: Retina UK, Wharf House, Aylesbury Road, Buckingham, MK18 1DZ

Website: www.RetinaUK.org.uk

Email: info@RetinaUK.org.uk

Research Enquiries: grants@RetinaUK.org.uk or research@retinauk.org.uk

Phone: 01280 821334

Overview

Retina UK (formerly RP Fighting Blindness, established 1976) is the UK's leading charity supporting people affected by inherited retinal conditions including retinitis pigmentosa, Usher syndrome, Stargardt disease, and Leber congenital amaurosis. Since its founding, the charity has invested over £16 million in cutting-edge medical research. Operating as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (charity number 1153851), Retina UK funds innovative research projects investigating causes and potential treatments for inherited retinal diseases. The charity is led by CEO Tina Garvey and operates with an independent Medical Advisory Board (MAB) comprising specialist scientists and researchers who peer-review all grant applications in line with Association of Medical Research Charities guidelines. In 2025, the charity celebrates its 50th anniversary with an ambitious £250,000 fundraising appeal.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Innovation Fund (Rapid Response Grants)

  • Amount: Up to £50,000
  • Duration: Maximum 5 months
  • Purpose: Generate preliminary data on completely novel concepts with no current global data available, aiming to provide proof of concept for larger subsequent applications
  • Decision Time: Within 1 month
  • Application: Rolling basis when calls are open

Standard Project Grants

  • Amount: Typically £200,000 - £300,000+ per project
  • Duration: Generally 3 years
  • Purpose: High quality research with clear translational potential focused on inherited retinal dystrophies
  • Application: Open grant calls (not currently open as of research date)

PhD Studentships

  • Co-funded with Macular Society
  • Must focus on inherited macular dystrophy
  • Examples include work at UCL, Edinburgh University

Priority Areas

Projects must align with Retina UK's Research Strategy and focus on:

  • Causes and potential treatments for all forms of inherited retinal disease
  • High quality research with clear translational potential
  • Novel approaches to understanding inherited retinal dystrophies
  • Gene therapy and genetic research (RPGR mutations, Stargardt disease gene repair)
  • Photoreceptor preservation and regeneration
  • Advanced stages of sight loss (photoreceptor cell patches)

What They Don't Fund

Explicit Exclusions:

  • Equipment grants
  • Travel grants
  • Open access publication fees
  • Projects not clearly focused on inherited retinal dystrophies
  • International projects without UK collaboration (unless exceptional with meaningful UK scientist involvement)

Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive: Tina Garvey (tina.garvey@retinauk.org.uk)

Chair of Trustees: Kathy Evans (former Chief Executive of Royal College of Ophthalmologists for nearly 20 years)

Board of Trustees includes members with personal experience of inherited sight loss and professional expertise in finance, ophthalmology, and pharmaceuticals.

Medical Advisory Board Members include:

  • Dr Carmel Toomes (Vice-Chair) - Associate Professor, Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Leeds
  • Professor Sobha Sivaprasad - Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Moorfields Eye Hospital
  • Professor Jane Farrar - Professor of Genetics, Smurfit Institute of Genetics, Trinity College Dublin
  • Professor Jod S Mehta - Distinguished Professor in Clinical Innovation in Ophthalmology, Singapore National Eye Centre
  • Professor Luminita Paraoan - Professor of Molecular Cell Biology, Edge Hill University

Key Quote from CEO Tina Garvey: “While this trial brings great optimism, there is still much work to be done. At Retina UK we remain committed to supporting research into treatments until everyone who hears the devastating news that they have an inherited sight loss condition is also told a treatment is available.”

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Review Requirements: Consult Retina UK's Research Strategy document before applying to ensure alignment
  2. Preliminary Application: Use preliminary application form (downloadable from website)
  3. Submit: Email completed form to grants@RetinaUK.org.uk
  4. Peer Review: Full applications peer-reviewed by Medical Advisory Board
  5. Final Approval: MAB recommendations submitted to Board of Trustees for formal approval

Current Status: No grant calls currently open (check website for updates)

Decision Timeline

  • Innovation Fund: Rapid review with outcomes within 1 month
  • Standard Project Grants: Timeline not publicly specified, but follows peer review process
  • Funding Commitment: First year of funding committed upon approval, subsequent years approved conditionally based on progress

Success Rates

Specific success rates not publicly available. The charity states they “make difficult decisions about which new projects to fund within their limited resources” annually.

Reapplication Policy

Information about reapplication policies not publicly available. Contact research team for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Geographic Considerations

  • Primarily funds UK-based research
  • International applications considered but must be “exceptional” and demonstrate meaningful collaboration with UK scientists and institutions

Research Quality Indicators

Recent funded projects (2023-2024) demonstrate what Retina UK values:

  • Dr Roly Megaw (Edinburgh University): RPGR gene mutations impact on cone photoreceptors
  • Prof. Jacqueline van der Spuy (UCL): Prime editing to correct Stargardt disease mutations
  • Prof. Omar Mahroo & Dr. Matteo Rizzi (UCL): Photopsia and photophobia in Stargardt disease
  • Prof. Jane Sowden (UCL Great Ormond Street): Micro-engineering photoreceptor cell patches for late-stage sight loss

In January 2024, three major grants totaling £870,000 were awarded to Southampton University and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology.

Alignment Factors

  • Projects must clearly focus on increasing understanding and developing treatments for inherited retinal dystrophies as per charitable objectives
  • Clear translational potential essential
  • Novel concepts preferred for Innovation Fund
  • Evidence of preliminary work valuable for standard grants

Strategic Advice

  • Align proposals with Research Strategy document
  • Demonstrate clear focus on inherited retinal conditions (not general eye disease)
  • For international applicants: emphasize UK collaboration and exceptional nature of project
  • Consider Innovation Fund for proof-of-concept before applying for larger grants
  • Ensure peer-reviewed quality research design

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Do Your Homework: Read the Research Strategy document before applying - alignment is essential
  • UK Focus: While international applications accepted, UK-based research or strong UK partnerships critical
  • Translational Potential: Emphasize how research will lead to treatments, not just academic knowledge
  • Two-Stage Approach: Consider Innovation Fund (£50,000 for 5 months) to generate proof of concept for larger grant applications
  • Personal Impact: Many trustees have personal experience with inherited sight loss - connect research to patient benefit
  • No Equipment/Travel: Budget must focus on research activities; equipment, travel, and open access costs excluded
  • Medical Advisory Board Standards: Applications peer-reviewed to AMRC standards - ensure rigorous research design

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References

  1. Retina UK Official Website - For Researchers. https://retinauk.org.uk/research/for-researchers/
  2. Retina UK Official Website - Applying for Research Funding. https://retinauk.org.uk/medical-research/research-funding/
  3. Charity Commission Register - RETINA UK (1153851). https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/-/charity-details/5039142
  4. Retina UK - Research Grant Awards Worth £870K Announced. https://retinauk.org.uk/news/research-grant-awards-worth-870k-announced/
  5. Retina UK - Medical Advisory Board. https://retinauk.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are/medical-advisory-board/
  6. Retina UK - Our Staff. https://retinauk.org.uk/about-us/who-we-are/our-staff/
  7. Retina UK - New Chair of Trustees. https://retinauk.org.uk/news/new-chair-of-trustees/
  8. Retina UK - Experimental therapy by Retina UK-funded researchers leads to 'life changing improvements'. https://retinauk.org.uk/news/experimental-therapy-by-retina-uk-funded-researchers-leads-to-life-changing-improvements/
  9. Retina UK - Research Grants (Project Pages). https://retinauk.org.uk/research/research-we-fund/innovation-fund-projects/
  10. Retina UK Wikipedia Page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retina_UK