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Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc

Annual Giving
$28.0M

Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $28 million (research grants)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Varies by program type
  • Geographic Focus: International

Contact Details

Overview

Founded in 1971, the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) is the world's leading private funder of retinal disease research. With total assets of approximately $111 million and having raised over $996 million since inception, FFB drives research toward preventions, treatments, and cures for inherited retinal diseases affecting over 10 million Americans. The organization invests approximately 80% of its budget directly into research and public health education, currently supporting 113 grants across 90 institutions worldwide with over 124 investigators. Their strategic approach focuses on funding innovative research that bridges the gap between scientific discovery and clinical application.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

FFB offers several grant types:

  • Career Development Grants: Support for recruiting and training medical researchers
  • Research Center Grants: Facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations
  • Individual Investigator Grants: Support qualified, independent scientists globally
  • Preclinical and Clinical Research Support: Funding studies from laboratory to clinical trials

Priority Areas

  • Retinitis Pigmentosa
  • Age-related Macular Degeneration
  • Usher Syndrome
  • Leber Congenital Amaurosis
  • Stargardt Disease
  • CRISPR and Prime Editing Technologies
  • Gene therapy development
  • Stem cell research
  • Pharmaceutical treatments
  • Approaches to re-activate dormant retinal cells

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated in available resources.

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel:

  • Jason D Menzo - Chief Executive Officer
  • Peter L Ginsberg - Chief Operating Officer
  • Jeffrey D Klaas - Chief of Strategy
  • Dr. Jacque Duncan, MD - Chair of Scientific Advisory Board

The Scientific Advisory Board includes leading retinal experts who review research grant applications. As Dr. Morton F. Goldberg stated: "The Foundation Fighting Blindness is an extraordinary organization. It has given hope to people who didn't previously have hope..."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

While FFB actively makes research grants, specific application procedures, portals, and submission guidelines are not publicly detailed on their main website pages. The organization indicates they have a "Grants & Awards" program and actively recruit grant applicants globally, suggesting an established application process exists but requires direct inquiry for access.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed

Success Rates

The foundation currently funds 113 active grants across 90 institutions with 124+ investigators, but specific application success rates are not publicly available.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed

Application Success Factors

Based on FFB's funding patterns and strategic focus:

  • Research must directly address inherited retinal degenerative diseases
  • Projects that bridge the gap between discovery and clinical application are prioritized
  • FFB has successfully funded research leading to clinical trials by companies like Beacon Therapeutics, SparingVision, and Belite Bio
  • The foundation particularly values innovative approaches in genetics, gene therapies, and pharmaceutical treatments
  • Cross-disciplinary collaborations that span institutional and geographic boundaries align with their research center grant priorities
  • FFB often provides critical funding for promising research between discovery and clinical trial phases

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• FFB is a major research funder with $28 million annual research investment and substantial assets to support long-term projects • The foundation has a 50+ year track record of funding research that has led to 45+ clinical trials • They support the full research pipeline from basic science to clinical trials • International collaborations are welcomed - they fund researchers at 90 institutions globally • Career development grants suggest support for early-career investigators • Direct inquiry to the foundation is likely necessary to access detailed application guidelines • Focus proposals on translational potential and path to clinical application

References

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