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Apply for a Research Grant

BrightFocus provides research funds for U.S. domestic as well as international researchers pursuing pioneering research leading to greater understanding, prevention, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.

Alzheimer’s Disease Research Request for Proposals

Macular Degeneration Research Request for Proposals

National Glaucoma Research Request for Proposals

To start a new application and upload attachments, you must use our ProposalCentral application portal to apply online. Note: Your organization must be registered with ProposalCentral to apply.

Scientist working in lab.
Macular Degeneration Research grant recipient, Yong-Su Kwon, PhD
A female researcher in the lab.

Our Funding Philosophy

It is our firm belief that having the courage to invest in innovative ideas will lead to revolutionary therapies. BrightFocus provides initial funding for highly innovative experimental ideas, including interdisciplinary investigations that may apply to two or three of the BrightFocus disease interests. Most of the awardees use the BrightFocus award funds to demonstrate key findings that lead to later interest and additional funding from industrial or governmental funding agencies.

Grant Application Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to applicants’ frequently asked questions, from eligibility to the review process, categorized by each disease program.

Read FAQs

Guidelines

Terms & Conditions

A male researcher in the lab.
National Glaucoma Research-funded scientist Ignacio Provencio, PhD.

News

Recent News & Breakthroughs

Browse research news and breakthroughs from BrightFocus-funded scientists.
Illustrated human eye anatomy cross section.

A Key Model to Study Cellular Functions to Better Treat Glaucoma

BrightFocus National Glaucoma Research-funded scientist Samuel Herberg, PhD, is using a 3D model of the fluid drainage tissue that could improve our ability to understand and treat glaucoma.

Exterior view of the main historic building of National Institutes of Health (NIH) inside Bethesda campus.

Standing Together to Protect Progress: BrightFocus Statement on 2026 National Institutes of Health and National Eye Institute Appropriations

The proposed 2026 federal budget released by the Trump administration would deliver crippling cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These cuts would threaten essential progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, macular degeneration, and glaucoma—diseases of mind and sight impacting 1 in 7 Americans over age 40.

Mark Ebbert and working in his laboratory.

The Early Alzheimer’s Signals We’ve Been Missing (Until Now)

Using advanced genetic sequencing, BrightFocus Alzheimer’s Disease Research-funded scientist Dr. Mark Ebbert is identifying overlooked changes in the brain that could finally unlock a way to diagnose Alzheimer’s before it begins.

BrightFocus Foundation's logo with a vignette for a border.

BrightFocus Statement on Senate Passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act

Legislation jeopardizes health care for millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, glaucoma, and other serious conditions.

The Bernstein research team at SUNY Upstate Medical University

How the Breakdown of Cellular ‘Powerhouses’ Drives Exfoliation Glaucoma

A study co-funded by BrightFocus Foundation and The Glaucoma Foundation yields new insights that could inspire novel treatments for exfoliation glaucoma.

Portrait of smiling senior man with eyeglasses.

How Better Models of Macular Degeneration Could Help Prevent Vision Loss

Most experimental models that researchers use to study macular degeneration fall short. BrightFocus Macular Degeneration Research grant recipient Dr. Brittany Carr aims to change that.

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BrightFocus Foundation and Focused Ultrasound Foundation Announce Partnership to Advance Alzheimer’s Research

A three-year collaboration supports pioneering non-invasive treatment strategies for Alzheimer’s disease using focused ultrasound.

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BrightFocus and Alzheimer’s Los Angeles Renew Partnership to Fund Promising Alzheimer’s Research

Ongoing collaboration advances promising Alzheimer’s drug discovery research in Southern California.

A scan of a human retina. In the middle is the optic nerve, with blood vessels coming out.
A scan of a human retina. In the middle is the optic nerve, with blood vessels coming out.

Looking Beyond Pressure-Lowering Drugs to Treat Glaucoma

A National Glaucoma Research-funded scientist is building a 3D model of the optic nerve that she hopes will solve unanswered questions about glaucoma—and inspire new treatments.

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