Ophthalmology Institutional Research Capacity Strengthening Call 2026

About the opportunity

The ophthalmology funding programme focuses on strengthening research institutions in LMICs as a foundation for high-quality, locally relevant biomedical and clinical ophthalmology research that can ultimately reduce visual impairment and blindness.

VELUX Stiftung lists this opportunity for Research institutions and departments, Health & Biomedical Sciences, Low- and middle-income countries.

This listing is written for researchers, students, universities, NGOs, research teams, policy professionals and academic institutions searching for Health & Biomedical Sciences grants, fellowships, scholarships, conferences, workshops and funding opportunities in Low- and middle-income countries contexts.

Eligibility

Projects should be led through universities or research institutions in low- and middle-income countries.

Projects must focus on long-lasting institutional research capacity strengthening for biomedical or clinical ophthalmology research.

The foundation's general eligibility criteria apply.

Funding and benefits

Funding supports institutional research capacity strengthening projects under the official 2026 ophthalmology call for proposals.

Themes and supported activities

Building, developing, or strengthening institutional structures that enable ophthalmology research in LMICs.

Strengthening capacity of research departments to fund, manage, sustain, and continue their own research after the project.

The programme does not fund structures unrelated to biomedical or clinical ophthalmology research, eye-care service delivery training, or capacity strengthening that is only a secondary variable.

Deadline and timeline

Application deadline: Application deadline: Oct 1, 2026.

Applicants should confirm the exact deadline time, time zone, required documents, portal steps and any institutional approvals on the official call page before submitting.

How to apply

Review the official VELUX Stiftung ophthalmology call documents and submit by 1 October 2026 at 23:59 CEST. Final decisions are expected in March 2027.

Before applying, check eligibility rules, budgets, attachments, page limits, partner requirements, cost-share conditions and whether the opportunity uses an expression of interest, full proposal, registration or nomination stage.