Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DP 19 004
The grant opportunity titled "Improving Detection and Management of Glaucoma and Other Eye Diseases Among High Risk Populations" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA DP 19 004) is a CDC cooperative agreement designed to find and test practical, community-based ways to better reach people who are most likely to develop glaucoma and other serious eye diseases, identify disease earlier, and support ongoing care so vision loss can be prevented or slowed. The focus is not on broad population screening, but on smarter targeting and stronger follow-up in real-world settings, with the intent that successful approaches can later be replicated and scaled across the United States. The program is rooted in the public health problem that glaucoma often has no symptoms until significant vision damage has already occurred, meaning many people live with the disease without knowing it. Because glaucoma-related vision loss is irreversible, the emphasis is on earlier detection and sustained management to preserve remaining vision.
A central justification for the program is the burden and inequity of glaucoma. Glaucoma is described as the leading cause of irreversible blindness among African Americans and the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, with an estimated 2.2 to 2.7 million people affected in the United States. Roughly half of people with glaucoma may be unaware they have it, which contributes to more advanced disease at the time of diagnosis and a higher risk of preventable vision loss. The opportunity also highlights an important practical constraint: because glaucoma prevalence is relatively low in the general population, mass screening is typically not considered cost-effective. Even within higher-risk groups, screening outcomes have sometimes been modest, so the NOFO encourages more innovative engagement and care strategies rather than relying on traditional, one-size-fits-all screening events.
The grant targets "vulnerable" or high-risk populations where the prevalence of glaucoma is higher and where barriers to eye care may be substantial. The NOFO specifically calls out African Americans over age 40, Asians, adults aged 65 and older (with particular attention to older Hispanics), people with a family history of glaucoma, and individuals with diabetes. In practice, this means applicants are expected to design approaches that meet communities where they are, reduce access barriers, increase awareness and acceptance of eye disease evaluation, and improve the likelihood that people who are identified as at risk actually receive confirmatory diagnosis, treatment initiation when indicated, and long-term follow-up.
Structurally, the funding is organized into two linked components. Component A supports community-based interventions working directly with vulnerable populations. These interventions are meant to be implemented in community settings and can include novel ways to engage participants, identify those at risk, connect them to clinical services, and support adherence to treatment and ongoing disease monitoring. The clear expectation is that Component A projects will generate actionable lessons and models that can be replicated in other communities, rather than being limited to a single local program that cannot scale.
Component B is a Coordinating Center that provides the organizational backbone for the overall research and implementation effort. The Coordinating Center role is to supply logistics and support that help multiple community projects operate consistently and generate usable evidence. While the NOFO summary does not list every operational detail, the intent is that Component B improves coordination across sites, supports standardized processes where appropriate, and helps position the work for broader replication and scale-up. This two-part structure reflects an emphasis on both on-the-ground implementation and the infrastructure needed to manage, learn from, and extend the work beyond the initial award period.
From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with the funding mechanism listed as a cooperative agreement. That instrument type generally implies substantial federal involvement in guiding or collaborating on key aspects of the project, often including shared planning, technical input, and alignment with federal public health priorities. The activity category is Health, and the CFDA number is 93.283. The award ceiling is $700,000, and the program anticipated making around 4 awards. The notice was created December 7, 2018, with an original closing date of February 11, 2019, and applications were required to be submitted electronically by 5:00 p.m. ET on the due date.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations that could credibly run community-facing public health and clinical linkage work. Eligible applicants include state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. In effect, the CDC opened the door to a wide range of public, private, academic, nonprofit, and tribal entities, reflecting the reality that community-based detection and management programs often require partnerships that cross health care, public health, social services, and local community institutions.
Overall, the opportunity is aimed at moving beyond the idea that a simple screening event is enough. It encourages projects that can successfully engage high-risk communities, identify disease earlier, and then reliably move people into effective care and sustained management, because early detection without follow-up does not prevent blindness. The end goal is to produce models that are realistic, evidence-informed, and scalable, improving equity in eye health outcomes by focusing resources where the risk is highest and where the consequences of missed diagnosis are most severe.Apply for RFA DP 19 004
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Improving Detection and Management of Glaucoma and Other Eye Diseases Among High Risk Populations" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.283.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 07, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 11, 2019 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 500 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $700,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, 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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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Improving Detection and Management of Glaucoma and Other Eye Diseases Among High Risk Populations."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA DP 19 004.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
This is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding opportunity.
What type of funding mechanism is this?
The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally means CDC expects to have substantial involvement in key aspects of the work (for example, collaboration on planning, technical input, and alignment with public health priorities).
What public health problem is this program trying to address?
The program targets preventable vision loss from glaucoma and other serious eye diseases by improving earlier detection and ongoing management among people at higher risk. A key challenge is that glaucoma often has no symptoms until significant vision damage has already occurred, and glaucoma-related vision loss is irreversible once it happens.
Why does the opportunity emphasize earlier detection and sustained management?
Because many people may not know they have glaucoma until it is advanced, earlier identification paired with reliable care and follow-up can help prevent or slow further vision loss. Detection alone is not enough if people do not receive confirmatory diagnosis, begin treatment when indicated, and stay connected to long-term monitoring and care.
Is this a broad population screening program?
No. The focus is not on broad, mass screening of the general population. The opportunity stresses smarter targeting of higher-risk groups and stronger follow-up in real-world settings rather than one-size-fits-all screening events.
Why is mass screening not the main approach?
The summary notes that glaucoma prevalence is relatively low in the general population, making mass screening typically not cost-effective. Even within higher-risk groups, screening outcomes have sometimes been modest, so the program encourages more innovative engagement and care strategies beyond traditional screening events.
What is meant by "vulnerable" or high-risk populations in this NOFO?
The NOFO highlights populations with higher glaucoma prevalence and/or substantial barriers to eye care, including African Americans over age 40, Asians, adults aged 65 and older (with particular attention to older Hispanics), people with a family history of glaucoma, and individuals with diabetes.
What types of strategies are encouraged?
Community-based, practical approaches that meet people where they are, reduce access barriers, increase awareness and acceptance of eye disease evaluation, identify individuals at risk earlier, and improve the likelihood that participants receive confirmatory diagnosis, initiate treatment when indicated, and maintain long-term follow-up and monitoring.
What does the program hope to produce in the long run?
The intent is to find and test realistic, evidence-informed models that can be replicated and scaled across the United States, especially approaches that improve equity in eye health outcomes by focusing resources where risk and consequences are greatest.
How is the funding structured?
The program is organized into two linked components: Component A (community-based interventions) and Component B (a Coordinating Center).
What is Component A?
Component A supports community-based interventions working directly with vulnerable/high-risk populations. Projects are expected to implement interventions in community settings and generate actionable lessons and models that can be replicated in other communities (not only a single local program that cannot scale).
What kinds of activities might Component A include?
The summary indicates activities can include novel ways to engage participants, identify people at risk, connect them to clinical services, and support adherence to treatment and ongoing disease monitoring.
What is Component B?
Component B is a Coordinating Center that provides organizational and logistical support to help multiple community projects operate consistently and produce usable evidence. The intent is to improve coordination across sites, support standardized processes where appropriate, and help position the work for broader replication and scale-up.
How many awards did CDC anticipate making?
The opportunity anticipated making about 4 awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $700,000.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number is 93.283.
What is the activity category?
The activity category is Health.
When was the notice created?
The notice was created on December 7, 2018.
When was the original application closing date?
The original closing date was February 11, 2019.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically.
What was the application deadline time?
Applications were due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the due date.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad range of organizations, including state, county, and local governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other entities described in the NOFO summary.
Does the opportunity allow both nonprofit and for-profit applicants?
Yes. The summary lists nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit organizations (other than small businesses), and small businesses as eligible applicant types.
Why does the opportunity include so many eligible organization types?
The summary explains that community-based detection and management efforts often require partnerships across health care, public health, social services, and community institutions, so the applicant pool is intentionally broad to reflect how this work is implemented in real settings.
What is the main equity focus of this opportunity?
The NOFO emphasizes the burden and inequity of glaucoma, describing it as the leading cause of irreversible blindness among African Americans, and it prioritizes approaches that better reach high-risk communities and reduce barriers to care so preventable vision loss can be reduced.
How widespread is glaucoma according to the opportunity summary?
The summary estimates that about 2.2 to 2.7 million people are affected in the United States.
How many people with glaucoma may be unaware they have it?
The summary states that roughly half of people with glaucoma may be unaware they have it.
What is the consequence of missed or late diagnosis?
The summary emphasizes that late diagnosis can mean more advanced disease at the time of diagnosis and a higher risk of preventable vision loss, since glaucoma-related vision loss is irreversible.
What is the overall goal of the program in practical terms?
To move beyond stand-alone screening events and instead create community-based models that successfully engage high-risk populations, identify disease earlier, and reliably connect people to confirmatory diagnosis, treatment when needed, and sustained follow-up to preserve vision.
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