OVERVIEW

Mission
The EyeSight Foundation of Alabama, or ESFA, is a nonprofit foundation whose mission is being a catalyst for improving eyesight through education, research and access to care.

Priority Areas of Interest
ESFA seeks to maximize the impact of its funding by supporting organizations and programs that can effectively and efficiently address needs that fit our priority areas of interest, including but not limited to:

• Public education on preventive and routine eye care and vision screening and referral
• Eye care for the medically indigent
• Low vision and rehabilitation services
• Improved geographic access to general and specialty eye care services
• Education and training of eye care professionals and scientific investigators
• Research in the prevention and treatment of eye diseases, disabilities or impairment prevalent in Alabama and the development of effective methods of treatment, surgery or rehabilitation
• Basic science research on the vision system

Funding Criteria:
ESFA gives funding preference to requests that meet the following criteria:

• Address a critical eye care need (see the Eye Health Needs Assessment on our website www.eyesightfoundation.org )
• Avoid duplication of existing services unless they target a population not already being served
• Involve collaboration and coordination with other organizations and agencies
• Demonstrate a solid base of financial support for the requesting organization
• Serve Alabamians, particularly in the service area of the Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital in Birmingham
• Expand our knowledge base in visual research
• Include an effective approach for measuring results and the impact of ESFA’s investment.

Limitations & Restrictions
The EyeSight Foundation of Alabama considers funding applications only from nonprofit organizations, which provide services in Alabama and have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code or are described as an appropriate beneficiary for a foundation under the Internal Revenue Service Code.

No funds are provided to or for:
• Individuals for personal needs
• Indirect costs associated with a grant project
• Religious organizations for religious purposes
• Tickets for benefits
• Political organizations or candidates for public office
• Lobbying activities
• Research projects substantially funded by extramural sources unless our financial support will enable investigators to obtain significant matching funding from the outside source

 

Address applications and questions to:

EyeSight Foundation of Alabama
700 South 18th Street, Suite 123
Birmingham, AL 35233
205/488-0771 Phone
205/325-8335 Fax

Torrey Smitherman
Executive Director
torrey@uab.edu

Shirley Hamilton
Assistant Director of Programs
srhamilt@uab.edu

Application Process
To apply for ESFA funds, first determine which section of the application guidelines fits with your project. Read carefully, as the instructions differ for research and non-research requests, and they also differ depending on whether non-research projects are for new or continuation requests.

Calendar for FY 2010-2011 Grants

INTERNAL REVIEW: for all Requests except Peer-Reviewed Research

Letter of Intent Due for New Requests	September 1, 2009
Continuation Requests Due for Current, Ongoing Grants	September 1, 2009
Invitations to Submit Grant Request Issued	October 15, 2009
Grant Request Due	December 1, 2009
Initial Board Review	January 2010
Final Board Decision	April 2010
Notification of Decision	May 2010
Distribution of Funds	After July 1, 2010
Progress or Final Reports Due for FY 2010-2011 grants	August 15, 2011

Watch our website for more details and instructions.

EXTERNAL REVIEW: for Peer-Reviewed Research

Research Grant Requests Due	December 1, 2009
Initial Board Review	January 2010
Final Board Decision	April 2010
Notification of Decision	May 2010
Distribution of Funds	After July 1, 2010
Progress or Final Reports Due for FY 2010-2011 grants	August 15, 2011

Watch our website for more details and instructions.