Effectiveness of Telehealth-Based Programs to Detect Glaucoma Among High-Risk Populations in Community Health Settings | RFA DP 24 081

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA DP 24 081

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is soliciting applications under the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) titled "Effectiveness of Telehealth-Based Programs to Detect Glaucoma Among High-Risk Populations in Community Health Settings" (Funding Opportunity Number RFA DP 24 081). This is a new, competitive funding opportunity offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning CDC expects to have substantial involvement with awardees during the project period. The overall goal is to generate practical evidence on whether telehealth-enabled, community-based approaches can improve glaucoma detection and management for people at higher risk, especially in settings where access to eye care specialists and resources is limited. The NOFO emphasizes feasibility (can the program operate reliably in real community workflows), effectiveness (does it measurably improve identification, referral, and management), and cost-effectiveness (does it deliver results efficiently relative to costs).

A central motivation for the program is the public health burden of glaucoma, which is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the United States and the leading cause of blindness among African Americans. The NOFO notes that many people with glaucoma do not know they have it, and the intent here is to focus on those most likely to be affected or missed by typical care pathways. Importantly, this is not intended to fund broad, general-population screening. Instead, applicants are expected to design targeted strategies for high-risk groups, particularly those facing barriers such as limited access to vision specialists, transportation challenges, cost barriers, or gaps in local clinical capacity.

The opportunity is structured around two distinct components. Component A funds comparative effectiveness trials carried out in diverse community health settings. These projects are expected to test and compare community-based intervention models that use telehealth or technology-enabled approaches to detect glaucoma earlier and connect patients to appropriate follow-up care. The communities of interest include populations with a high likelihood of undiagnosed eye disease due to limited access, limited resources, or shortages of specialty providers. Component A projects should be designed to produce credible, real-world evidence that can inform public health practice, clinical implementation, and potentially policy decisions.

Component B funds a coordinating center that supports the Component A sites. The coordinating center role is to harmonize data collection and analysis across the funded trials and to provide logistics and communications support that improves efficiency and productivity across the full program. In practice, this typically means developing shared measures and data standards, aligning protocols where appropriate, facilitating consistent reporting, and helping to coordinate cross-site activities so findings can be compared or pooled more effectively. The NOFO was amended (Amendment III, dated February 16, 2024) to extend the deadline, expand eligibility for Component B applicants, and reduce the length/detail required for the Component B research plan, which signals an effort to lower administrative burden and broaden the pool of potential coordinating centers.

Across both components, CDC is signaling strong interest in interventions that are comprehensive, cost-effective, and designed for real-world adoption. Examples of the kinds of capabilities CDC highlights include the use of allied health professionals such as community health workers, ophthalmic technicians, and patient navigators; mobilizing community partners and local resources; and leveraging advanced technological approaches. The emphasis is not just on detecting possible glaucoma but also on strengthening the pathway to timely evaluation and management, since detection alone does not prevent vision loss unless patients can access confirmatory diagnosis and sustained care. CDC also notes that projects should be positioned to influence population health outcomes and contribute to practical implementation knowledge, rather than staying purely academic.

In terms of logistics and applicant information, the program sits in the health funding category (CFDA 93.068) and is open to a very broad range of eligible applicants, including state, county, and local governments; special districts; 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 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education); for-profit organizations (including small businesses); and essentially unrestricted eligibility as listed in the NOFO. The CDC also provided a pre-application informational webinar scheduled for January 9, 2024 (1:00 to 2:00 PM) via ZoomGov, with no pre-registration required. The original closing date is listed as March 22, 2024, and the Amendment III notice indicates the deadline was extended (applicants would need to rely on the amended NOFO for the final due date details). The award ceiling is listed at $950,000, with an anticipated total of about 5 awards.

Finally, CDC makes a point that prior relationships with CDC (previous agreements, funding, collaborations, or other arrangements) do not confer eligibility or advantage by themselves. Applications are expected to compete on the merits of their proposed approach, the strength of their study design and operational plan, their ability to work effectively in community-based care settings, and their potential to generate usable evidence that can be adopted and sustained beyond the funding period.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Effectiveness of Telehealth-Based Programs to Detect Glaucoma Among High-Risk Populations in Community Health Settings" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.068.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-28.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-03-22. (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 $950,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 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, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Unrestricted.

Apply for RFA DP 24 081

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