Grants
We make grants through open calls to hospitals, clinics, universities, charities and community groups. There are 128 active grants of ¥5 million or more, and about 2,600 smaller school screening grants a year.
Open now
-
Implant aftercare clinics, 2027 round
- For
- Clinics and hospitals offering free aftercare to wearers of any make of optical implant
- Amount
- Up to ¥60 million over three years
- Closes
- , 17:00 Japan time
- Programme
- Implant safety
-
Research grants in visual science, 2027
- For
- Researchers at universities and public institutes in any country
- Amount
- ¥10 million to ¥40 million over up to three years
- Closes
- , 17:00 Japan time
- Programme
- Research and standards
-
Kiroshi Fellowships, 2027 to 2028 cohort
- For
- Eye surgeons and low vision specialists in low- and middle-income countries
- Amount
- A year’s salary, travel and training
- Closes
- , 17:00 Japan time
- Programme
- Fellowships
-
Continuity small grants
- For
- Groups repairing or documenting implants their makers no longer support
- Amount
- Up to ¥8 million
- Closes
- Open all year; decisions every two months
- Programme
- Continuity
What we fund
Applications outside these areas are unlikely to succeed. The examples show the kind of work we have recently supported.
Sight restoration (East Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia)
- Cataract and paediatric cataract surgery with follow-up
- Training places for surgeons and ophthalmic nurses
Vision screening and spectacles (Japan, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Africa)
- School and community screening run by local staff
- Spectacle workshops and follow-up of referrals
Implant safety and aftercare (Worldwide)
- Free aftercare clinics for wearers of any make
- Independent testing and reporting of implant faults
Discontinued implants (Worldwide)
- Repair, documentation and spare parts for unsupported devices
- Legal help for wearers of devices from dissolved makers
Living with low vision (Japan, East Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia)
- Rehabilitation, mobility training and braille for adults
- Employment support
Visual science and open standards (Worldwide)
- Research on low vision, retinal disease and assistive devices
- Independent evaluation of perception software in implants
We do not fund individuals (except through the fellowships), political campaigns, the purchase of land, or the purchase of implants for people with normal sight. We do not fund work that Kiroshi Opticals would otherwise pay for itself, such as the company’s own product trials.
How decisions are made
Every application is checked for eligibility by the grants team within ten working days. Eligible applications go to an assessment panel of five to seven people for that call, of whom no more than two are Foundation staff. Panels score applications against the criteria published with each call, and recommend; the Programmes Committee of the board decides grants over ¥100 million, and the Executive Director decides the rest.
Panel members declare their interests for every application. Anyone employed by or holding shares in an implant maker takes no part in implant-related calls. We publish the members of every panel once its decisions are announced.
In FY2025 we received 1,906 eligible applications to open calls and funded 463, a success rate of 24%. 56 of those grants were for ¥5 million or more and are listed in the database; the rest were smaller. We tell every applicant why they were or were not funded.