The WCO Grant Program (formerly known as the Fellowship Program) is intended to support the vision and mission of WCO by funding projects and initiatives which lead towards the advancement of the role of optometry and its participation in eye and vision care within health care systems.

General Grants:

• Innovative projects resulting in long-term sustainable results which improve eye care delivery and develop the role of optometry worldwide. Areas of priority for WCO Grant Program projects are:
  • Education
  • Advocacy for advancement of optometry and development of eye care
  • Public health
  • Standards, policy, and legislation
• Also encouraged are programs that focus in integrating optometry into universal health plans on the country level and integrated patient-centered eyecare.
• Applications for research projects may be eligible for funding if the project outcomes will add to the development of evidence of eye care need and the role of optometry. As guidance, these could include:
  • Epidemiology, including the prevalence, distribution and determinants of vision and eye conditions
  • Analysis of newly initiated or alternate delivery or care models and pathways
  • Increasing health literacy related to eye care, and/or the role of optometry or other areas of public health
  • Support for project costs may include travel costs that are necessary to support the outcomes.
• The typical maximum amount of funding is $2,000US, although for projects considered by the WCO Grant Committee as a high priority the funding may be more. In the case of high priority projects as determined by the Grant Committee, multi-year projects may be considered.
• Projects which may lead to other sources of funding to develop long-term sustainability are encouraged.

Education Mentor Grants:

• Will match faculty/instructors from established schools of optometry with faculty from WCO member schools that are less established or in development.
• Example topic areas may include faculty development, student assessment, clinical teaching, curriculum development.
• Maximum funding amount is $5000 which includes transportation for the mentor to travel to the school to meet the faculty and jointly develop a plan to address the requests. The expectation is that this will be for a minimum of one week.
• The host school will be asked to contribute meals and accommodation for the mentor while in the country.

Criteria

• The WCO Grant Program is a member benefit. Applicants must:

  • Reside and work in a WCO member country or

  • Be employed by a WCO affiliate member or

  • Be an individual WCO member

    • To view a list of WCO members.

• Successful grant applicants agree to submit a final report on their project to WCO. The outcomes of their grant may be disseminated in the form of a news report through the WCO e-news, social media, and website, WCO regional news and social media, local optometry news and social media, poster, or paper presentation at a WCO conference or other conference with refereed abstract submission, or publication in a refereed journal if the project lends itself to this form of publication.