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Annual Giving
$26.6M

About

The Centre For Eye Research Australia (CERA) is an independent Medical Research Institute affiliated with the University of Melbourne and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. It is a world leader in eye research, dedicated to eliminating major eye diseases, preventing vision loss, and discovering cures to restore sight through advanced research and clinical trials.

Tips for Applicants

For potential philanthropic supporters, CERA encourages direct engagement with their Philanthropy & Fundraising Team to align donor interests with CERA's research expertise and maximize impact. They can facilitate bespoke family giving opportunities and manage sub-funds. Researchers interested in collaboration or employment should align with CERA's core research areas in eye disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Giving Philosophy

CERA's giving philosophy is centered on partnering with individuals, philanthropic trusts, foundations, industry, and government to secure funding for groundbreaking eye research. They aim to accelerate medical breakthroughs and achieve maximum impact for individuals experiencing vision impairment and blindness, often seeking multi-year grants to provide long-term security for their leading researchers.

Notable Grants

A $10 million investment from Breakthrough Victoria for the establishment of Cerulea Clinical Trials (2023)
NHMRC grants totaling over $1.3 million to Professor Robyn Guymer for age-related macular degeneration research (2016)
A $1.92 million grant from the CUREator+ scheme to CERA spin-out company Mirugen for gene therapy research (2024)
Various grants from the Macular Disease Foundation Australia to CERA researchers for macular disease research (2025)

Giving History

2017
$17.6M
2024
$26.6M
+51% increase from 2017 to 2024

ACNC Financial History

YearGrants GivenRevenueTotal AssetsNet Assets
FY2017
$3.9M
$18.6M$26.1M$21.3M
1yr total$3.9MSource: ACNC Annual Information Statements

Programs (from website)

Cerulea Clinical Trials

A new world-leading clinical trials center, a fully owned not-for-profit subsidiary of CERA, established with a $10 million investment from Breakthrough Victoria. It aims to deliver trials to 2500 Victorians annually, focusing on innovative treatments for conditions like age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and inherited retinal diseases.

Focus Areas

healthresearch
Geographic
AU-NationalAU-VICInternational
Recipients
researchhospitaluniversitynfpindividualcommunity org

Financial Details

Source of Wealth
CERA is primarily funded through a diverse range of sources, including government grants (such as from the National Health and Medical Research Council and Breakthrough Victoria), philanthropic donations from individuals, trusts, and foundations, bequests, and corporate sponsorships.
Revenue Sources
government_funding, philanthropic_donations, inherited, corporate_sponsorship, investment, goods_or_services

Board & Leadership

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Keith Martin
director
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Simon Brewin
director
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Linked from structured person roles rather than unstructured foundation summary text.

Data Sources

Profile quality: high
Foundation profile updated: 6 March 2026 (63 days ago)
Website scan updated: 6 March 2026 (63 days ago)
Added: 5 March 2026 (64 days ago)
View on ACNC Register →