American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc
The American Academy of Optometry is a public charity based in Winter Park, Florida. It is an association of optometric professionals, and its stated mission is to provide education, support innovative research, and disseminate knowledge to advance optometric practice and improve patient care.
Key facts about American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc
In short: American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc gave $225K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), top state California. 12% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 43-0768182
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $224,750
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- Average grant
- $8,990
- Median grant
- $8,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (3 of 25, 2025)
- Total assets
- $13,244,822
- Primary geography
- California (15% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Deadline
- The student travel fellowship page says the submission window opens in July 2026.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$13.2M
+20.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$225K
-50.8% YoY
Grant Count
25
+13.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-56.7% YoY
Is American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 25 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $8K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Academy’s mission is to provide exceptional education, support innovative research, and disseminate knowledge to advance optometric practice and improve patient care. Its stated values include lifelong learning, excellence, evidence-based care, integrity, and collaboration.
The Foundation supports optometric research and education through fellowships, scholarships, research grants, and other awards. Programs described on the Academy’s website include support for graduate students, faculty, residents, and students, as well as professional development for clinical investigators. Research grants are made to an overseeing institution rather than directly to an individual; the institution must sign a contract, and the individual may be asked to provide post-grant reports. Scholarships and fellowships are limited to students at eligible universities.
The 2025 filing lists educational scholarships to colleges and universities. Among the supported institutions, the University of Pikeville describes its mission as preparing students for the future while creating intellectual, cultural, and economic opportunities for Appalachia. Illinois College of Optometry says it develops qualified clinical optometrists through excellence in optometric education. Marshall B. Ketchum University says it educates health professionals prepared to deliver collaborative, patient-centered care. These are the grantees’ stated missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Academy reported 25 grants totaling **$224,750**. Grants ranged from **$6,500 to $25,000**, with a median of **$8,000**. The listed grants were for educational scholarships.
Review Cycle
The student travel fellowship page says the submission window opens in July 2026. The OD-to-PhD page says its submission window is closed.
Open Grants
12 open opportunities from American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc
AAOF Career Development Award
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
AAOF OD to PhD Fellowship Program
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc
Amount
30000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Allison Summers Pediatric Pilot Grant
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc
Amount
10000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states. The largest reported state shares were California and Alabama at 15% each, followed by Massachusetts and Illinois at 7% each, and Texas at 6%. These figures describe the locations of 2025 grant recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $207K (2019) to $457K (2024). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $225K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Alabama at Birmingham ($25K). Together the top 10 received $112K.
Grant Size Distribution
102 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 102 (94%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL | Educational Scholarship | $25,000 |
| Indiana University School of Optometry Bloomington, IN | Educational Scholarship | $12,500 |
| SUNY State College of Optometry New York New York, NY | Educational Scholarship | $11,000 |
| Stanford University Redwood City, CA | Educational Scholarship | $10,000 |
| University of California - Berkeley School of Optometry Berkeley, CA | Educational Scholarship | $10,000 |
| The Ohio State University College of Optometry Columbus, OH | Educational Scholarship | $9,500 |
| Illinois College of Optometry Chicago, IL | Educational Scholarship | $9,000 |
| University of Pikeville Pikeville, KY | Educational Scholarship | $9,000 |
| New England College of Optometry Boston, MA | Educational Scholarship | $8,250 |
| Marshall B Ketchum University Fullerton, CA | Educational Scholarship | $8,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13,244,822 | $3,442,243 | $1,149,363 | $224,750 |
| 2024 | $10,951,028 | $1,843,288 | $1,438,377 | $457,250 |
| 2023 | $9,894,013 | $1,724,345 | $1,359,770 | $355,766 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,244,822 | $10,951,028 | $9,894,013 |
| Revenue | $3,442,243 | $1,843,288 | $1,724,345 |
| Expenses | $1,149,363 | $1,438,377 | $1,359,770 |
| Net Investment Income | $596,462 | $341,359 | $211,025 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Valerie Sharpe as president, Loretta Szczotka-Flynn as president-elect, Kerry Giedd as secretary/treasurer, and Rachel Coulter as immediate past president. It also lists Wendy Harrison as immediate past president through October 2024 and Dave Sattler as a board member through October 2024. Other listed board members are Sherry Day, April Jasper, Evan Kaplan, and A. Mika Moy.
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc is led by Trish Shomion, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2023; none of the 15 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Trish Shomion
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2023
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Valerie Sharpe
President
Secretary-Treasurer → President-Elect, 2023
President-Elect → President, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Danne Ventura
Board Member
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kerry Giedd
Secretary & Treasurer
Board Member → Secretary & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Loretta Szczotka-Flynn
President-Elect
Board Member → Secretary-Treasurer, 2023
Secretary-Treasurer → President-Elect, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Jones
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer → Chief Financial Officier, 2022
Chief Financial Officier → Chief Financial Officer, 2024
On filings since 2019
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Harrison
Immediate Past President
President → Immediate Past-Pres., 2023
Immediate Past-Pres. → Immediate Past President, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
April Jasper
Board Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
A. Mika Moy
Board Member
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dave Sattler
Board Member
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lindsay Sicks
Board Member
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rachel Coulter
Immediate Past President
President → Immediate Past President, 2025
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sherry Day
Board Member
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Evan Kaplan
Board Member
Board Member - → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phillip Yuhas
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (16)
- Former: Robert Gray (2020–2024) — Vice President & Philanthropy
- Former: Suresh Viswanathan (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Kathryn Richdale (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Pete Kollbaum (2019–2023) — Immediate Past-Pres.
- Former: Peter Scott (2019–2023) — Chief Executive Officer
- Former: Stacey Coulter (2019–2022) — President-Elect
- Former: Sara Taylor (2022) — Vice President & Marketing
- Former: David Kirschen (2019–2021) — Board Member · Filing note: Thru 10/2020
- Former: David Sattler (2019–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Helen Viksnins (2019–2020) — Senior Director & Programs
- Former: Jeffrey Walline (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Karla Zadnik (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Kathy Dumbleton (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Lois Schoenbrun (2019) — Executive Director
- Former: Richard Madonna (2019) — Board Member
- Former: Susan Eger (2019) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 925 S Semoran Blvd 120, Winter Park, FL 32792
Phone: (321) 319-4870
Website: https://aaopt.org
Frequently asked questions about American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc
How much does American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc give each year?
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc gave $225K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $457K across 22 grants.
What is American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $8,000, and its average grant was $8,990, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc that year got $14K on average.
Where does American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc give grants?
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc's top state is California, with 15% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Alabama (15%) and Massachusetts (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Birmingham, AL (2 grants).
Does American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 25 grants with a stated purpose on American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational Scholarship" (25 grants).
Who are American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include University of Alabama at Birmingham ($25,000), Indiana University School of Optometry ($12,500) and SUNY State College of Optometry New York ($11,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc?
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc reported $13.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.4M.
What does American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc fund?
The Academy’s mission is to provide exceptional education, support innovative research, and disseminate knowledge to advance optometric practice and improve patient care. Its stated values include lifelong learning, excellence, evidence-based care, integrity, and collaboration. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc?
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check aaopt.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc's EIN?
American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-0768182. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching American Academy of Optometry Foundation Inc by hand.
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