Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc
Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) is a New York, New York-based public charity that supports vision research. Founded in 1960, it funds individual scientists and research-focused ophthalmology departments working to develop treatments, preventives, and cures for conditions that damage or destroy sight.
Key facts about Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc
In short: Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc gave $8.7M across 54 grants in 2024 (avg $161K), top state California. 6% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 13-3471559
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,702,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 54
- Average grant
- $161,148
- Median grant
- $115,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (2 of 33, 2024)
- Total assets
- $285,951,128
- Primary geography
- California (18% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Deadline
- For the spring cycle, applications are due January 10 and nomination forms December 15; grants are awarded in June.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; 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 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$286.0M
+4.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.7M
+16.9% YoY
Grant Count
54
+5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$161K
+10.4% YoY
Is Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 33 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $300K; repeat grants $261K. How we count
Medians: $300K first-time, $145K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−1%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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
RPB’s mission is to preserve and restore vision by supporting research to develop treatments, preventives, and cures for all conditions that damage and destroy sight. Its grants support individual researchers and research-focused departments of ophthalmology. The organization says individual projects must be grounded in excellent science and advance vision science; its departmental grants provide unrestricted funding allocated by the department chair.
The 2024 filing lists grants for career development research, physician-scientist research, Stein Innovation, and departmental Challenge Grants. RPB’s grant information also describes awards for areas including age-related macular degeneration, amblyopia, and diabetic retinal disease.
One 2024 recipient listed in the filing was the University of Wisconsin–Madison, which received $150,000. The university’s separately stated Panhellenic Association mission is to foster scholarship, philanthropy, and community on campus and to support women’s growth and leadership.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, RPB reported 54 grants totaling $8,702,000. Grants ranged from $20,000 to $350,000, with a median of $115,000. The largest listed awards included $350,000 Career Development Research Grants to the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, Harvard Medical School–MEEI, the University of Michigan School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, SUNY Upstate Medical University, and the University of Utah Health Sciences Center. Other listed awards included $300,000 Stein Innovation Grants to the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, among others.
Review Cycle
For the spring cycle, applications are due January 10 and nomination forms December 15; grants are awarded in June. For the fall cycle, applications are due July 1 and nomination forms June 15; grants are awarded in December. The Physician-Scientist Award lists a June 15 nomination deadline and July 1 application deadline.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports grant dollars distributed across recipient states, with California receiving 18%, New York 14%, Illinois 10%, Michigan 10%, and Utah 9%. The listed 2024 grantees also include institutions in other states, such as Massachusetts, Missouri, Oregon, and West Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $7.4M (2023) to $20.4M (2022). In 2024 it made 54 grants totaling $8.7M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Regents of the University of Michigan School of Medicine ($765K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $5.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
258 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 143 grants of 258 (55%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine Chicago, IL | Career Development Research Grant | $350,000 |
| Harvard Medical School-Meei Boston, MA | Career Development Research Grant | $350,000 |
| The Regents of the University of Michigan School of Medicine Ann Arbor, MI | Career Development Research Grant | $350,000 |
| Washington University in Saint Louis School of Medicine St. Louis, MO | Career Development Research Grant | $350,000 |
| State University of NY Upstate Medical University Syracuse, NY | Career Development Research Grant | $350,000 |
| University of Utah Health Sciences Center Salt Lake City, UT | Career Development Research Grant | $350,000 |
| West Virgina University School of Medicine Morgantown, WV | Challenge Grant | $300,000 |
| Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine Portland, OR | Physician Scientist Grant | $300,000 |
| University of California San Francisco School of Medicine San Francisco, CA | Stein Innovation Grant | $300,000 |
| Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Chicago, IL | Stein Innovation Grant | $300,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $285,951,128 | $13,097,577 | $10,202,061 | $8,702,000 |
| 2023 | $273,658,736 | $14,626,979 | $8,789,523 | $7,441,000 |
| 2022 | $261,385,390 | $7,097,210 | $21,723,448 | $8,139,000 |
Grant counts were 54 in 2024, 51 in 2023, and 52 in 2022.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $285,951,128 | $273,658,736 | $261,385,390 |
| Revenue | $13,097,577 | $14,626,979 | $7,097,210 |
| Expenses | $10,202,061 | $8,789,523 | $21,723,448 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,048,939 | $3,881,429 | $7,559,503 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 30, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 29, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Brian F. Hofland as president, Diane S. Swift as chairman, David Brenner as vice president and secretary, and John Tinker as treasurer and assistant secretary.
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc is led by Brian F. Hofland, President since 2020 (on filings since 2019); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brian F. Hofland
President
President & Secretary → President, 2020
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane S. Swift
Chairman
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Brenner
Vice President & Secretary
Trustee → Vice President & Secretary, 2020
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Tinker
Treasurer & Assistant Secretary
Treasurer & Assitant Secretary → Treasurer & Assistant Secretary, 2020
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 360 Lexington Avenue 22Nd Fl, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (212) 752-4333
Website: https://rpbusa.org
Frequently asked questions about Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc
How much does Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc give each year?
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc gave $8.7M across 54 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $7.4M across 51 grants.
What is Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc's typical grant size?
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc's median grant in 2024 was $115,000, and its average grant was $161,148, across 54 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc that year got $300K on average.
Where does Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc give grants?
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc's top state is California, with 18% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (14%) and Illinois (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (6 grants), Chicago, IL (5 grants), Los Angeles, CA (4 grants) and Ann Arbor, MI (3 grants).
Does Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 50% of Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 54) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Career Development Research Grant" (6 grants), "Stein Innovation Grant" (6 grants) and "Medical Student Eye Research Fellowship Grant" (5 grants).
Who are Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc's largest grantees?
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc's largest 2024 grantees include The Regents of the University of Michigan School of Medicine ($765,000 across 3 grants), University of Utah Health Sciences Center ($765,000 across 3 grants) and State University of NY Upstate Medical University ($500,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc?
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc reported $286.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $13.1M.
What does Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc fund?
RPB’s mission is to preserve and restore vision by supporting research to develop treatments, preventives, and cures for all conditions that damage and destroy sight. Its grants support individual researchers and research-focused departments of ophthalmology. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc?
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check rpbusa.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc's EIN?
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3471559. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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