Research to Prevent Blindness (RPB) is a leading non-government supporter of eye research in the United States. Founded in 1960 by Dr. Jules Stein, an ophthalmologist-turned-entertainment-magnate, RPB is a 501(c)(3) public charity headquartered at 360 Lexington Avenue, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10017-6528. The organization has 11 employees and maintains a four-star rating for accountability and finance.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · 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
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. The organization funds research across all eye diseases that threaten vision, including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinal disease, glaucoma, and dry eye, among others.
The organization supports research through multiple program areas:
- Research grants and program development — funding individual researchers and research-focused departments of ophthalmology
- Scientific symposia, seminars and surveys — supporting high-quality scientific meetings relevant to RPB's mission
- Public and professional information — disseminating ophthalmological research findings to scientists, physicians and patients through reports, brochures and other materials
Grantmaking
RPB provides approximately $11 million in research grants annually to outstanding individual scientists and research-focused departments. Since its founding in 1960, RPB has provided over $435 million in research grants.
Grant Range
s
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
RPB's grant-making focuses primarily on California, New York, and Massachusetts, though the organization supports research nationally through university medical schools across the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $27,342,227
- Total revenues: $6,824,102
- Total expenses: $6,654,052
- Annual research grant funding: $11 million+
Research to Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund (subordinate organization):
- Total assets (2023): $273,658,736
- Total revenues (2023): $14,626,979
- Total expenses (2023): $8,789,523
| 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 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $9,048,939 | $3,881,429 | $7,559,503 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
246 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Dr. Jules Stein founded Research to Prevent Blindness in 1960. David F. Weeks served as former President and Chairman of RPB; the organization's annual vision research award carries his name in honor of his contributions to the field.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN TINKER | TREASURER & ASST SECRETARY | 3 | — |
| DIANE S SWIFT | CHAIRMAN | 3 | — |
| DAVID BRENNER | VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | 3 | — |
| BRIAN F HOFLAND | PRESIDENT | 3 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**January 2025**: Maria Bartolomeo Grant, MD was selected as the 2025 RPB David F. Weeks Award recipient for Outstanding Vision Research
Research to Prevent Blindness Awards Unrestricted Grant to Moran ...**March 2026**: An RPB Medical Student Fellow was recognized for work to improve glaucoma detection
RPB has opened applications for vision research grants and announced new grants for big data research to improve vision care
Research to Prevent Blindness and Association of University ...RPB awarded an unrestricted grant to the Moran Eye Center and an unrestricted grant supporting ophthalmology research at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine
Ophthalmology Grant Supports Unrestricted Research, InnovationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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