The Foundation Fighting Blindness is a nonprofit research organization established in 1971 and headquartered in Columbia, Maryland. The organization operates as a public charity classified as a 501(c)(3) and is designated for medical research, specifically eye research. With over 50 years of experience, the Foundation serves as a driving force in the global development of treatments and cures for blinding diseases, maintaining an active presence in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$110.9M
-10.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$19.7M
+12.3% YoY
Grant Count
38
+26.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$517K
-11.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's mission is to drive research that will provide preventions, treatments, and cures for people affected by retinal degenerative diseases, including:
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Usher syndrome
- Stargardt disease
- Leber congenital amaurosis
- The entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases
Together, these conditions affect more than 10 million Americans and millions more worldwide.
Grantmaking
The Foundation funds innovative and cutting-edge research across multiple grant types and programs:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation provides funding geographically in Colorado and supports research institutions across the United States and internationally. Research funding extends to laboratories in multiple countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $124 million (2024)
- Total liabilities: $31.4 million (2024)
- Revenue: $35.7 million (2024)
- Expenses: $48.2 million (2024)
- Assets: $130,891,355 (as of June 2023)
- Income: $119,223,972 (fiscal year ending June 2023)
Historical Funding:
- Total funding raised to date: $996 million
- Total funding: $114 million (with recent grant of $5 million in January 2022)
Workforce:
- 109 employees (51-200 employee range)
- Monthly growth: +1.1%
- Yearly growth: +6.4%
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $110,885,645 | $124,009,134 | $130,891,355 |
| Revenue | $36,615,169 | $35,702,558 | $30,437,892 |
| Expenses | $49,532,382 | $48,226,411 | $51,265,440 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,544,692 | $1,323,599 | $1,346,765 |
| 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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
145 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
12 open opportunities from The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc
Brint Family Translational Research Award
THE FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS INC
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Career Development Program (CDA) Grant
THE FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS INC
Amount
US $375,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Clinical Research Fellowship Award (CRFA) Grant
THE FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS INC
Amount
US $65,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Foundation Fighting Blindness Rd Fund ($8,771,404), University of Pennsylvania ($1,398,985), University of California Irvine ($914,667).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY CLEVELAND, OH | RESEARCH | $500,000 |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | RESEARCH | $200,000 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER DURHAM, NC | RESEARCH | $900,000 |
| FORDHAM UNIVERITY BRONX, NY | RESEARCH | $539,141 |
| FOUNDATION FIGHTING BLINDNESS RD FUND COLUMBIA, MD | RESEARCH | $8,771,404 |
| FOUNDATION FOR THE NIH NORTH BETHESDA, MD | RESEARCH | $25,000 |
| HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL BOSTON, MA | RESEARCH | $402,223 |
| INDIANA UNIVERSITY BLOOMINGTON, IN | RESEARCH | $169,257 |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY BALTIMORE, MD | RESEARCH | $166,454 |
| MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY BOSTON, MA | RESEARCH | $396,667 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Executives:
- Jen Nielson: VP, Field Operations
- Anna E Wagner: Senior Vice President, Finance
- Mike Hoag: Chapter President
- Stephanie Wells: Development Director Western Region
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADRIENNE GRAVES PHD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KAREN PETROU | BOARD CHAIR | 10 | — |
| JASON MORRIS | EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| HAYNES LEA | BOARD SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| STEVEN ALPER | CHAIR, DEVELOPMENT | 1 | — |
| JEFFREY FREED | CHAIR, AUDIT & RISK | 1 | — |
| DAVID NIXON | CHAIR, FINANCE & INVESTMENT; TREAS. | 1 | — |
| JONATHAN STEINBERG MD | CHAIR, SCIENCE | 1 | — |
| MARYROSE SYLVESTER | CHAIR, AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| WARREN THALER | CHAIR, NOMINATING & GOVERNANCE | 1 | — |
| GORDON GUND | DIRECTOR - CHAIRMAN EMERITUS | 1 | — |
| DAVID BRINT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SCOTT BURT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DARREN DEVOUE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LAURA FIETTA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ROBERT HEIDENBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUBER HUANG MD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARSHA LINK PHD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LAURA MANFRE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRADFORD MANNING | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JANINE MARKS NIXON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EVAN MITTMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GEORGE PEINADO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARTHA STEELE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOSHUA STEINBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JASON D MENZO | CEO | 32 | $504,560 |
| PETER L GINSBERG | COO | 32 | $364,025 |
| AMY M PALMER LASTER | CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER | 40 | $281,622 |
| RUSSELL W KELLEY | MANAGING DIRECTOR, RD FUND | — | — |
| TODD A DURHAM | SVP CLINICAL & OUTCOMES RESEARCH | 40 | $324,179 |
| JEFFREY D KLAAS | CHIEF OF STRATEGY AND INNOVATION | 40 | $344,934 |
| RICHELE DONAT | CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER | 40 | $324,700 |
| JUDY TAYLOR | SVP/CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER | 40 | $290,836 |
| CHRISTOPHER S ADAMS | VP, COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING | 40 | $237,414 |
| MICHELE DIVINCENZO | VP, SCIENTIFIC & ED. CONFERENCES | 40 | $239,787 |
| JEFFRY COLLINS | VP, DATABASE SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY | 40 | $234,136 |
| ANNA WAGNER | VP, FINANCE | 40 | $239,697 |
| CHAD R JACKSON - SR DIR | PRE-CLINICAL TRANSITIONAL PROG. | 40 | $207,565 |
| CLAIRE M GELFMAN | FORMER CSO (THRU 6/24) | 40 | $341,844 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**FY2025:** The Foundation announced over $9 million in new research awards
VM - Foundation Fighting Blindness Awards More Than $9 Million in New Research**FY2024:** Funded 35 new research grants and renamed a key program to honor a former board chair
Foundation Fighting Blindness Funds 35 New Research Grants in FY2024, Renames**Recent Program Launch:** Awarded inaugural grants in the PRPH2 and Associated Retinal Diseases Program
Foundation Fighting Blindness Awards Inaugural Grants in PRPH2 and AssociatedContact Information
Headquarters: 6925 Oakland Mills Road, Suite 701 Columbia, MD 21045
Mailing Address for Donations: Foundation Fighting Blindness P.O. Box 45740 Baltimore, MD 21297-5740
Phone: (800) 683-5555 or (410) 423-0600
Email: info@FightingBlindness.org
Website: fightingblindness.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc fund?
The Foundation's mission is to drive research that will provide preventions, treatments, and cures for people affected by retinal degenerative diseases, including: • Retinitis pigmentosa • Age-related macular degeneration • Usher syndrome • Stargardt disease • Leber congenital amaurosis • The entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases Together, these conditions affect more than 10 million Americans and millions more worldwide.
How do I apply for a grant from The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc?
The Foundation funds innovative and cutting-edge research across multiple grant types and programs: **Grant Programs Include:** • Individual Investigator Research Awards • Career Development Program (CDA) • Clinical Research Fellowship Award (CRFA) • Postdoctoral Fellowship Award • Disease Model Award • Brint Family Translational Research Award • PARD Science Awards • PRPH2 and Associated Retinal Diseases Program **Grant Activity:** • On an annual basis, the Foundation funds more than 113 resea…
Where does The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc make grants?
The Foundation provides funding geographically in Colorado and supports research institutions across the United States and internationally. Research funding extends to laboratories in multiple countries including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Switzerland.
What size grants does The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc award?
In 2025, The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc awarded 38 grants totaling $19.7M — an average of about $517K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc's EIN?
The Foundation Fighting Blindness Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7135845. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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