The Heed Ophthalmic Foundation
The Heed Ophthalmic Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation established in 1945 by Thomas D. Heed, a prominent Chicago businessman. The foundation is dedicated to supporting advancements in ophthalmology, with a particular focus on eye diseases and the prevention of blindness. Based in Chicago, Illinois, the foundation operates with a lean staff and maintains a focus on funding postgraduate training and research in the field of ophthalmology.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$224K
-3.9% YoY
Grant Count
45
-4.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+0.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation was established with the explicit purpose of funding postgraduate training of young, talented ophthalmologists. This mission was inspired by Thomas Heed's personal experiences with eye disease—he suffered from iritis as a young man and faced the possibility of complete blindness, while his wife later experienced a retinal detachment successfully repaired by renowned ophthalmologist Dr. Harry S. Gradle. Dr. Gradle advised Mr. Heed that the best approach to preventing blindness was to support postgraduate training of promising young eye doctors and to advance eye surgery techniques and eye research programs.
The foundation's primary focus areas include:
- Postgraduate fellowship training in ophthalmology
- Clinical subspecialty training and education
- Eye disease research and visual sciences
- Support for academic careers in ophthalmology
Grantmaking
The Heed Ophthalmic Foundation awards the **Heed Fellowship**, a merit award of $10,000 given to individuals pursuing clinical subspecialty training, education, and research in ophthalmology and related visual sciences.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds initiatives across various cities and states throughout the United States, including major metropolitan areas such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Geographic areas of focus include: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah, Wisconsin, and others.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Current Financial Position (2024):
- Total assets: $4,184,705
- Total revenues: $339,859
- Total expenses: $329,464
- Total giving: $223,512
Historical Context: The foundation has maintained consistent assets and annual giving capacity since its establishment, allowing it to sustain its fellowship program over nearly 80 years.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| 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
207 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
The foundation's leadership includes a board of directors, trustees, and executive secretaries, many of whom are medical doctors reflecting the foundation's focus on ophthalmology and eye disease. The original board was established with guidance from Dr. Derrick Vail Jr., chairman of the Ophthalmology Department at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago.
The Society of Heed Fellows (SOHF) works in partnership with the foundation on various initiatives, including the annual resident retreat and fellowship appointments.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIBC NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY | TRUSTEE | 2 | $66,521 |
| DAVID J WILSON MD | EXECUTIVE SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| STEPHEN D MCLEOD MD | OFFICER | 2 | — |
| EDUARDO C ALFONSO MD | OFFICER | 2 | — |
| JOAN W MILLER MD | OFFICER | 2 | — |
| NICHOLAS J VOLPE MD | OFFICER | 2 | — |
| LISA BROWN SF AMS | ADMINISTRATOR | 2 | — |
| JULIA A HALLER MD | OFFICER | 2 | — |
| FRONCIE A GUTMAN MD | EXECUTIVE SECRETARY | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**April 2025:** The Heed Ophthalmic Foundation and the Society of Heed Fellows announced the appointment of the 2025-2026 cohort of Heed Fellows.
**October 2025:** The 2025 Heed Luncheon was held in Orlando, Florida, bringing together fellows and supporters to reconnect and celebrate the foundation's work.
**December 2025:** The Society of Heed Fellows and the Heed Ophthalmic Foundation opened nominations for the 20th Annual Heed Ophthalmic Resident Retreat, scheduled for 2026.
**Ongoing:** The foundation continues to receive support from partner organizations, including grants from the Research To Prevent Blindness Endowment Fund for Heed Fellowships.
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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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