The Vision Council
The Vision Council's mission is to position members for success by promoting growth in the vision care industry through education, advocacy, research, consumer outreach, strategic relationship building and industry forums.
The Vision Council at a glance
In short: The Vision Council gave $27K across 3 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $26,551
- +5.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 3
- +50.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $8,850
- -29.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $19,147,704
- +7.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (62% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who The Vision Council funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Optics & Electro Optic Standards Council ($10K). Together the top 3 received $27K.
Grant Size Distribution
10 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 10 grants of 10 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Vision Council gives
- Giving grew 334% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2021) to $38K (2022). In 2024 it made 3 grants totaling $27K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Optics & Electro Optic Standards Council Webster, NY | Sponsorship | $10,121 |
| Jobson Medical Information LLC - Webmd Health Corp Newark, NJ | Sponsorship | $10,000 |
| American National Standards Institute New York, NY | Organization Membership | $6,430 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $19,147,704 | $10,496,022 | $9,901,501 | $26,551 | 3 | $599,467 |
| 2023 | $17,761,639 | $10,465,243 | $9,951,660 | $25,221 | 2 | $711,692 |
| 2022 | $17,029,575 | $9,998,441 | $8,802,436 | $37,579 | 2 | $285,365 |
| 2021 | $15,588,668 | $10,180,704 | $7,971,120 | $6,115 | 1 | $447,402 |
| 2020 | $12,661,203 | $5,472,427 | $10,250,269 | $17,500 | 2 | $269,539 |
About The Vision Council
Based on IRS filings
The Vision Council is a public charity, based in Alexandria, VA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $19.1M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 3 grants totaling $27K. Net investment income was $599K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Vision Council is led by Ashley Mills, Chief Executive Officer since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 12 of 27 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ashley Mills
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer → CEO, 2021
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$379K (2020) → $396K (2024)
Scott Shapiro
Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Applegate
Director, Creative Src & Spec P
Web Designer → Director, Creative Src & Spec Projects, 2022
Director, Creative Src & Spec Projects → Director, Creative Src & Spec P, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$115K (2021) → $153K (2024)
Manali Patel
Senior Director of Finance
Controller → Senior Director of Finance & Controller, 2023
Senior Director of Finance & Controller → Senior Director of Finance, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$128K (2021) → $192K (2024)
Victoria Hyndman
Director & Communications
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$108K (2023) → $135K (2024)
Bonnie Whitfield
Director & Member Services
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$125K (2024)
Fredric James Grethel
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Scott
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Henry Greene
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Warner III
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Coon
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Shanbaum
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Horowitz
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Schroeder
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Wong
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Derryberry
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ludovic Ladreyt
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Burkhardt
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Carroll
CFO & COO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$220K (2020) → $300K (2024)
Michael Vitale
Vice President, Member & Gov Relations
Senior Technical Director & Lens Div Liaison → Vice President, Member & Gov Relations, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$145K (2020) → $290K (2024)
Alysse Henkel
Vice President & Market Research
Director & Research → Senior Director & Market Research, 2022
Senior Director & Market Research → Vice President & Market Research, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$135K (2021) → $217K (2024)
Mitch Barkley
Vice President & Shows
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$232K (2021) → $265K (2024)
Chelsea Pillsbury
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$223K (2023) → $250K (2024)
Kristopher Stevens
Senior Data Science Manager
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$109K (2023) → $162K (2024)
Omar Elkhatib
Senior Manager, Marketing & Committee
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$114K (2023) → $123K (2024)
James Rosin
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Roberts
Immediate Past Chair
Vice Chairman → Chair, 2022
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (38)
- Former: Nathan Troxell (2020–2023) — Former Director & Member Services
- Former: Michael Daley Jr. (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Ross Brownlee (2022–2023) — Secretary-Treasurer
- Former: Bidisha Rudra (2023) — Director
- Former: Darren Horndasch (2023) — Director
- Former: David Milan (2023) — Director
- Former: Earnie Franklin (2023) — Director
- Former: Kate Doerksen (2023) — Director
- Former: Sara Bonizo (2023) — Former Director & Shows
- Former: Jim McGrann (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Ken Bradley (2020–2022) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Maureen Beddis (2020–2022) — Executive Vice President, Member Svc & Strat
- Former: Rebecca Giefer (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Sherianne James (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Tim Swartz (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Vance Wright (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Haley Rakus (2022) — Senior Manager, Marketing & Committee
- Former: Kevin Cross (2022) — Director
- Former: Sue Ann Downes (2022) — Director
- Former: Tiffanie Burkhalter (2022) — Director
- Former: Angela Harar (2020–2021) — Senior Director & Shows
- Former: Dustin Lavalley (2020–2021) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Fabrizio Uguzzoni (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jane Balek (2020–2021) — Execdir, Taye & Vha
- Former: Keith Cross (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kurt Atchison (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Mike Hundert (2020–2021) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Nicola Zota (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Renato Cappuccitti (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Richard Tapping (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Sebastian Huelswitt (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Steve Kodey (2020–2021) — Senior Director & Research
- Former: Steve Wright (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Steven Schneider (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Swen Carlson (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Mike Vitale (2021) — Vice President, Member & Tech Affairs
- Former: Mitchell Barkley (2020) — Vice President & Shows
- Former: Tarrence Lackran (2020) — Dr, Partnerships & Programs
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $396K, to Ashley Mills (Chief Executive Officer). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Vision Council
How much does The Vision Council give each year?
The Vision Council gave $27K across 3 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $25K across 2 grants.
What is The Vision Council's typical grant size?
The Vision Council's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $8,850, across 3 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Vision Council give grants?
The Vision Council gives mostly in New York: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Jersey (38%).
Does The Vision Council give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on The Vision Council's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is The Vision Council?
The Vision Council reported $19.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.5M.
What is The Vision Council's EIN?
The Vision Council's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1437632. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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