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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: March 2024 Expires: March 2026

Foundation Fighting Blindness

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
Accreditation seal
(800) 683-5555
6925 Oakland Mills Road, #701
Columbia, MD, 21045
https://fightingblindness.org/
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Foundation Fighting Blindness meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to drive the research that will provide preventions, treatments and cures for people affected by retinitis pigmentosa, macular degeneration, Usher syndrome and the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases."

Year, State Incorporated:
1971, MD

The Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) is a leading private funder of retinal disease research. That funding is used for the progress toward cures, including the identification of more than 270 genes linked to retinal disease, and the launch of over 40 clinical trials for potential treatments. Annually, the organization reports that it funds more than 93 research grants. The research projects are conducted by more than 96 research investigators at 71 institutions, eye hospitals, and universities in the United States. FFB's funding also extends internationally to laboratories in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland.

For the year ended June 30, 2023, Foundation Fighting Blindness's program expenses were:

Public health education: $2,782,317

Research: $32,721,507

Total Program Expenses: $35,503,824

Chief Executive
Jason Menzo, Chief Executive Officer

Compensation*
$523,027

Chair of the Board
David Brint

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Co-Founder and Principal, Brinshore Development

Board Size
26

Paid Staff Size
70

*2023 compensation, as reported by the charity, includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Direct mail appeals, Radio, Special events, Foundation grants, Print advertisements, Corporate solicitation

Fundraising costs were 25% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $28,197,241, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Foundation Fighting Blindness's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2023.

Source of Funds
Allocated by federated fundraising organizations $150,166
Contract revenue $395,548
In-kind contributions $57,314
Contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations $19,665,328
Special events, net $6,281,505
Planned giving $1,573,489
Program service fees $62,130
Investment loss, net $-10,838,907
Research patent revenue $63,569
Other income $29,953
Employee retention tax credit $469,439
Gain on deconsolidation of Opus Genetics $8,076,659
Total Income $25,986,193

Programs: 78% Fundraising: 15% Administrative: 6%

Total Income $25,986,193
Total expenses: $45,442,108
  Program expenses $35,503,824
  Fundraising expenses $7,026,717
  Administrative expenses $2,911,567
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-19,455,915
Beginning Net Assets $164,588,719
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $147,458,429
Total Liabilities $23,497,787
Total Assets $170,956,216

Note: According to FFB's audited financial statements - consolidated - for the year ended June 30, 2023, the organization received in-kind contributions totaling $371,720 including special events donations ($314,406) and legal services ($57,314).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance