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Top Rated

Prevent Blindness

CharityWatch rating issued
May 2025

Top-Rated Charity
A-
CharityWatch Rating
Our independent rating based
on a number of factors.
 
78%
Program Percentage
Amount spent on programs
relative to overhead.
 
$17
Cost to Raise $100
Amount spent to raise
$100 of contributions.

Contact Information

Prevent Blindness
225 W. Wacker Drive
Suite 400
Chicago, IL 60606

Other Names

National Society to Prevent Blindness

Tax Status

501(c)3

Stated Mission

To prevent blindness & preserve sight across all ages & multiple eye conditions; focuses on educating the public; promoting advances in public health systems of care; and advocating for public policy that emphasizes early detection & access to appropriate eye care.

View similar charities
Data based on Fiscal Year Ended 03/31/2024

Program Percentage: 78%

The percentage of Prevent Blindness's cash budget it spends on programs relative to overhead (fundraising, management, and general expenses).

$11,000,000

Calculated Total Expenses

(rounded)

 

Cost to Raise $100: $17

How many dollars Prevent Blindness spends on fundraising to raise each $100 of contributions.

$7,600,000

Calculated Total Contributions

(rounded)

Government Funding

25% to 49%

Percentage of cash revenue
coming from government sources

 

Financial Documents

Entity Document Type Tax ID
Prevent Blindness Combined Financial Statements Multiple
Prevent Blindness IRS Form 990 36-3667121
Prevent Blindness - North Carolina Affiliate IRS Form 990 56-6088141
Prevent Blindness - Iowa Affiliate IRS Form 990 42-6083207
Prevent Blindness - Wisconsin Affiliate IRS Form 990 39-6096227
Prevent Blindness - Texas Affiliate IRS Form 990 74-6075105
Prevent Blindness - Georgia Affiliate IRS Form 990 58-6050305
Prevent Blindness - Ohio Affiliate IRS Form 990 31-6063433
Entity: Prevent Blindness
Document Type: Combined Financial Statements
Tax ID: Multiple
Entity: Prevent Blindness
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 36-3667121
Entity: Prevent Blindness - North Carolina Affiliate
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 56-6088141
Entity: Prevent Blindness - Iowa Affiliate
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 42-6083207
Entity: Prevent Blindness - Wisconsin Affiliate
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 39-6096227
Entity: Prevent Blindness - Texas Affiliate
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 74-6075105
Entity: Prevent Blindness - Georgia Affiliate
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 58-6050305
Entity: Prevent Blindness - Ohio Affiliate
Document Type: IRS Form 990
Tax ID: 31-6063433

Governance & Transparency

CharityWatch evaluates certain criteria related to a charity's Governance and Transparency. Donors may want to consider a charity's willingness to be open and transparent with CharityWatch to be a good litmus test for determining its commitment to public accountability.
This charity is Top-Rated
What does it mean to be Top-Rated?
 
Prevent Blindness
meets governance benchmarks.
 
Prevent Blindness
meets transparency benchmarks.
Transparency
Provides Financial Information
Audit Accessibility
Governance: Policies
Reports regularly & consistently monitoring & enforcing compliance with a written Conflict of Interest Policy
Reports required, annual disclosure by officers, directors, and key staff of interests that could give rise to conflicts
Reports having a written Whistleblower Policy
Reports having a written Document Retention and Destruction Policy
Governance: Financials
Reports providing copy of tax form to all board members prior to filing it with IRS
Reports that financial statements were audited by an independent accountant
Governance: Board of Directors
Reports at least 5 voting board members
51% or more of voting board members reported as independent
Reports documenting minutes of board and board committee meetings
Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy Opt-Out Policy  

  Name Title Compensation
1 Jeffrey Todd President / CEO $335,948
2 Karen Hartman VP / CFO $193,543
3 Kira N. Baldonado VP Public Health & Policy $176,364
1
Name: Jeffrey Todd
Title: President / CEO
Compensation: $335,948
2
Name: Karen Hartman
Title: VP / CFO
Compensation: $193,543
3
Name: Kira N. Baldonado
Title: VP Public Health & Policy
Compensation: $176,364

CharityWatch Analysts perform an in-depth analysis of charities' audited financial statements and IRS tax filings, and often review other documents such as state filings, annual reports, and fundraising contracts during their evaluations. Below are select notes that CharityWatch believes may be of interest to donors.

CharityWatch's rating of Prevent Blindness for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024 includes the financial activities of the National Society to Prevent Blindness (d/b/a Prevent Blindness), as well as the financial activities of the following Prevent Blindness Affiliates: (1) Prevent Blindness North Carolina; (2) Prevent Blindness Iowa; (3) Prevent Blindness Wisconsin; (4) Prevent Blindness Texas; (5) Prevent Blindness Georgia; and (6) Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in the audit combination.

"...The Affiliates share a portion of their public support with Prevent Blindness in accordance with their affiliation agreements and are controlled by their local Boards of Directors...," according to Note 1 of the Prevent Blindness & Affiliates fiscal 2024 combined audit.

According to the Prevent Blindness & Affiliates audited Combined Statement of Activities and Changes in Net Assets for the year ended March 31, 2024, Prevent Blindness received in-kind contributions on which it placed a total value of $90,350.

[Note: CharityWatch generally excludes the value of in-kind (non-cash) donations of goods and services from its calculations of Program % and Cost to Raise $100. More information on how grades are calculated and the treatment of in-kind donations can be found on the Our Process page.]

According to the Prevent Blindness & Affiliates combined audit of March 31, 2024 (Note 7, Debt, Economic Injury Disaster Loan):

"On June 26, 2020, Prevent Blindness Georgia received an EIDL in the amount of $149,000 from the SBA. Prevent Blindness Georgia is required to use all the proceeds of this loan solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Installment payments, including principal and interest of $641 monthly, were to begin 12 months from the date of the promissory note, but were deferred for a period of 30 months from the date on the original note, as allowed by the SBA. The balance of principal and interest will be payable 30 years from the date of the promissory note. Interest will accrue at the rate of 2.75% per annum. This loan is collateralized by all assets of Prevent Blindness Georgia. 

Obligations under this loan for the next five years and thereafter as as follows:..."

2025: $3,797

2026: $3,903

2027: $4,012

2028: $4,123

Thereafter: $127,528

Total of the above: $143,363



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