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Non-profit funding sight-saving research for children

Check our Past Winners page for all past winners! ✨🌟

18,500+ reviews · rated 4.9 Excellent on Trustpilot and Google

We’re Funding Sight-Saving Clinical Trials to Treat Childhood Blindness.

Our goal is to advance therapies for pediatric inherited retinal diseases. Our current target: we are fundraising for rare disease research and gene-agnostic therapies for childhood blindness.

ENTER A FUNDRAISERSee our impact
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Current Fundraisers

You can make an impact on saving childhood eyesight by entering our giveaway fundraisers.

How our fundraisers work

Built on trust and transparency

Learn how you can make an impact on sight-saving research and have a chance to win a life-changing prize.

  1. Donate to support sight-saving researchEntries are automatically captured and can be seen in your Donor Portal.
  2. Winner selection by third-party adminWe aren't involved in the winner selection process, to ensure fairness and compliance.
  3. Winner livestream announcementWe announce all winners live on social media. See our past winner calls!
  4. It's time for winner day!For vehicle prizes, we fly the winner to Arizona to get the keys, a free-and-clear title, and the prize cash.

What you can check for yourself

  • Registered 501(c)(3), EIN 92-2174042Exempt under Section 501(c)(3); look us up on the IRS and Candid.
  • 18,500+ verified reviews on Trustpilot and GoogleRated 4.9 Excellent. Read what past entrants and winners say.
  • Registered and bonded sweepstakesEligibility, all methods of entry, and start and end dates are published before every fundraiser.
  • Donor PortalCheck your entries for any fundraiser you've joined.
Fundraiser FAQs

Our impact

Sight-saving research funded

$6.1M

granted to sight-saving research as of October 2026, from giveaway fundraisers and direct donations. Every mile below was paid for by entries like yours.

  1. $1MFirst grant: AXV-101 gene therapy for BBS1

    To Axovia Therapeutics, to move a gene therapy for retinitis pigmentosa caused by BBS1 toward a clinical trial.

    Oct 2024
  2. $2MManufacturing and safety studies

    Second Axovia grant: GLP toxicology, manufacturing, and the regulatory work needed before a trial could open.

    Dec 2024
  3. $1MClinical trial authorization

    Third Axovia grant, bringing AXV-101 funding to $4M; the UK trial application was cleared in Q3 2025.

    Sep 2025
  4. $1.1MTrial fully funded

    Closed the remaining funding gap; RAB's total funding for AXV-101 reaches $5.1M, from lab to first patient.

    Jan 2026
  5. $1MGene-agnostic research

    With Foundation Fighting Blindness: $775,000 to the RD Fund for gene-agnostic research, matched dollar-for-dollar by the Gund Foundation Challenge, and $225,000 to Dr. Thomas Mendel at Ohio State.

    Jun 2026
  6. OpenResearch Grants Program

    Researchers worldwide can now apply for RAB funding through the Grants Portal.

    Aug 2026
  7. Next grantThe next grant

    Decided by the fundraisers running now.

    Enter a fundraiser
Where the totals come from

Amounts and dates come from our grant records and update when a new grant is announced. Each grant links to its announcement where available.

Visit the Grants Portal

About us

We were told there was nothing we could do.

It isn't a race we run. It's a race against time. Kristina and Stephen Johnston founded A Race Against Blindness after their son Luke was diagnosed with Bardet-Biedl syndrome, a rare genetic condition that is slowly taking his sight. What began as a race to fund one gene therapy for one gene has grown into funding research across inherited retinal diseases, a grants program for scientists, and an education hub for families.

  1. 2020Luke's diagnosis, and a decision

    No treatment existed for RP caused by BBS1. We decided to fund one.

  2. 2023A Race Against Blindness is founded

    Our family became the first donor, donating our first prize: the 2023 Adventure Van giveaway fundraiser that started it all.

  3. 2024First $1 million grant

    To Axovia Therapeutics for AXV-101, a gene therapy for RP caused by BBS1.

  4. 2026Initiation of the AXV-101 gene therapy clinical trial

    A total of $5.1M in grant support from RAB made this trial initiation possible.

  5. 2026Expanding our impact

    New $1M grant to gene-agnostic clinical research in partnership with Foundation Fighting Blindness.

Read our storyMeet the team

See our Feature on Good Morning America!

Luke’s story of seeing the world before losing more vision was featured on GMA, helping propel our mission to the national level.

Winner's circle

Recent winners

View all past winners

Real winners

Latest fundraiser stories

Who won, how the day unfolded, and what every entry funded for children with inherited retinal diseases.

All fundraiser stories
Korey C. picking up the custom Lexus LX 700h Overtrail in Arizona on Winner Day

Winner story, October 29, 2026

Who Won the 2nd Chance Lexus LX 700h Overtrail Fundraiser? Korey C. from Texas

Korey C. from Texas won the 2nd Chance Lexus LX 700h Overtrail and $35,000 cash on July 10, 2026 and drove it home. Watch the call and Winner Day.

Read the story

Don't take our word for it. Take theirs.

Every review you see here is collected and verified by Trustpilot, not by us. We can't edit them, hide them, or pick the order.

We show every star rating, one through five, because that's what transparency means.

ExcellentTrustScore 4.9 out of 5Rated 4.9 / 5 · 18,597 reviewsTrustpilot
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Another’Cruiser, PLEASE !!!!

    Had a Landcruiser almost like the one in the contest. Even the same color-ish. Miss it, and it would be so cool to have another chance at one. Your vehicles are always so enticing.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Terance Huffman)

    Terance HuffmanNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    A Fantastic Organization Making a Meaningful Difference! ❤️

    Race Against Blindness is a fantastic organization! I love the passion, kindness, and dedication behind everything they do. Their mission is truly inspiring, and it's wonderful to see people working so hard to make a difference in the lives of their own child and others too. I also love that they make supporting such an important cause fun and exciting through their amazing giveaways! You can tell that so much heart goes into what they do. I'm happy to support an organization that is making such a meaningful difference. ❤️

    Read on Trustpilot (review by JENNIFER Camp)

    JENNIFER CampNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Clear and concise

    Clear and concise. Explained the processes and how they will assist with the taxes based on what’s left over based on your design. Could have explained more about the receipts of the donation. Wonderful cause.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Noelle Flocke)

    Noelle FlockeNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Such a wonderful cause

    Such a wonderful cause! I worked 41 years in optometry and some with ophthalmology. I loved the field and helping people but helping a child is the most rewarding experience.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Cendi Akin)

    Cendi AkinNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    The cause is enough

    The cause is the reason... But then the giveaways are cool as well.... I wanted to give back not because I can afford it because there are some that don't have other things like sight...

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Tracey Irwin)

    Tracey IrwinNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Incredible cause with well-executed creative solutions

    I love seeing the effort that Steve and Kristina have put into alchemizing what I can only imagine is an incredibly difficult situation.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Zoe Peterson)

    Zoe PetersonNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    The standard how non profits should be…

    The standard how non profits should be run…you literally set the bar… with one exception I didn’t win. 😉🥴 Thank you all for doing what you to help people especially kids. Your efforts make our world a better place.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Bill Landers III)

    Bill Landers IIINovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    This cause is close to home for our…

    This cause is close to home for our family, so I’m glad to support it. It’s also exciting to have a chance to win while helping make a difference in the fight against blindness!

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Ami S)

    Ami SNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Outstanding organization with a critically important purpose!

    What a fabulous way to support a critically important cause! I can’t even imagine the heaviness of facing a future of blindness in your child. I absolutely love the transparency, passion and purpose of this organization and the founders behind it. I’m extremely cautious about where I spend each dollar, I’m retired and truly never throw money at lotteries and sweepstakes, but this one is DIFFERENT!! I pray they not only find a cure through the clinical trials they’re funding, but also that they bring much needed awareness that there are children out there facing this without a solution as of yet. The process to enter or donate is simple, the value of the prizes are amazing, and the ability to help those facing blindness in a very meaningful way is priceless.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Sara Marshall)

    Sara MarshallNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    I am proud to support A Race Against…

    I am proud to support A Race Against Blindness because this organization is making a difference in the lives of people who truly need help. It’s not just about winning a prize or receiving something material; it’s about supporting a meaningful cause and helping others. If I ever get lucky enough to win, I would gladly choose the cash option, if available, because I have no need for material things. I would use that opportunity to help my brother with his kidney transplant. He is currently facing a difficult battle, and being able to help him would mean more to me than anything money could buy. That’s what makes this organization worth supporting. It’s not just about the people who win, but also about the lives that can be changed through the generosity of others. I sincerely hope that those who are fortunate enough to win will also find ways to pay it forward and help someone in need. Imagine how many lives we could touch if we all shared a little of our blessings. Wishing A Race Against Blindness continued success in the wonderful work you do. You are truly worth supporting! ❤️

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Joyce Dinh)

    Joyce DinhNovember 2026

Reviews come from real donors and supporters who entered a fundraiser or had a direct interaction with our team, each one verified by Trustpilot.

Read all reviews on Trustpilot

Grant funding updates

The impact you made possible

Blindness Education Resources

Are you looking for education or resources for blindness?

As a family-run nonprofit and parents of a child facing blindness, we know how it felt when we got the diagnosis and didn't know where to begin. The resources were limited, and we felt alone. This education hub is here to help change that.

Open the Education Hub

Where would you like to start?

A mother and son in matching caps and RAB shirts smile side by side.

RAB educational series

Learn with Dr. Steve Johnston

Blindness Education Podcasts with Co-Founder Dr. Steve Johnston

Explore the full series on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

For information only. Discuss clinical trial information with your retina specialist.

Meet the Team

We founded the nonprofit when we found out our son has a rare genetic condition and is slowly going blind. But that really only scratches the surface in terms of our motivation. Since learning of Luke's diagnosis, we have become strongly connected to the rare-diseases community. While rare diseases are actually not unusual, with more than 7,000 diseases classified as rare, each one individually often affects only a small number of people. Thus many rare diseases don't receive enough attention and resources to help fund research for adequate treatments or even possible cures.

Stay in the race

New fundraisers, winners, and grant news, about twice a month. Questions? The Help Center is our front door.

Visit the Help Center

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