Non-profit funding sight-saving research for children
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.
You can make an impact on saving childhood eyesight by entering our giveaway fundraisers.
Enter for your chance to win the Ultimate Adventure Package: a 2026 Entegra Esteem XL Super C motorhome + 2026 Polaris trailer + $100,000 cash! Every entry helps support A Race Against Blindness and the search for cures to blindness!
LEARN MOREEnter for your chance to Build Your Own Adventure Van: We already built out the outside of a 170" WB AWD Sprinter, and you get an extra $125,000 custom build budget to use with Rossmönster Vans, plus $50,000 cash! Alternatively, the winner may select a $150,000 cash-only option.
LEARN MOREOne winner will receive up to $150,000 to spend at Right Toyota and $50,000 cash, creating one of our most flexible prize packages ever
VIEW DETAILSEnter for a chance to win the Second Chance Ultimate Heavy Duty: a professionally upgraded 2026 Ford F-250 Super Duty King Ranch + $40,000 cash in our current fundraiser benefiting sight-saving research.
VIEW DETAILSHow our fundraisers work
Learn how you can make an impact on sight-saving research and have a chance to win a life-changing prize.
Our impact
$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.
To Axovia Therapeutics, to move a gene therapy for retinitis pigmentosa caused by BBS1 toward a clinical trial.
Oct 2024Second Axovia grant: GLP toxicology, manufacturing, and the regulatory work needed before a trial could open.
Dec 2024Third Axovia grant, bringing AXV-101 funding to $4M; the UK trial application was cleared in Q3 2025.
Sep 2025Closed the remaining funding gap; RAB's total funding for AXV-101 reaches $5.1M, from lab to first patient.
Jan 2026With 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 2026Researchers worldwide can now apply for RAB funding through the Grants Portal.
Aug 2026Amounts and dates come from our grant records and update when a new grant is announced. Each grant links to its announcement where available.
About us
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.
No treatment existed for RP caused by BBS1. We decided to fund one.
Our family became the first donor, donating our first prize: the 2023 Adventure Van giveaway fundraiser that started it all.
To Axovia Therapeutics for AXV-101, a gene therapy for RP caused by BBS1.
A total of $5.1M in grant support from RAB made this trial initiation possible.
New $1M grant to gene-agnostic clinical research in partnership with Foundation Fighting Blindness.
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
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.
What a wonderful charity with a beautiful background on how it started. I’m proud to be a donator and fill confident my contributions are going to an amazing cause.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Heather)I like the honesty of the founders, and the simplicity of the non-profit.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Eddie James)Win win cause
Read on Trustpilot (review by Daniel Garcia)What a wonderful fundraiser for research to help those who may be losing their sight. The spokesperson, Steve, is very pleasant and started the effort putting up their family's own RV as a prize to get things rolling. His own young son, Luke, is losing his sight. So the fundraiser sells entries to be in a random drawing, run by a third party who selects the winner. Prizes are terrific, cars, RVs, off road vehicles, all donated by car dealerships, RV businesses and off road vendors. Then they do the name announcement live on line. Winners usually have their choice of keeping what they won, or if offered, there may be a cash prize instead. It's a win, win. Money is raised for critical research, and the public is thanked with chances of winning a fabulous prize. A Race Against Blindness is a terrific fundraiser to consider. Good Luck!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Jackie C)It was easy to make a donation.
Read on Trustpilot (review by KiEtha Gage)company is trustworthy, funds a worthy cause, responds promptly to submissions
Read on Trustpilot (review by KC)I’m so happy I was able to donate to Race Against Blindness! ❤️ This is such a beautiful cause and one that truly deserves support. It feels good knowing that even a small contribution can help make a difference in someone’s life. Thank you for all the amazing work you do and for giving people hope! ❤️
Read on Trustpilot (review by Thomas Summey)Very easy to navigate and understand, being straightforward.
Read on Trustpilot (review by C.Jones)All information has been up front and clear. Y’all show what it’s (donations) for and who it can help.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Birney Johnson)I appreciate how you keep everyone who participates in the fundraiser Involved and up to date!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Marcie Barton)Great and happy to donate to good cause
Read on Trustpilot (review by Ivan Gonzalez)This is a great cause to donate to, and the prizes are pretty awesome too!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Grady)What truly marks the difference between a good cause and a great cause is the passion shown thoughout the campaign process. A Race Against Blindness is a Great Cause, and their passion towards their cause along with how they treat their donors show you just where they are coming from, and where there efforts will lead to an amazing solution.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Peter Nawrocki)Knowing that we can help make a difference. Even if we have struggled ourselves
Read on Trustpilot (review by Tammy Burgoyne)Easy to make a donation and a chance to win wonderful prizes. What a wonderful cause to support. A race against blindness and a family trying to save their own child's eyesight. Who wouldn't support this and they are doing an amazing job trying to find a cure for this disease.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Christopher Hornback)Very easy to donate
Read on Trustpilot (review by Zoet Serrano)Purpose for giveaway, has always been most important part. Im just thankful i was able to participate
Read on Trustpilot (review by Marcos GONZALEZ)My wife has visions issues and that is what gained my attention, I love the donation giveaway as incentive to donate as well as the quick turnover, in todays society fast is the way of life, people get bored if it is not kept on the front burner and quick. Great job on the marketing. AA
Read on Trustpilot (review by Anthony Atherton)You’re doing great work for the children! Keep it up!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Joe Sharp)Dedicated to the cause!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Daryl Bass)Great cause and a chance to win some incredible give aways! Congratulations to all the winners!! What a blessing!
Read on Trustpilot (review by JOSEPH SMITH)Love the itens being given
Read on Trustpilot (review by Edwin Gardner)With so many organizations vying for our money, it is hard to decipher which are legitimate. Your presentation left me with the confidence that you are trustworthy,transparent , and believable. Which is why I decided to purchase tickets.
Read on Trustpilot (review by chuck january)Great cause for the innocent children.
Read on Trustpilot (review by William Brosseau)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 TrustpilotGrant funding updates
Blindness Education Resources
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
RAB educational series
Blindness Education Podcasts with Co-Founder Dr. Steve Johnston
An introduction to the free clinical trial hub for inherited retinal diseases.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
An overview of vision loss treatment topics, including gene therapy and optogenetics.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)
A look at how viral vectors deliver missing genes in retinal gene therapy.
Watch on YouTube (opens in a new tab)For information only. Discuss clinical trial information with your retina specialist.
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.
New fundraisers, winners, and grant news, about twice a month. Questions? The Help Center is our front door.
Visit the Help Center
