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Non-profit funding sight-saving research for children

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

19,200+ 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.
  • 19,200+ 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

$7.1M

granted to sight-saving research as of November 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 · announced Feb 2025
  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.

    Dec 2025 · announced Jan 2026
  5. $1MGene-agnostic research

    With Foundation Fighting Blindness: $775,000 to the Gund Vision Fund (formerly 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. $1MSecond gene-agnostic grant

    With Foundation Fighting Blindness: $700,000 to the Gund Vision Fund for gene-agnostic therapies, matched dollar-for-dollar by the Gund Foundation Challenge, and $300,000 to Dr. Jin Woo Kim's regenerative research at KAIST.

    Nov 2026
  8. 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

    $2M in grants to gene-agnostic 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
The 2026 GMC Yukon Denali hitched to the Grand Design Serenova 160LG travel trailer

Winner story, November 11, 2026

Who Won the Yukon Denali + Serenova Fundraiser? Colin R. from Vermont

Colin R. from Vermont won the 2026 GMC Yukon Denali, Grand Design Serenova 160LG and $50,000 cash on Oct 4, 2026, and chose the $125,000 cash option.

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 · 19,291 reviewsTrustpilot
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Proud to support A Race Against…

    Proud to support A Race Against Blindness and their mission to fund sight saving clinical trials for children.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Eileen C)

    Eileen CNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    I have donated multiple times

    I have donated multiple times! I love the cause and it touches my heart that a father would go above and beyond for his son! It’s easy to donate and there is 0 worries that it’s not legit! Prayers for a Cure!

    Read on Trustpilot (review by SHAWNA JETT)

    SHAWNA JETTNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Acts of kindness.🤗❤️ This was a very…

    Acts of kindness.🤗❤️ This was a very simple app to use. I would love to win the minivan and the trip to Disneyland. I would take my family there. Starbucks for a year would be a huge perk! What a wonderful idea to help raise money for kids that really need it. I hope we get to see where all the money goes or how it is used in the end.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Jennifer Davenport)

    Jennifer DavenportNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 4 out of 5 stars

    Im very selective about donating and…

    Im very selective about donating and giving my hard earned money! As an RN who works with babies,toddlers,and their moms,( and a mom myself), I know how terrible children losing their sight is!!! I support Racing because it's super important we fund and find a cure!!!SOON! And the prizes are great,also.😊

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Claire L)

    Claire LNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    This fundraiser is ran very…

    This fundraiser is ran very professional. They are transparent, and it's a worthy cause. The family builds a connection with those of us who donate.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Robin Mastera)

    Robin MasteraNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Help where you can

    Always so upbeat and friendly to everyone. Can empathize with the cause. Hoping for the best outcome for the family.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Boymom)

    BoymomNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Love what you’re doing

    Love what you’re doing, so glad to be able to help. Keep up the great work and hugs to you all out there in Arizona

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Frain)

    FrainNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    I can't think of a more worthy cause…

    I can't think of a more worthy cause than one that serves children. I myself am partial to the plight of children who suffer from cptsdd. I am a survivor, and honestly believe that investing in our future (via our children) is one of the greatest gifts that we as adults can give! Cudos and much love for the people who champion these causes! Thank you Race Against Blindness!

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Gregory Rangel)

    Gregory RangelNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    I’ve done this several times and it’s…

    I’ve done this several times and it’s always easy and for a grand cause.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by TJ)

    TJNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Way bigger than a prize

    What “A Race Against Blindness” is doing with their giveaways and charitable contributions to helping others is nothing shy of beautiful. Serving people in big ways and gifting winners prizes that exceed expectations. Truly inspiring!

    Read on Trustpilot (review by jenparentephoto)

    jenparentephotoNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great way to promote the cause and…

    Great way to promote the cause and raise funds to cure blindness. I love the transparency about financial accountability.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Jennifer Rundle)

    Jennifer RundleNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Hopeful …

    How the fundraiser is explained and the verification process is done. But most important is that the fundraiser is helping fundraiser research

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Steve Young)

    Steve YoungNovember 2026Verified

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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