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Non-profit funding sight-saving research for children

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

18,700+ 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.
  • 18,700+ 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 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 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
The lifted Marsh Grey 2026 Ford F-250 Super Duty King Ranch on 37-inch tires

Winner story, November 4, 2026

Who Won the Ultimate Heavy-Duty F-250 King Ranch Fundraiser? Toni R. from New York

Toni R. from New York won our 14-day F-250 King Ranch fundraiser on Aug 23, 2026 and chose the $100,000 cash. The truck came back for a final chance.

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 · 18,761 reviewsTrustpilot
  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    You win when you when; You win when you lose.

    Your mission, your sincerity and good quality of items to win. You win when you win and win when you lose .

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Joe Neill)

    Joe NeillNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Prizes awarded in reasonable length of time

    Deliver in a timely matter... contests are reasonable lengths of time...absolutely great cause...tax exempt charitable cause

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Alanna Smith)

    Alanna SmithNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Good cause and a 2nd chance

    Good cause hope it's real... 😆 But its for charity so thats on them if not. I know where my heart is. Be nice to win for sure. Being a cancer survivor who lost everything be a nice cherry on top. But if not God bless them and the winner may it help in anyway

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Scott Couch)

    Scott CouchNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    I love the cause…

    I love the cause, and being a small part of the groundbreaking research made possible by entering the drawing. AND the great prizes I can win.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Karen)

    KarenNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Easy to navigate the site and see the…

    Easy to navigate the site and see the businesses mission! It’s great to donate for a good cause! Thanks!

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Jeff Powers)

    Jeff PowersNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great Cause! Great Prizes Help Fund Vision for Kids!

    When I first learned about A Race Against Blindness, it hit me right in the chest—this isn't some faceless corporate charity, but a fierce, urgent rescue mission started by parents fighting to save their young son's sight. Supporting them feels deeply personal because every dollar skips the usual bureaucratic red tape and goes directly toward funding the cutting-edge clinical trials these kids desperately need. To make a great cause even better, the sweepstakes you get entered into feature absolutely fantastic prizes, from high-end, dream-worthy custom overland trucks to massive cash rewards that could change your own life. Knowing that your donation is transparently moving the needle on a medical cure while giving you a shot at a top-tier prize makes you feel like you are truly part of a community working miracles.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Konni)

    KonniNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    The donation process was easy

    The donation process was easy, and I got a quick thank-you with clear information on how my gift would be used. They share updates on their work, so I can see the impact instead of just hoping for it. The team is clearly committed to children, and it shows in how they communicate and follow through. I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a cause that makes good use of their support.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Joel Carson)

    Joel CarsonNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    What a great cause / fundraiser

    What a great cause / fundraiser! Wishing and praying to see a cure in my lifetime. Keep up the great work and passion.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Nancy M)

    Nancy MNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    The terrific videos of the vehicles and…

    The terrific videos of the vehicles and purpose of the opportunity to win are excellent. The foundation is terrific and really inspiring to see. It doesn’t take much to support them and A Race Against Blindness. I want to support them and they make so easy. The opportunity to see them call the winners live is amazing! The last couple was amazing! Keep up the great work!

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Kat McLean)

    Kat McLeanNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Race Against Blindness Wins for All

    I've followed the Race Against Blindness for several years. It is a good cause. It will really help people. I have wanted to win a van for a long time. When the Vintage Landcruiser was offered I had to donate.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by E J)

    E JNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Excellent charity for a rare illness otherwise not funded.

    They seem very down to earth, like a neighbor. They approach security issues with good information and the way they announce winners is just awesome. There are copy cats out there, but the progress ARAB has made with the donations is astounding. They are a well rated and transparent charity for a non-common disease that would not get the attention needed otherwise.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by customer)

    customerNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    Great Nonprofit

    This is such a great nonprofit to support and all the good things that can come from the funds helping such a good cause.

    Read on Trustpilot (review by KatzReview)

    KatzReviewNovember 2026Verified

  • Rated 5 out of 5 stars

    You make it so welcoming to donate and…

    You make it so welcoming to donate and learn about the greatest gift of your love and all your work. Keep at it!!

    Read on Trustpilot (review by Sandra)

    SandraNovember 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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