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.
How 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 November 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 2024 · announced Feb 2025Third 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.
Dec 2025 · announced 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 great program. Blindness does not have to keep you from living a full life. Thank you for putting the rules of your contest right up front so I didn't have to search for them. It made it easy and comfortable to immediately help out!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Lisa Slauson)Ease of making a donation.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Suzanne Sheppard)Fighting for what is right!!!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Gema Mihail)This is a nice process. You get to gamble a bit and make a donation to a worthy cause - win, win.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Judy Van Wyk)I'm grateful for this fundraiser. We need more compassionate people like this helping these kids through this awesome nonprofit foundation. Praying for many blessings and favor on this ministry.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Don't buy from Enchantgo)Very easy to donate and get 20 chances to win a camper van!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Donald Taylor)My career has been in movies and television, plus photography, so I can appreciate how important the gift of sight can be. Happy to support a great cause.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Keith Potter)This organization continues to be on the same, beautiful track. Keeping the reason for their existence clear, pure and honest. We continue to pray for the success of this non-profit organization. We pray for many children to keep their eyesight as a result of many people supporting this work. We thank God for this family and their dedication to their children. Blessings always 🙏🏿 🙏🏼🙏🏾
Read on Trustpilot (review by Chach)great communication. a worthy cause. generous donation incentives.
Read on Trustpilot (review by steve c.)I love their mission and their giveaways! They make it easy to donate to such a great cause and the opportunity to win an adventure vehicle, is just icing on the cake.
Read on Trustpilot (review by K ARTHUR)Thank you for doing such an amazing job!
Read on Trustpilot (review by Alexey Prieto)A great cause for helping children from blindness.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Shir)Communication through emails is always excellent. It’s an awesome charity and cause to help out people who aren’t as fortunate as everyone else at the moment.
Read on Trustpilot (review by David)Easy to donate online. Contest is fully explained. The cause is close to my heart and so important. The prizes are wonderful.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Mary Ann P. Cook)The mission is a great cause. It's easy to enter there sweepstake's. Open dialogue on the whole process and everything I have seen and read makes me feel comfortable about the legitamacy of the organization.
Read on Trustpilot (review by William M.)great communication and transparency
Read on Trustpilot (review by Andrew)I support a worthy cause while also trying to win a life changing prize.
Read on Trustpilot (review by James Swanson)Great prizes for a fantastic cause.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Thomas Roberts)Great information about what they are doing. Very easy to use website. Honest , communicates well , awesome prizes.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Nathan Mosbrucker)This is an outstanding fundraiser. If your reading this please donate!
Read on Trustpilot (review by The Green’s)The video is very clear and to the point. Doing a great job! And for a good cause! Thanks
Read on Trustpilot (review by P L)Great prizes and super easy to enter!
Read on Trustpilot (review by JD Westrick)A cure for childhood blindness is relevant in today’s time with this current research in studies for a cure makes this donation worthwhile.
Read on Trustpilot (review by Darren McDowell)Raising money for a great cause
Read on Trustpilot (review by Nicholas Parent)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
