Non-profit funding sight-saving research for children
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Follow A Race Against Blindness research funding, inherited retinal disease developments, community stories, grant announcements, and updates from families racing toward sight-saving treatments.
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RAB has funded a second $1 million grant with the Foundation Fighting Blindness for gene-agnostic research: $700,000 to the Gund Vision Fund, matched to $1.4 million, and $300,000 to Dr. Jin Woo Kim's regenerative research at KAIST.
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Every dollar below has been paid out to research, made possible by the generosity of our sponsors and donors. Real people making an impact on saving children's eyesight.
total research funding, fully paid out · as of November 2026
$3M awarded
To fund the preclinical development and regulatory preparation of AXV-101, a gene therapy for Bardet-Biedl Syndrome type 1 (BBS1), advancing the program toward its first human clinical trial.
$2.1M awarded
To support clinical development of the first-in-human trial, including trial preparation and regulatory progress following clinical trial clearance, and to close the remaining funding gap required to launch the AXV-101 clinical trial, enabling the study to begin in early 2026.
$2M awarded
Through two grants to the Foundation Fighting Blindness, to fund gene-agnostic research: in June, the Gund Vision Fund (formerly the RD Fund) and early-stage gene therapy delivery research with Dr. Thomas Mendel; in November, the Gund Vision Fund and regenerative research with Dr. Jin Woo Kim at KAIST. The Gund Foundation Challenge matched the $1,475,000 directed to the Fund dollar for dollar.
Charity Navigator rates charities only after three consecutive e-filed Forms 990. A Race Against Blindness was founded in 2023 and has filed two. When the rating becomes possible, and what to check instead.
Read moreA Race Against Blindness usually has two or three sweepstakes open at once. Why the research timeline requires it, and why each fundraiser has its own Official Rules, drawing and winner.
Read moreA Race Against Blindness has 17,700+ Trustpilot reviews at 4.9 of 5. How the reviews are collected, what the five-star and one-star reviews say, and why we can't edit any of them.
Read moreAn independent administrator, American Sweepstakes & Promotion Co., Inc., draws every A Race Against Blindness winner and confirms eligibility. How it works, and where to check the 60+ named winners.
Read moreA Race Against Blindness is a 501(c)(3) (EIN 92-2174042) that has paid out $7.1M in research grants. Here is how to verify us yourself through the IRS, Candid, ProPublica and Trustpilot in about ten minutes.
Read moreOur 250 Years, 250 Winners fundraiser was one for the books! 🇺🇸 We’re sharing the full list of 250 names drawn and continuing to work through winner verification and prize fulfillment. See your name? Be sure to check your inbox and spam or junk folder for your winner notification! Original notifications were sent August 11 or 12, 2026.
Read moreA recent independent article explored an important question: Why would a childhood blindness nonprofit give away a Ford Raptor? This article explains how innovative fundraising helps accelerate rare disease research, clinical trials, and hope for families affected by inherited retinal diseases.
Read moreA Race Against Blindness shares heartfelt messages from supporters during the Pokémon fundraiser — highlighting the powerful stories, gratitude, and human connection behind the mission.
Read moreMany people searching “is A Race Against Blindness legit?” are really just looking for clarity. In this article, we explain one of the most important safeguards behind our fundraisers: our use of an independent, third-party sweepstakes agency. This agency manages entries, ensures legal compliance, and randomly selects winners—adding transparency, fairness, and accountability to every fundraiser we run. It’s one of the many ways we protect our supporters and uphold trust while working urgently to accelerate treatments for inherited retinal diseases.
Read moreIs a race against blindness legit? Learn why running multiple fundraisers helps sustain momentum, support research timelines, and give families real hope.
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