When you give to A Race Against Blindness — whether through a sweepstakes entry donation or any other contribution — you’re fueling a mission with a clear purpose: to fund research, raise awareness, and provide hope for families facing vision loss from rare genetic conditions.
We take our responsibility to steward every dollar seriously, and we believe in showing exactly where your donations go.
Our Mission in Action
Our fundraising model is built to create the biggest possible impact in the shortest possible time. Rare diseases like Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) don’t have decades to wait for research funding — and our community deserves urgent action.
That’s why we:
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Run engaging, high-visibility sweepstakes fundraisers to attract supporters from far beyond the BBS community.
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Partner directly with research organizations and clinical trial sponsors to fund critical work.
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Operated for our first two years (2023–24) with no salaries or stipends for our Board of Directors, before adding a modest salary in 2025 to allow our Co-Founder, Kristina Johnston, leave her nursing and teaching job to run the nonprofit full-time.
- Co-Founder and CEO, Dr. Stephen Johnston, was the first donor to the nonprofit for the $250,000 adventure van used in the first fundraiser. He has since continued to be a donor, and continues to run the nonprofit without any income. Yes, he's the guy you see in the videos!
How Funds Are Allocated
We break our spending into three primary categories:
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Mission Funding – The majority of net proceeds go directly to advancing our mission. In 2024, for example, we awarded $3 million in research grants to support a promising planned clinical trial for a potential treatment for blindness caused by BBS. (2024 RAB Annual Report)
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Prizes – Our prizes are part of what draws such a wide range of donors. They’re carefully chosen to be exciting and valuable enough to inspire participation — and they help us reach people who might otherwise never hear about BBS.
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Awareness & Outreach – Advertising, event promotion, and digital marketing ensure that our fundraisers are seen by a wide audience. This isn’t just about selling entries — it’s about educating the public on rare genetic blindness and growing a base of supporters who can help us fund treatments.
Why Advertising is an Investment in the Mission
Some people are surprised to see that nonprofits spend on advertising — but for us, it’s a vital investment. Every campaign needs visibility to be successful. The more people who see and participate in a fundraiser, the more net proceeds we have for research.
Financial Transparency
We publish Annual Reports that show exactly how we allocate funds each year:
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2024 Annual Report – $3M in grants, national recognition, Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.
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2023 Annual Report – Launch year, first sweepstakes success, foundation building.
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Annual Report Hub – All reports in one place
The Result
When you participate in one of our fundraisers, you’re doing more than entering for a chance to win a prize — you’re joining a movement that’s funding cutting-edge science and creating a future where children with BBS and other rare retinal diseases don’t have to lose their sight.
Related Articles in This Series:
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How Our Fundraiser Sweepstakes Work — Step-by-Step Transparency
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Why You See Our Fundraiser Ads — And How It Helps Our Mission
