Eye and Ear Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
251439732
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Phone
4128641300
Rating
81
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Eye Diseases, Blindness & Vision Impairments Research

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$13,522,523
Expenses
$9,690,712
Assets
$75,423,736
Liabilities
$907,195

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

37 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • LAWTON SNYDER (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)

People named in this filing

  • LAWRENCE N GUMBERG CHAIR (THRU 11/24, BOARD MEMBER AT 11/24)
  • CHARLES R BRODBECK ESQ VICE (CHAIR THRU 11/24, CHAIR AT 11/24)
  • CYNTHIA SUNSERI (SECRETARY)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The eye & ear foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization with the mission of advancing the leading-edge academic and research efforts of the departments of otolaryngology and ophthalmology at the university of pittsburgh with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient care.

What it reported doing in 2024

Grants to department of otolaryngology and department of ophthalmology of university of pittsburgh's school of medicine and related programs at the university of pittsburgh and upmc health system to consistently improve the quality of scientific endeavors. In addition to grant making activity, the organization engages in fundraising activities to raise dollars to fund innovative research and improve access to care in the fields of ophthalmology and otolaryngology.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 85% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 96% of its reported program spending out as grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. The filing reports few safeguards for money sent abroad and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 73
  • Transparency & Controls: 75
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 89
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 70.6%; rating input score 71
  • Program expense ratio: 85.5%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $15.86 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Scored; rating input score 0
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 28.3%; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.78; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.3% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 18.8% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.2% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 70.6% of revenue deployed · 85.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 35 of 35 board members independent · 7 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 2 filed program accomplishments · $8.3M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 37 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and grants
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight scored 0/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 51/100.