Ophthalmology Foundation

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
852967452
IRS 990 coverage
2022–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-EZ 2020
Location
San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone
4156512723
Rating
83
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution

Reported finances

Revenue
$651,902
Expenses
$1,115,274
Assets
$2,167,889
Liabilities
$310,091

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

Leadership & pay

41 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • CHRISTINE R GRAHAM (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)
  • DAVID EI PYOTT MDHC (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • JAMES V MAZZO (PRESIDENT)
  • BRUCE E SPIVEY MD MS MED (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • JULIA A HALLER MD (VICE PRESIDENT)

Highest reported compensation

  • CHRISTINE R GRAHAM (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $121,579 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

The ophthalmology foundation works with eye care professionals, societies and organizations to enhance and provide ophthalmic education, with special focus on low-resource and underserved countries. The organization commits to strengthening ophthalmic education, with the ultimate goal of improving eyecare and advancing the preservation and restoration of vision for all.

What it reported doing in 2024

In partnership with the international ophthalmological fellowship foundation (ioff e.v.), the foundation supports two major fellowship programs: the one-year ioff retina research foundation (rrf) helmerich international fellowship and the ioff subspecialty fellowship program. The ioff-rrf helmerich international fellowships (rrf fellows) are awarded annually to two young ophthalmologists from low-resource and underserved countries who are dedicated to deepening the quality of ophthalmic education and patient care in their home countries. Rrf fellows are required to commit to returning to their home countries after their fellowship and taking a position at a teaching institution or public service hospital to share their knowledge. Three and twelve-month fellowships are offered under the subspecialty program. The subspecialty fellowship program invites young ophthalmologists from low-resource or underserved countries to apply for an ioff-subspecialty fellowship award. Fellows are expected to bring their acquired knowledge and skills back to their native countries and participate in programs to preserve vision and prevent blindness.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 87% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 57% for direct work, and 43% for 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 expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 77
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 28
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 85%; rating input score 85
  • Fundraising efficiency: $35.03 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 1 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 12
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -71.1%; rating input score 2; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.94; rating input score 64; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.14; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 10.9%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -0.9% per year; rating input score 0; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 16.5% per year; rating input score 100; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 29.9% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 85% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 39 of 39 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $948K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $122K · 41 people listed
  • Consistency: 34 of 34 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and grants
  • Filing history: 3 filing years from 2022 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 7 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 2/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Form 990 shared with the board not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 34/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 37/100.