Vision to Learn
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PROVIDE FREE EYE EXAMS AND GLASSES TO STUDENTS AND LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES.
- Income
- $28.2 million
- Spending
- $25.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- -0.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 74%
- Employees
- 213
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $250,000, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 30% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $20.8 million spent. PROVIDE FREE EYE EXAMS AND GLASSES TO STUDENTS IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2012, VISION TO LEARN HAS PROVIDED OVER 3.8 MILLION VISION SCREENINGS (273,618 IN THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025), OVER 787,000 EYE EXAMS (107,520 IN THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025), AND OVER 657,000 PAIRS OF GLASSES (93,225 IN THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025) TO KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IN CALIFORNIA AND 15 OTHER STATES IN THE UNITED STATES. VISION TO LEARN HAS VISITED OVER 6,980 SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS (1,817 IN THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2025) TO PROVIDE THIS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2012.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.