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Dry Eye Foundation

EIN 83-2330437 · Poulsbo, WA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak40 out of 100GovernanceNot ratedThe short tax form does not cover thisImpact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DRY EYE DISEASE

Income
$178,928
Spending
$198,809
Reserves
0.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Highest pay
$96,295, executive director

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Weak: 40 out of 100. Higher than 9% of charities in its peer group (diseases, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 7% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 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 (3)
  1. $78,372 spent. DRY EYE IN DC:DEF ORGANIZED ITS FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE, DRY EYE IN DC. DEF BROUGHT 30 ADVOCATES TO CAPITOL HILL TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT DRY EYE AND ADVOCATE FOR PATIENT PRIORITIES WITH THEIR REPRESENTATIVES. DEF PRESENTED AT THE NAEVR DRY EYE DISEASE CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING AND HOSTED A RECEPTION. FINALLY, DEF ORGANIZED AN ALL-DAY HYBRID SYMPOSIUM WITH PATIENT AND DOCTOR PANELS. 50 PEOPLE ATTENDED IN-PERSON AND OVER 750 PEOPLE VIEWED THE LIVESTREAM OR WATCHED RECORDINGS ON DEF'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL. DEF'S DRY EYE IN DC BUDGET INCLUDED TRAVEL SCHOLARSHIPS FOR NINE ADVOCATES.
  2. $49,882 spent. COMMUNITY SERVICE:DEF SERVED 105 CLIENTS THROUGH ITS HELPLINE PEER COUNSELING PROGRAM. DEF HOSTED 82 SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS WITH APPROXIMATELY 124 UNIQUE ATTENDEES. DEF'S VARIOUS MEDICAL SUPPORT GROUPS ON FACEBOOK SERVED 18,000 MEMBERS. DEF ALSO PROVIDED ASNEEDED SUPPORT TO OVER 175 CLIENTS THROUGH ITS PHONE AND EMAIL RESOURCE LINE FOR SAFETY CONCERNS AND PRACTICAL GUIDANCE. DEF EXHIBITED AT TWO NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES TO RAISE AWARENESS AMONGST EYE CARE PROFESSIONALS AND DISTRIBUTE LITERATURE ABOUT THE FOUNDATION'S COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS.
  3. $48,570 spent. EDUCATION AND SAFETY:DEF'S EDUCATION AND SAFETY PROGRAMS INCLUDE DRYEYEZONE.COM, MYBIGFATSCLERALLENS.ORG, AND EYEDROPSAFETY.ORG. DEF PRODUCED A DRY EYE PATIENT GUIDEBOOK, A SCLERAL LENS PATIENT HANDBOOK, AND MYDRYEYERX, A RESOURCE ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG ACCESS AND ADHERENCE. DEF TRACKED PRODUCT ALERTS, RECALLS, AND WARNING LETTERS FOR EYE DROPS AND SCLERAL LENS SOLUTIONS. IT PRESENTED DATA TO THE FDA'S CDER PASE PROGRAM. DEF EXHIBITED AT THREE NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES TO SHARE SAFETY INFORMATION. DEF'S EDUCATION AND SAFETY CONTENT WEBSITES WERE VIEWED OVER 43,000 TIMES IN 2025 AND ITS EDUCATION AND SAFETY VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE GAINED OVER 55,000 VIEWS.

Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.