Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY (FAAO) IS TO ADVANCE THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY'S (AAO) PRIORITY PROGRAMS IN CLINICAL EDUCATION, QUALITY AND DATA SCIENCE, AND PUBLIC SERVICE.
- Income
- $14.9 million
- Spending
- $17.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 58.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 53%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 3,000
- Highest pay
- $1.2 million, secretary / ceo of aao
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 58% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 58.5 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 26% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 36% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 21 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 23 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 March 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 (4)
- $5.3 million spent. GRANTS TO AAO TO SUPPORT "ADVANCING LIFELONG OPHTHALMIC EDUCATION": MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE AND THE PACE OF SURGICAL AND THERAPEUTIC INNOVATION IS GROWING RAPIDLY, AS IS AN INCREASED EMPHASIS ON PATIENT OUTCOMES AND VALUE-BASED CARE. FAAO SUPPORTS AAO PROGRAMS THAT SPEED THE TRANSFER OF OPHTHALMIC KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION TO OPHTHALMOLOGISTS WORLDWIDE. BY RAISING PHILANTHROPIC GIFTS GLOBALLY AND MANAGING ITS INVESTABLE ASSETS, FAAO PROVIDES GRANTS TO AAO PROGRAMS IN OPHTHALMIC EDUCATION AND QUALITY OF CARE, INCLUDING THE ONE NETWORK, IRIS REGISTRY, R&D FOR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, AND INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
- $2.1 million spent. GRANTS TO AAO TO SUPPORT "PUBLIC SERVICE": ONE IN SIX PEOPLE AGED 65 AND OLDER HAS VISION IMPAIRMENT THAT CANNOT BE CORRECTED WITH GLASSES. THIS IS OFTEN CAUSED BY COMMON EYE CONDITIONS AND DISEASES DETECTED BY EYE EXAMS. MANY PEOPLE OFTEN DELAY GETTING CARE THAT COULD SAVE THEIR SIGHT BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD IT. EYECARE AMERICA, THROUGH ITS 3,000 VOLUNTEER OPHTHALMOLOGISTS, REMOVES THIS BARRIER BY PROVIDING CARE AT NO OUT-OF-POCKET COST TO PATIENTS. EYECARE AMERICA ALSO RAISES AWARENESS ABOUT EYE DISEASE AND PROVIDES FREE EYE HEALTH INFORMATION. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025, EYECARE AMERICA REFERRED 11,215 INDIVIDUALS NATIONWIDE FOR CARE. IN ADDITION TO EYECARE AMERICA, FAAO SUPPORTS THE MUSEUM OF VISION, WHICH PRESERVES THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE, AND TRANSLATES IT INTO EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES FOR USE BY AAO'S MEMBERS, MEDICAL HISTORIANS, RESEARCHERS, AND THE PUBLIC AS THEY SEEK TO UNDERSTAND OPHTHALMOLOGY'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY, LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EYE AND THE SCIENCE OF VISION, AND TO ADDRESS SIMILAR OPHTHALMIC CHALLENGES TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE. IN FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025, THE MUSEUM OF VISION PROVIDED THESE RESOURCES TO 122,155 INDIVIDUALS.
- $1.3 million spent. GRANTS TO AAO TO SUPPORT "QUALITY AND DATA SCIENCE": FAAO PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE H. DUNBAR HOSKINS JR., M.D. CENTER FOR QUALITY EYE CARE, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED AS A QUALITY OF CARE AND HEALTH POLICY RESEARCH CENTER THAT ADVANCES THE ACCESSIBILITY TO AND APPROPRIATENESS OF EYE CARE SERVICES. THE WORK OF THE HOSKINS CENTER ENSURES THAT PATIENTS CONTINUE TO RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY, EVIDENCE-BASED EYE CARE WITHIN A TIGHTENING ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL DEMAND INCREASED VALUE FOR ANY SERVICES PROVIDED. ALTHOUGH EXTENSIVE IN SCOPE, THE HOSKINS CENTER IS ORGANIZED INTO FOUR MAIN PROGRAMMATIC AREAS: (I) EVIDENCED-BASED EYE CARE: PRODUCES GUIDANCE FOR EYE CARE PROVIDERS AND DEVELOPS PERFORMANCE-IN-PRACTICE EVALUATION TOOLS; (II) VALUE-BASED DELIVERY OF EYE CARE: IDENTIFIES AND ASSESSES VALUE-BASED EYE CARE PRACTICE MODELS FOR A VARIETY OF SETTINGS AND EXAMINES THE PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS FOR QUALITY OF EYE CARE; (III) MEDICAL INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS: CREATES STANDARDIZED TERMINOLOGY, IMAGING AND EHR STANDARDS, AND MODELS FOR INTEGRATING E-PRESCRIBING AND TECHNOLOGY IN PRACTICE; AND (IV) FELLOWSHIPS AND GRANTS FUNDING: EXTENDS THE REACH AND SCOPE OF THE HOSKINS CENTER IN EMERGING OR UNDERSTUDIED EYE CARE AREAS BY FUNDING THE RESEARCH OF OUTSIDE INVESTIGATORS AND ORGANIZATIONS.
- $4.2 million spent. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE OWING AND MAINTAINING PROPERTY, WHICH IS LEADED TO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF OPHTHALMOLOGY (FAAO'S SUPPORTED ORGANIZATION) FOR USE WITHIN ITS GENERAL OPERATIONS AS WELL AS GRANTS TO AAO FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 November 6, 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 March 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 September 1980.
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 November 4, 2026.
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