Brightfocus Foundation (Brightfocus) seeks a world free from diseases of mind and sight.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
65¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 71 volunteers and 61 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $735K a year · 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
65%
of spending
Fine: 65% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.0M
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $40.5M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 2.2 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $50K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$28.2M
43% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 43% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
14
of 14 voting members
Looks good: 14 of 14 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$63.4M
+30% vs prior year
Spent
$53.3M
To programs
65%
Net assets
$37.0M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$63.4M
FY2025▲ +30%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$51.2M
FY2022$50.8M
FY2023$43.9M
FY2024$48.7M
FY2025$63.4M
Expenses
$53.3M
FY2025▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$52.2M
FY2022$54.1M
FY2023$48.5M
FY2024$46.2M
FY2025$53.3M
Net assets
$37.0M
FY2025▲ +41%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$33.0M
FY2022$29.0M
FY2023$23.6M
FY2024$26.2M
FY2025$37.0M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending March 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jan 1974.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

65 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 65% · $34.8M Management & general 9% · $4.6M Fundraising 26% · $13.9M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

24 people listed on the 990; $2.0M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
President/CEO
$424,828Pt VII · Sec A
SR. VP, Strategic Partnerships
$270,157Pt VII · Sec A
SR. VP, Development
$261,323Pt VII · Sec A
SVP, Finance & Administration
$226,786Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Scientific Affairs
$196,242Pt VII · Sec A
Of Scient. Programs, Vision Science
$139,931Pt VII · Sec A
Senior Director, Annual Giving
$135,115Pt VII · Sec A
Scient. Programs, Neuroscience
$125,732Pt VII · Sec A

Stacy Pagos Haller’s $425K as President/CEO is at the 77th percentile of top reported officer pay among 249 $10–100M diseases & disorders nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Stacy Pagos Haller$424,828$410,407$440,796$435,364$371,573
Nancy Keach$270,157————
R Brian Elderton$261,323$253,852$243,178$247,200$233,289
Nancy Lynn—$261,148$250,394$246,054$239,870
Jonathan Walsh$226,786————
Diane Bovenkamp PHD$196,242$190,217$182,082$179,717$174,542
Kaci Baez—$172,602$121,016——
David F Marks CPA Cma—$156,941$166,931$165,137$160,472

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Brightfocus Foundation executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Funds scientific research to find cures for brain and eye diseases, including Alzheimer's, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.

Questions for Brightfocus Foundation

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $34.8M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Alzheimer's disease research (adr)please refer to schedule o for a complete description of the accomplishments for alzheimer's disease research.

$21.4Mprogram expense
02

Macular degeneration research (mdr)please refer to schedule o for a complete description of the accomplishments for macular degeneration research.

$11.0Mprogram expense
03

National glaucoma research (NGR) please refer to schedule o for a complete description of the accomplishments for national glaucoma research.

$2.5Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 5 funders →
Grants paid · 313 grants · $69.7M · 2020–2024
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences CenterFY2024$409,500
William Marsh Rice UniversityTX · FY2024$409,500
National Eye Institute NihFY2024$408,701
The Ohio State UniversityOH · FY2024$300,000
Washington UniversityMO · FY2024$300,000
Northwestern UniversityIL · FY2024$300,000
University of Washington School of MedicineFY2024$300,000
See all 313 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$63.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$52.9M
Investment incomeLn 3$9.8M
Other incomeLn 4–11$704K
Money outPt IX
$53.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$34.8M
Managementcol C$4.6M
Fundraisingcol D$13.9M
Owns and owesPt X
$37.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9.9M
Total assetsLn 16$65.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$28.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
24
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a14
IndependentVI 1b14
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$52.9M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$395K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$222K
Investment incomeLn 3$9.8M
Other incomeLn 4–11$704K
Gains on assetsLn 7$8.8M
Total revenueLn 12$63.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.3M
SavingsLn 2$6.6M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$9.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$40.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$4.0M
Total assetsLn 16$65.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$28.2M
Net assetsLn 32$37.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 561
VolunteersI 671
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$9.3M$9.9M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$39.0M$40.5M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7.8M$4.0M
Total assetsLn 16$63.5M$65.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$37.2M$28.2M
Net assetsLn 32$26.2M$37.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$13.3M$13.3M
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$3.7M$3.7M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.7M$975K$366K$312K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$3.4M$1.7M$1.3M$465K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$328K$172K$105K$50K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$735K$386K$236K$113K
Payroll taxesLn 10$349K$183K$112K$54K
Legal feesLn 11b$71K$39K$25K$8K
Accounting feesLn 11c$119K$64K$42K$13K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$1.0M$1.0M
Investment management feesLn 11f$241K$241K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.4M$1.3M$148K$28K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$2.4M$1.2M$1.2M
Office expensesLn 13$1.3M$658K$135K$477K
Information technologyLn 14$602K$327K$172K$104K
OccupancyLn 16$369K$215K$114K$40K
TravelLn 17$259K$222K$19K$18K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$876K$821K$24K$32K
InterestLn 20$383K$383K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$597K$332K$181K$83K
InsuranceLn 23$55K$26K$14K$14K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$20.1M$9.3M$1.0M$9.8M
Total functional expensesLn 25$53.3M$34.8M$4.6M$13.9M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $63.4M$53.3M$10.1M$37.0M 990 PDF
FY2024 $48.7M$46.2M$2.4M$26.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $43.9M$48.5M−$4.6M$23.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $50.8M$54.1M−$3.3M$29.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $51.2M$52.2M−$986K$33.0M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $63,423,924 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $43,373,203$52,879,488
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $4,702,264$9,840,578
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $587,403$703,858
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $48,662,870$63,423,924
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $10,704,093$16,943,701
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $6,876,671$6,479,211
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $952,781$1,027,076
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $27,683,861$28,845,021
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $46,217,406$53,295,009
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $2,445,464$10,128,915
Part VI · Governance 14 of 14 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body14
VI-1b Independent voting members14
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $63,423,924 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$124,297
VIII-1c Fundraising events$222,435
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$52,532,756
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$394,954
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$52,879,488
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,052,357$1,052,357
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $370,381$370,381
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $385,959$385,959
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $8,788,221$8,788,221
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$56,608−$56,608
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $4,126$4,126
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $10,544,436$63,423,924
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $53,295,009 across 22 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $13,267,808$13,267,808
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $3,675,893$3,675,893
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $975,321 · Management $365,576 · Fundraising $311,928$1,652,825
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,685,554 · Management $1,263,641 · Fundraising $464,597$3,413,792
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $172,202 · Management $105,437 · Fundraising $50,254$327,893
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $386,193 · Management $236,460 · Fundraising $112,703$735,356
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $183,468 · Management $112,335 · Fundraising $53,542$349,345
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $38,524 · Management $25,216 · Fundraising $7,716$71,456
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $63,911 · Management $41,833 · Fundraising $12,800$118,544
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $1,027,076$1,027,076
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $241,293$241,293
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,266,242 · Management $147,747 · Fundraising $27,688$1,441,677
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $1,230,126 · Fundraising $1,204,394$2,434,520
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $658,427 · Management $135,325 · Fundraising $476,867$1,270,619
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $326,769 · Management $171,648 · Fundraising $103,678$602,095
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $214,621 · Management $114,177 · Fundraising $39,968$368,766
IX-17 TravelPrograms $221,715 · Management $19,208 · Fundraising $17,961$258,884
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $820,584 · Management $24,020 · Fundraising $31,626$876,230
IX-20 InterestManagement $383,185$383,185
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $332,227 · Management $181,264 · Fundraising $83,462$596,953
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $25,895 · Management $14,298 · Fundraising $14,481$54,674
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $9,282,199 · Management $1,024,797 · Fundraising $9,819,129$20,126,125
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $34,827,679 · Management $4,607,460 · Fundraising $13,859,870$53,295,009
Part X · Balance sheet $65,129,292 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $829,628$3,278,680
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $8,516,562$6,619,066
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $6,199,054$9,183,959
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $23,832$25,908
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $28,325$36,763
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $998,282$1,557,144
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,847,284$3,971,651
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $31,237,150$32,437,847
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $7,784,535$8,018,274
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $63,464,652$65,129,292
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $2,580,327$1,551,998
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $24,991,458$25,940,333
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $674,130$676,494
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $37,245,915$28,168,825
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $12,270,789$25,140,265
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $13,947,948$11,820,202
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $26,218,737$36,960,467
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $63,464,652$65,129,292
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $36,960,467 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$63,423,924
XI-2 Total expenses$53,295,009
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$10,128,915
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$26,218,737
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$502,498
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$110,317
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$36,960,467

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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