Brightfocus Foundation
65% goes to programs $26 to raise $100 Strong reserves Growing revenue
Brightfocus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Clarksburg, Maryland, registered in 1974, with $63,423,924 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 65% of spending to programs.
22512 Gateway Center Dr, Clarksburg, MD, 20871 EIN 23-7337229 Since 1974
Revenue (FY2024)
$63.4M
▲ 30.3% vs prior year
Diseases median: $206K
Expenses (FY2024)
$53.3M
Net assets
$37.0M
Employees
59
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
C+Program efficiency40% of the rating65% to programs · $26 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Brightfocus Foundation: 65% to programs · $26 to raise $100 earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
AFinancial health25% of the rating8 mo reserves · +16% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Brightfocus Foundation: 8 mo reserves · +16% margin earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Brightfocus Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Brightfocus Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Show this grade on your website
A live seal — it updates automatically when the grade changes and links donors to this verified profile.
Mission
Brightfocus foundation (brightfocus) seeks a world free from diseases of mind and sight.
What they do
Macular degeneration research (mdr)please refer to schedule o for a complete description of the accomplishments for macular degeneration research.
National glaucoma research (ngr) please refer to schedule o for a complete description of the accomplishments for national glaucoma research.
Contact & location
- Address
- 22512 Gateway Center Dr, Clarksburg, MD, 20871
- City
- Clarksburg
- State
- Maryland
- Subcategory
- Alliances, Advocacy & Professional Societies
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $26.7M (FY2013) to $63.4M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $28.2MNet assets $37.0M
Operating margin
16.0%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$65.1M
Total liabilities
$28.2M
Net assets
$37.0M
Salaries & benefits
$6.5M
12% of expenses
Board members
14
14 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $63,423,924▲30.3% | $53,295,009▲15.3% | $36,960,467▲41.0% | $65,129,292▲2.6% | 990 |
| 2023 | $48,662,870▲10.9% | $46,217,406▼4.7% | $26,218,737▲11.3% | $63,464,652▲8.3% | 990 |
| 2022 | $43,893,797▼13.5% | $48,508,214▼10.3% | $23,561,768▼18.8% | $58,626,477▼10.5% | 990 |
| 2021 | $50,757,728▼1.0% | $54,057,357▲3.5% | $29,019,875▼12.2% | $65,540,964▼1.4% | 990 |
| 2020 | $51,246,392▲37.0% | $52,232,375▲21.9% | $33,034,717▲30.1% | $66,476,749▲23.1% | 990 |
| 2019 | $37,396,826▼11.6% | $42,851,514▲6.0% | $25,393,164▼23.7% | $53,987,981▼8.5% | 990 |
| 2018 | $42,284,809▲21.1% | $40,443,330▲12.9% | $33,278,409▲4.4% | $58,993,683▲12.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $34,904,505▲6.7% | $35,815,491▲6.5% | $31,868,492▲0.5% | $52,594,473▲3.3% | 990 |
| 2016 | $32,700,089 | $33,641,400▲6.9% | $31,695,335▲2.7% | $50,937,791▼4.4% | 990 |
| 2015 | $32,693,644▲8.6% | $31,479,853▲7.6% | $30,860,281▼6.9% | $53,275,672▲0.8% | 990 |
| 2014 | $30,101,410▲12.6% | $29,251,394▲16.4% | $33,165,025▲5.8% | $52,852,651▲9.7% | 990 |
| 2013 | $26,723,642 | $25,127,380▲6.6% | $31,352,522▲11.8% | $48,181,675▲14.1% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $23,574,306▲10.0% | $28,034,228▲9.1% | $42,238,889▲7.6% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $21,426,676▲1.5% | $25,699,562▲13.5% | $39,273,122▲4.0% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $21,099,644 | $22,636,509 | $37,750,130 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Stacy Pagos Haller — $424,828 (0.80% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stacy Pagos Haller | President/ceo | 45 | $424,828 |
| Nancy Keach | Sr. Vp, Strategic Partnerships | 45 | $270,157 |
| R Brian Elderton | Sr. Vp, Development | 45 | $261,323 |
| Jonathan Walsh | Svp, Finance & Administration | 45 | $226,786 |
| Diane Bovenkamp Phd | Vp, Scientific Affairs | 45 | $196,242 |
| Preeti Subramanian - Phd Dir | Of Scient. Programs, Vision Science | 40 | $139,931 |
| Lisa Morgan | Senior Director, Annual Giving | 40 | $135,115 |
| Sharyn Rossi - Phd Dir of | Scient. Programs, Neuroscience | 40 | $125,732 |
| Jeffrey Honaker | Sr. Mgr. Ops and Building | 40 | $115,469 |
| Kaci Baez - Vp Integrated | Mkting & Comm. Until 06/24 | 45 | $110,647 |
| Adam Myers | Director As of 04/24 | 5 | — |
| Ann Seclow | Director | 5 | — |
| Cecilia Arradaza | Vice Chair Until 06/24, Director | 6 | — |
| Dale Young | Director As of 03/25 | 5 | — |
| Dana Griffin | Director | 5 | — |
| Herbert L Drayton III | Director | 5 | — |
| Jan M Stouffer Phd | Director | 6 | — |
| John Penn | Director As of 03/25 | 5 | — |
| Patricia M Stewart | Chair | 10 | — |
| Paul Campbell | Director | 5 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Rkd Group | Public Awareness Consulting & Materials | $12,374,028 |
| Adstra LLC | Mail List Rental | $1,758,266 |
| Data Management Inc | Database Management | $310,839 |
| Royal Sonesta Chicago Downtown | Hotel Conference | $219,320 |
| The Robert Joseph Group | Finance and Accounting | $213,430 |
Grants received · $9.4M total
220 grants to Brightfocus Foundation totaling $9.4M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
Grants made · $13.3M in FY2024
57 grants totaling $13.3M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Brightfocus Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| William Marsh Rice University | Macular degeneration research by jerzy szablowski, phd entitled: m2025001n | $409,500 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Macular degeneration research by mohajeet balveer bhuckory, phd entitled: m2025007n | $409,500 |
| University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center | Macular degeneration research by ana j chucair-elliott, phd entitled: m2025002n | $409,500 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Macular degeneration research by charles deboer, md, phd entitled: m2025004n | $409,500 |
| National Eye Institute Nih | Macular degeneration research by ruchi sharma, phd entitled: m2025003n | $408,701 |
| Mass General Brigham Incorporated | Alzheimer's disease research by ksenia kastanenka, phd entitled: a2025014s | $300,000 |
| Vanderbilt University Medical Center | Alzheimer's disease research by monica santisteban, phd entitled: a2025011s | $300,000 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Alzheimer's disease research by amira latif hernandez, phd entitled: a2024035s | $300,000 |
| University of Kentucky Research Foundation | Alzheimer's disease research by linda van eldik, phd entitled: a2024039s | $300,000 |
| Regents of the University of California At San Diego | Alzheimer's disease research by johannes schlachetzki, md entitled: a2024038s | $300,000 |
| University of Washington School of Medicine | Alzheimer's disease research by justin miller, phd entitled: a2024037s | $300,000 |
| J David Gladstone Institutes | Alzheimer's disease research by katerina akassoglou, phd entitled: a2025013s | $300,000 |
| Regents of the University of California At San Diego | Alzheimer's disease research by jerome mertens, phd entitled: a2024036s | $300,000 |
| Trustees of Columbia University | Alzheimer's disease research by jae-eun miller, phd entitled: a2025016s | $300,000 |
| Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Inc | Alzheimer's disease research by peter fried, phd entitled: a2024034s | $300,000 |
Similar organizations in Diseases
Diseases
Community Services For Autistic Adults and Children
Montgomry Vlg, MD
$65.2M
A+annual revenue
Diseases
Hjf Medical Research International Inc
Bethesda, MD
$57.0M
Bannual revenue
Diseases
University of Maryland Pediatric As Sociates P A
Baltimore, MD
$36.7M
Cannual revenue
Diseases
American Gastroenterological Association Institute Inc
Bethesda, MD
$32.3M
Bannual revenue
Diseases
Unified Community Connections Inc
Sparks, MD
$29.9M
Bannual revenue
- Diseases
Easter Seals Serving Dc-md-va Inc
Silver Spring, MD
$28.0M
Bannual revenue
Diseases
National Federation of the Blind Inc
Baltimore, MD
$21.5M
Bannual revenue
Diseases
Identity Inc
Gaithersburg, MD
$20.5M
Bannual revenue
- Diseases
Keralink Foundation Inc
Baltimore, MD
$20.0M
C+annual revenue
Diseases
Epilepsy Foundation of America
Bowie, MD
$16.2M
C+annual revenue
Compare Brightfocus Foundation
Frequently asked questions
- Is Brightfocus Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Brightfocus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 23-7337229, based in Clarksburg, Maryland. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Brightfocus Foundation's EIN?
- Brightfocus Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 23-7337229.
- How much revenue does Brightfocus Foundation report?
- Brightfocus Foundation reported $63,423,924 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Brightfocus Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- Brightfocus Foundation spends about 65% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Brightfocus Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades Brightfocus Foundation B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Brightfocus Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Brightfocus Foundation's latest Form 990 is $424,828, paid to Stacy Pagos Haller (President/ceo).
More nonprofits in Clarksburg
Explore more
Data for Brightfocus Foundation (EIN 23-7337229) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.