A Race Against Blindness Distributes $6.1M in Grants
The Gilbert charity leverages a sweepstakes-based model to fund niche medical research for inherited retinal diseases.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Gilbert-based A Race Against Blindness has distributed $6.1 million in research grants to advance treatments for inherited retinal diseases. The 501(c)(3) public charity funds its mission primarily through high-value sweepstakes.
Why it matters
The organization demonstrates an alternative capital-raising model for niche medical research by leveraging consumer-facing sweepstakes. This approach allows small foundations to bypass traditional fundraising hurdles to support early-stage gene therapy development.
The charity has distributed $6.1 million in research grants as of October 2026, up from $3 million at the end of 2024. This total includes $5.1 million directed toward the AXV-101 gene-therapy program and $1 million to the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
The players
A Race Against Blindness
A Gilbert-based 501(c)(3) public charity that funds retinal disease research through consumer sweepstakes.
Foundation Fighting Blindness
A national nonprofit organization focused on funding research for blinding eye diseases.
American Sweepstakes & Promotion Co.
A professional service provider specializing in the legal administration of promotional sweepstakes.
The details
Founded by Stephen and Kristina Johnston, the charity operates by publishing research priorities and soliciting proposals for inherited retinal diseases. To fund these grants, the organization runs sweepstakes for high-value items, such as an adventure van valued at $250,000, administered by American Sweepstakes & Promotion Co. The model effectively converts consumer-facing prize raffles into direct capital injections for specialized medical research programs.
Timeline
2020: Luke Johnston diagnosed with Bardet-Biedl syndrome.
February 2023: Charity officially recognized as a tax-exempt organization.
December 2024: Cumulative grant payouts reached $3 million.
January 2026: Total funding for the AXV-101 gene-therapy program reached $5.1 million.
June 2026: $1 million awarded for gene-agnostic therapy research.
Market Landscape
A Race Against Blindness operates under the strict regulatory framework defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). Its reliance on sweepstakes models follows the precedent of mission-driven nonprofits that utilize high-value prize promotions to aggregate private philanthropic capital.
Operators looking to diversify funding sources should monitor how A Race Against Blindness balances administrative sweepstakes costs with grant output. Compliance with state and federal sweepstakes regulations remains the primary operational risk factor for this fundraising model.
The takeaway
Specialized charities are successfully utilizing high-value prize raffles to bridge the funding gap for rare disease gene therapy. Owners should evaluate whether similar consumer-facing promotional models could support their own corporate social responsibility or charitable initiatives.
Further reading
For more on the regulatory trends impacting nonprofit capital strategies, see Philanthropy.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Times of India.
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