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THE ARVO FOUNDATION FOR EYE RESEARCH INC

EIN 52-2322462 GAITHERSBURG, MD

Revenue 2025
$1,826,745
Expenses 2025
$1,434,632

Program services were 76.7% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
H11
Classification
8100
Street
19226 MONTGOMERY VILLAGE AVE 311

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

Our mission is to serve as a global catalyst for innovation, workforce development and collaboration in the field of vision research.

  • AWARDS AND GRANTS: THE ARVO FOUNDATION OFFERS A NUMBER OF AWARDS TO RECOGNIZE EXEMPLARY RESEARCH AND SEVERAL RESEARCH AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS THAT SUPPORT NOVEL RESEARCH PROJECTS, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SUPPORTING SCIENTISTS WHO ARE EARLY IN THEIR CAREER OR FROM AN UNDERREPRESENTED GROUP.

    Expenses $942,915 · Grants $796,243

  • EVENTS AND INITIATIVES: THE ARVO FOUNDATION ORGANIZES FUNDRAISING EVENTS, AS WELL AS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES THAT HELP FURTHER THE CAREERS OF EYE AND VISION RESEARCHERS. OTHER INITIATIVES INCLUDE CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, ADVANCING WOMEN IN SCIENCE, ARVO'S INTERNATIONAL CHAPTER AFFILIATES, THE KEYNOTE SERIES AT THE ARVO ANNUAL MEETING AND SPECIALTY SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS.

    Expenses $156,864

As filed on the 2025 return.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • IRIS M RUSH CAE

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $426,747
    From this org
    $0
    From related orgs
    $387,245
    Other
    $39,502
    Hours/week
    3 + 37.5 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $0 + $386,245 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $1,000 related
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0 + $38,294 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $1,209 related
    Filer's total
    $0 + $426,748 related

  • JASON SPESSARD CAE

    CHIEF OPERATING & FINANCIAL OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $302,728
    From this org
    $0
    From related orgs
    $277,401
    Other
    $25,327
    Hours/week
    5 + 37.5 related

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $0 + $266,401 related
    Bonus
    $0 + $11,000 related
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0 + $24,534 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $0 + $793 related
    Filer's total
    $0 + $302,728 related

  • RAFAL FARJO PHD FARVO

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • ALAN MORSE JD PHD

    GOVERNOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • EMILY CHEW MD FARVO

    GOVERNOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • MARY ELIZABETH HARTNETT MD FARVO

    GOVERNOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • RENU KOWLURU PHD FARVO

    GOVERNOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • BARBARA WIROSTKO MD FARVO

    CHAIR-ELECT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • WILLIAM MIELER MD FARVO FACS

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    3

  • CHERYL ROWE-RENDLEMAN PHD FARVO

    GOVERNOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • JACOB PE'ER MD FARVO

    GOVERNOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • HAOTIAN LIN MD PHD

    GOVERNOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2025
    Revenue
    $1,826,745
    Expenses
    $1,434,632
    Contributions
    $1,365,161
    Grants paid
    $796,243
  • 2024
    Revenue
    $1,607,205
    Expenses
    $1,244,107
    Contributions
    $1,074,219
    Grants paid
    $683,747
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $997,892
    Expenses
    $1,136,082
    Contributions
    $1,041,518
    Grants paid
    $678,255
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $1,386,993
    Expenses
    $1,173,015
    Contributions
    $1,106,967
    Grants paid
    $685,318

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,963,913
    Expenses
    $991,335
    Assets (EOY)
    $8,550,005

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,917,057
    Expenses
    $708,685
    Assets (EOY)
    $6,176,700

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,389,771
    Expenses
    $916,480
    Assets (EOY)
    $4,806,686

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,121,777
    Expenses
    $819,668
    Assets (EOY)
    $3,779,374

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,036,991
    Expenses
    $757,104
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,850,365

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $924,002
    Expenses
    $763,520
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,364,525

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $923,499
    Expenses
    $795,105
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,129,216

  • 2014 · 990

    Revenue
    $885,787
    Expenses
    $738,240
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,155,782

  • 2013 · 990

    Revenue
    $544,007
    Expenses
    $803,322
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,300,873

  • 2011 · 990

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    $932,016
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,273,520

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations

From Schedule R Part II, where a filer lists the tax-exempt organizations it is related to by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Declared on its 2025 return

Declared as related by

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility SOUNK.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 26 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2025, the newest we have parsed for this organization.