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Himalayan Cataract Project
Also known as Cure Blindness Project
Himalayan Cataract Project reported $39.6 million in revenue and $38.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $85.23 went to program services, $11.28 to management and general costs and $3.49 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 82.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $379,795 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 284% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $39MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $40MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.2% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.3% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.5% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 82.9% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.6% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $379,795 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.98% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 14 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 11.2 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 10 of 10 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseIndia: cure blindness project supports over 5 partners in india with capacity building for allied ophthalmic personnel, support for patient care administering more than 120,000 cataract surgeries and investment in primary eye care to ensure prevention and early intervention of blindness
Ethiopia: cure blindness project supports over 28 partners in ethiopia with capacity building for ophthalmologists, residents and allied ophthalmic personnel, support for patient care administering more than 39,0000 cataract surgeries and over 3,100 other eye surgeries, provision of equipment, surgical instruments and consumables to provide patient care and investment in primary eye care to ensure prevention and early intervention of blindness. Additionally, cure blindness project continues to plan for, create, construct, and operationalize a fully independent specialty eye care clinic in…
Ghana: cure blindness project supports over 15 partners in ghana with capacity building for ophthalmologists, residents and allied ophthalmic personnel, support for patient care administering more than 20,000 cataract surgeries and over 1,000 other eye surgeries, provision of equipment, surgical instruments and consumables to provide patient care and investment in primary eye care to ensure prevention and early intervention of blindness. Additionally, cure blindness project continued construction on a specialty eye center in ghana
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $335,263 | $0 | $44,532 | $379,795 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $221,840 | $0 | $41,709 | $263,549 |
| CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $202,231 | $0 | $41,122 | $243,353 |
| CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $194,327 | $0 | $30,923 | $225,250 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $191,439 | $0 | $30,827 | $222,266 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, FINANCE Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,658 | $0 | $40,052 | $206,710 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $194,790 | $0 | $9,816 | $204,606 |
| DIRECTOR, IT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $132,398 | $0 | $39,056 | $171,454 |
14 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Himalayan Cataract Project (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.7M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b10 · 10 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2Yes
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 544
- Volunteers Part I, line 646
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| TRUBSHAW CUMBERLEGE Security services | $215,360 |
| BAMACON ENGINEERING PLC Construction firm | $129,042 |
| HARRIS MEDIA LLC Video production | $103,975 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
46 private foundations reported grants to Himalayan Cataract Project totaling $910K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Himalayan Cataract Project's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Himalayan Cataract Project, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Himalayan Cataract Project spent in 2025, $85.23 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in Vermont
Questions people ask
How much of Himalayan Cataract Project's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Himalayan Cataract Project reported that 85.2% of its $38.9 million in expenses went to program services, 11.3% to management and general and 3.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Himalayan Cataract Project pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Himalayan Cataract Project reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $379,795, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Himalayan Cataract Project get its money?
Of $39.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 82.9% came from contributions and grants (including 1.6% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Himalayan Cataract Project a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 03-0362926 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202602619349301410 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202532979349300418 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403129349302750 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202313139349305801 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202212279349301531 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202122239349300902 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202002059349300405 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 03-0362926: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.