PLATINUM2023

Friends for Sight

Saving Sight. Changing Lives.

Salt Lake City, UT   |  www.friendsforsight.org

Mission

Friends for Sight works passionately each day to save sight and change lives. We do this by providing free vision screenings, working to ensure that people of all ages and backgrounds have access to quality eye care, and disseminating information about eye safety, threats to vision, and available community resources.

Ruling year info

2002

Executive Director

Kate C. Edwards

Main address

6715 South 1300 East Suite 250

Salt Lake City, UT 84121 USA

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EIN

87-6126811

NTEE code info

Public Health Program (E70)

Health Support Services (E60)

Children's and Youth Services (P30)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

It is widely documented that vision plays a critical role in a child’s physical, mental, and social development. Uncorrected vision problems impair child development, interfere with learning, and can lead to permanent vision loss. To compound the problem, in a recent study published in the Journal of School Health, visual functioning is a strong predictor of academic performance in school-age children, and vision disorders of childhood continue to affect health and well-being throughout the adult years. Early detection and treatment is key; vision screening preschool aged children if the perfect time to assess vision issues before both academic and physical deficiencies become too much to overcome.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Preschool Vision Screening Program

Vision Screening preschool children throughout Utah before they enter Kindergarten.

Population(s) Served
Infants and toddlers

Vision Screen youth for social, athletic and academic success.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Vision Screen adults for visual acuity and glaucoma

Population(s) Served
Adults

Provide eye exams and glasses through our SightFest and Vision Clinics to those who qualify.

Population(s) Served
Children and youth

Where we work

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Total number of screenings held

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

People with vision impairments, Children and youth, Adults

Type of Metric

Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues

Direction of Success

Holding steady

Context Notes

The total number of people to receive a free vision services through Friends for Sight.

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

Our goal will be to continue increasing vision screening for all our programs throughout Utah, as well as provide vision care and resources to those in need through our Vision Clinic and SightFest Outreach program.

Friends for Sight relies on trained volunteers for all of its programs. We currently have 135 volunteers in Salt Lake, Ogden, St. George, Park City and Provo who screen preschool students, and an additional 176 volunteers for our Youth and Adult screenings. These volunteers come to us from all parts of our community, from current College and Medical Students from the University of Utah, and Pre-Optometry Students from Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University, to volunteers that have been with the program since its inception in 1955.

Friends for Sight relies on individual donations, foundations, companies, and significant support from our Board to fund our programs. We feel that we have a good model of diverse funding mechanisms in place.

Friends for Sight has been committed to preserving sight in the Utah community since 1955. Working with preschool, elementary and secondary schools, as well as businesses and community centers, Friends for Sight has screened over 1.5 million people to see a clearer, brighter future. Friends for Sight volunteers are trained annually to provide vision screenings for all ages – from Preschool students who are at a key age to determine the presence of Amblyopia or other visual defects before entering school, to adults who are screened for Visual Acuity and Glaucoma.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

Financials

Friends for Sight
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Friends for Sight

Board of directors
as of 04/10/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Lisa May

R&R Partners

Term: 2022 - 2023


Board co-chair

Mr. Shawn Newell

Waves Consulting

Term: 2022 - 2023

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 6/2/2022
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female

Race & ethnicity

No data

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

No data

Equity strategies

Last updated: 04/09/2021

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.