Kirchgessner Vision Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 68-0530356 · since 2003kirchgessnerfoundation.org·California, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$694k

Annual giving, 2023 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,000 to $49,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$30,000

Typical grant (median)

23 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Fixed application deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

If your organisation is a 501(c)(3) working in vision care or helping people with sight problems become self-sufficient, especially economically disadvantaged people, and is located in or serves Greater Los Angeles (Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties), the foundation fits your work, with Southern California as its priority.
Keep the request modest: about 8 in 10 of its 51 grants fall between $1,000 and $49,000, and half were $28,000 or less, though that band is typical rather than a ceiling, since its largest grant was about $125,000, to an organisation that regrants to others.
Start by emailing a Letter of Intent by 1 October each year, and only if invited should you submit a formal application by 1 February.
About 95% of its grant dollars in its latest filing went to organisations it had also funded in the previous filing, so it appears to be relationship-led, and an existing connection may count for more than a cold approach.
Do not apply if you are an individual, a private foundation, a political or lobbying organisation, seeking funds for a fundraising campaign, dinner or banquet, or not currently qualified as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3).

Overview

Kirchgessner Vision Foundation is a US private foundation based in Sherman Oaks, CA.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports tax-exempt organisations located in the Greater Los Angeles Region and actively providing services in the field of vision; organisations headquartered elsewhere may also apply if they serve the region. Its emphasis is vision care and helping people with sight problems become self-sufficient, with a particular focus on economically disadvantaged people, especially children. Typical applicants help blind and other vision-impaired people become self-sufficient. Grants may support specific projects or programmes, equipment for a project or programme, seed funding for new projects, or, more selectively, operating or general support. The Foundation gives particular attention to Southern California applicants and considers each application on its merits.

Themes

Vision care
Self-sufficiency for people with sight problems
Economically disadvantaged people

Geographic Focus

Greater Los Angeles Region: Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties in California. Priority: Southern California.

What They Don't Fund

Individuals
Private foundations, private operating foundations, or supporting organizations
Political or business lobbying organizations or campaigns
Fund-raising campaigns, dinners, banquets, etc
Grants to be used to influence legislation or to engage in political activities
Organizations that are neither located in nor providing services within the Greater Los Angeles Region
Organizations that are not currently qualified as tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3)

How to apply

Applicants first email a Letter of Intent. The Foundation assesses interest and, where it wishes to pursue the request, invites the applicant to submit a formal application.

Deadlines:

Letters of Intent are due by 1 October each year.
Invited formal applications are due by 1 February.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 95% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 51 grants to organisations were $28,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The Foundation considers the applicant’s stability, efficiency and performance history.
It considers the proposed grant’s focus and significance to the applicant’s operations.
It considers the capabilities and experience of the people responsible for implementation.
The Foundation considers whether the proposal complements similar grants and meets a demonstrated need.
It considers the extent of governmental, public or private support and the anticipated short- and long-term results.
It considers the anticipated results of the grant request.
It considers whether future financial support will be needed, including continued support from the Foundation, the community or other sources.
Projected overhead allocable to the grant must be reasonable, with complete information required before approval.
The Foundation may propose an on-site visit.
Grantees must provide interim progress reports and a final report.
Grant recipients are encouraged to send the Foundation newsletters and other communications regularly.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.

Grant dollars by state

California96%

New York4%

Iowa<1%

Louisiana<1%

Arizona<1%

District of Columbia<1%

1 other state: <1%

The largest single recipient received 17% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2023, 95% of grant dollars went to organisations Kirchgessner Vision Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
17% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

23 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $30,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 23 grants in tax year 2023 by size

Under $1k9%

$1k–$2.5k4%

$2.5k–$5k0%

$5k–$10k0%

$10k–$25k22%

$25k–$50k57%

$50k–$100k4%

$100k–$250k4%

Median $30,000 (tax year 2023)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

California Community Foundation · To work with ccf to support vision-related projects in the greater los angeles area
$122,0002023 tax year
Beyond Blindness · To expand its low vision clinic and community-wide vision screenings.
$50,0002023 tax year
Guide Dogs of America · Toward the training of guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired
$49,0002023 tax year
Blind Children's Center · For general operating support at the center during the upcoming 2024/2025 school year.
$40,0002023 tax year
Los Angeles City College Foundation · To employ tutors and a case manager all who are critical for the academic success of blind or visually impaired students pursuing higher education at the college while in-person services begin to resume at the college campus.
$37,2002023 tax year
Wayfinder Family Services · For continued support of wayfinders child development services (previously known as early intervention program (the program), which program assists approximately 500 infants and young children, ages 0-6, who have vision loss or multiple disabilities in southern california at no cost to their families.
$35,0002023 tax year
Marshall B Ketchum University · For continued support of the university's pediatric low vision program, and expand the scope of the program to provide underserved, pediatric patients with in-person comprehensive exams and care, as well as the low vision devices they need to successfully engage in daily activities.
$35,0002023 tax year
Braille Institute · For support of the institutes child development program in los angeles and orange counties during its 2024 fiscal year.
$35,0002023 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Dr Kathryn Parsa Od — Director
Dayne Crist — Director
Angeline Nguyen MD — Director
Kathryn Nelson Od — Director
Natalie Fleming — Director
Thomas C Lee MD — Director
Ralph Bliquez — Director
Elizabeth Murray — Director
Kathleen Mcgrath Kramer — Vice President / Treasurer / Secretary
Michael Kramer — President / Director
Alyssa Valles — Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

2 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$1,158,222	$764,851	$18,223,646	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$1,070,088	$694,150	$18,926,681	Filing for 2023 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.