Filkins Family Foundation

The Filkins Family Foundation has undergone one of the most dramatic philanthropic transformations in recent years. Founded in 1997 by the Filkins family — whose roots in eye care trace back to Dr. Jack Filkins founding Midwest Eye Care in Omaha in 1951 — the foundation operated for over two decades as a modest community grantmaker, distributing approximately $15,000 annually across 15 grants ranging from $500 to $10,000 to local causes including aging services, environmental organizations, and the University of Nebraska Foundation. In 2024, this changed dramatically: the foundation received $162.5 million in new contributions and pivoted its entire giving strategy toward global eye care and blindness prevention. The 2024 grants totaled $33.5 million, with two transformative awards: $20.6 million to the Himalayan Cataract Project for surgeries and equipment, and $10.1 million to Orbis International for treatment and prevention of blindness. This strategic shift reflects the Filkins family legacy in ophthalmology, converting decades of professional expertise into large-scale philanthropic investment targeting preventable blindness in developing countries across South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The foundation operates with zero paid staff, relying entirely on volunteer trustees who make funding decisions based on personal relationships and direct knowledge of the field.

The Filkins Family Foundation financial trajectory tells a story of two eras. From 1997 through 2023, the foundation maintained modest assets ($1-2 million) and made consistent but small grants — approximately 15 per year totaling $15,000-$50,000 annually. Recipients included the University of Nebraska Foundation ($1,880), Eye Tumor Research ($10,000), and For Gods Children ($500), reflecting a mix of education, medical research, and faith-based community interests in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area. The 2024 fiscal year represents a seismic shift: $162.5 million in new contributions (a 999% increase) catapulted total assets to $137.6 million, and total giving surged to $33.5 million. The vast majority of this giving — over $30.7 million — went to just two global eye care organizations. This concentration suggests the foundation has adopted a high-conviction, few-bets approach to philanthropy rather than spreading funds broadly. With $137.6 million in remaining assets and zero liabilities, the foundation has substantial capacity for continued large-scale giving. Whether this represents a one-time event or a permanent strategic reorientation will become clearer with future filings, but the alignment with the family ophthalmology background strongly suggests an enduring commitment to eye care philanthropy.

The Filkins Family Foundation is unique among eye care funders due to its recent transformation from a small community foundation to a major global health donor. Unlike established vision-focused funders such as the Seva Foundation or Fred Hollows Foundation, which have built decades of institutional infrastructure and open application processes, the Filkins Foundation operates with zero staff and purely trustee-directed giving. Its 2024 giving of $33.5 million places it in the same league as the Seva Foundation in terms of annual disbursements, but concentrated into just two grants rather than a diversified portfolio. The foundation most closely resembles other family foundations that have undergone late-stage capitalization events, converting private wealth into targeted philanthropic impact in a domain of family expertise.

The foundation 2024 fiscal year marks the most significant development in its 27-year history. After receiving $162.5 million in contributions — likely from a major wealth transfer, business sale, or estate event connected to the Filkins family Midwest Eye Care practice — the foundation awarded $33.5 million in grants, a roughly 2,000-fold increase over prior year giving. The two headline grants were: $20,612,152 to the Himalayan Cataract Project (also known as Cure Blindness Project), supporting cataract surgeries and medical equipment across Nepal, Bhutan, India, Ethiopia, and Ghana; and $10,080,930 to Orbis International, supporting their global programs in treatment and prevention of blindness, including their Flying Eye Hospital — a converted cargo plane that serves as a traveling teaching eye hospital. These two grants alone represent over 91% of the foundation total 2024 disbursements. The foundation website at filkins.org currently displays only a placeholder message ("I am Here...but not at the moment..."), suggesting either a redesign is underway or the family prefers to maintain a low public profile despite the massive increase in grantmaking activity. The foundation filed its 2024 Form 990-PF, which is publicly available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.

The Filkins Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and has no formal application process, making traditional grant application strategies inapplicable. However, organizations working in eye care and blindness prevention — the foundation new primary focus — can consider the following relationship-building approaches: (1) Connect through the ophthalmology professional network. The Filkins family roots in Midwest Eye Care (founded 1951) mean they are deeply embedded in the eye care community. Attending ASCRS, AAO, and other ophthalmology conferences where the family or their professional associates participate could create natural introductions. (2) Build relationships with current grantees. Both the Himalayan Cataract Project and Orbis International received massive awards in 2024, and organizations that collaborate with or complement these programs may come to the foundation attention through these partners. (3) Demonstrate measurable surgical outcomes and cost-effectiveness. The foundation two major grants focused on direct surgical interventions and equipment — suggesting a strong preference for programs that can quantify lives impacted per dollar spent, particularly cataract surgeries performed in underserved regions. (4) For organizations in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area, the foundation historically supported aging services, environment, and education with small grants of $500-$10,000. Local community organizations may still receive consideration, though the scale of giving has clearly shifted toward global eye care. (5) Board member outreach: John W. Filkins Sr., Nancy Davis, and Cathryn Abernathy serve as trustees, with Richard J. McMullen as Treasurer and Linda Shada as Secretary. All serve as volunteers with zero compensation, indicating personal passion drives their grantmaking decisions.