SEVA Foundation

What SEVA Foundation does

Seva Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, that delivers eye care services to underserved populations across more than 20 countries. Its work spans 131 Primary Eye Care Vision Centers (45 of them established in 2025), Eye Camps in remote areas, and long-standing partnerships with hospitals such as Aravind Eye Hospital in India, KCCO in Africa, Visualiza in Guatemala, and Fundación Visión in Paraguay. The organization prioritizes women and girls (who represent two-thirds of the world's blind), children, indigenous communities, and rural populations in developing countries, where approximately 90% of visual impairment is concentrated. The leadership team of 11-50 HQ employees is complemented by Country Directors in Cambodia and Nepal, and operational field staff across Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

The core technology stack includes electronic medical records/management systems deployed in more than 20 partner hospitals in India, telemedicine platforms supporting eye care for Native American communities in geographically isolated US states, and the Seva InSight e-learning platform with over 1,300 user accounts that has supported training of 18,941 clinicians cumulatively since 2017. Seva's Global Sight Initiative model relies on trained paraprofessionals to handle primary care so that ophthalmologists can focus on complex procedures, reducing cataract surgery cost to approximately $50 per case and enabling intervention at the bottom of the pyramid. Major program verticals include the Sight for 1 Million Children initiative (delivered with MODO eyewear, 1.7 million children screened), Guatemala Brillando (eliminating avoidable blindness in Guatemala and Paraguay within five years), and Native American Vision serving nine US states.

Revenue is entirely donation-driven with no fees charged for services. Streams include one-time and monthly recurring individual donations (Circle of Sharing at $20-$200/month), the Gifts of Sight catalog (e.g., $50 cataract surgery, $15 glasses, $1,500 eye camp sponsorship), corporate cause-marketing partnerships (TOMS through 2023, MODO, Bio Eyes), and legacy giving via FreeWill (bequests, IRA rollovers, stock transfers, DAF, cryptocurrency). Distribution is a hybrid of direct-to-consumer fundraising across web, phone, mail, email, benefit concerts, and house parties, paired with channel partners and in-country hospital/NGO operators. Corporate infrastructure support comes from Google, AWS, and Blackbaud (payment processing). Notable co-founders include Dr. Larry Brilliant and Dr. Girija Brilliant; current leadership includes CEO/Executive Director Kate Moynihan and Chief Medical Director Dr. Chundak Tenzing.

Name

SEVA Foundation

Legal name

Seva Foundation

Website

https://seva.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Seva Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, that restores and preserves sight for underserved populations in more than 20 countries through 131+ Vision Centers, eye camps, and partnerships with local hospitals serving women, children, and indigenous communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Eye Care Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Offices of Optometrists (62132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Research, Evidence & Technical Assistance Organizations (HLAJAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG)

Keywords

• Eye care services
• Blindness prevention programs
• Vision centers
• Cataract surgery programs
• Global eye health

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual donors via website, phone, mail, and monthly giving program (Circle of Sharing). Donation tiers range from $25 to $1,000+.
2. Gifts of Sight Catalog: Tribute gift cards and merchandise sales where donors purchase gift packages that provide eye care services (e.g., $50 cataract surgery, $15 glasses and medicine).
3. Corporate Partnerships: Cause marketing partnerships with eyewear companies (TOMS, MODO, Bio Eyes) where percentage of sales or in-kind donations support Seva programs.
4. Legacy Giving: Planned giving options including bequests, IRA rollovers, stock transfers, and donor-advised fund contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Seva Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers comprehensive eye care services—including cataract surgery, vision correction, glasses, and blindness prevention—through a network of 131+ self-sustaining vision centers, partner hospitals, and mobile eye camps operating in more than 20 countries. The foundation funds and builds local capacity by training local ophthalmologists, optometrists, and community health workers, and uses evidence-based programs such as the Global Sight Initiative to create financially sustainable eye care ecosystems serving underserved populations.

Product overview

SEVA Foundation is a global nonprofit eye care organization that transforms lives by restoring sight and preventing blindness. The organization operates as a program-based nonprofit with a portfolio of interconnected services: the core Gifts of Sight catalog and Online Donation Platform enable direct charitable contributions, while Vision Centers and Eye Camps provide the actual eye care delivery. Program initiatives including Sight for 1 Million Children (pediatric), Guatemala Brillando (country-specific), Native American Vision (indigenous communities), and partnership programs with TOMS and MODO extend reach globally. The Seva InSight e-learning platform supports training for eye care professionals. Since 1978, Seva has provided surgeries, eyeglasses, medicine, and other eye care services to 72 million people in more than 20 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gifts of Sight: A gift catalog program allowing donors to give sight-saving donations in honor or memory of loved ones, featuring cards for various donation levels.
• Circle of Sharing
• Native American Vision
• Guatemala Brillando

Products and services

• Cataract Surgery Services Low-cost cataract surgery (funded at approximately $50 per procedure) delivered through partner hospitals and vision centers in more than 20 countries, restoring sight to patients suffering from preventable blindness.
• Vision Centers Network A network of 131+ self-sustaining community-based vision centers providing primary eye care, vision correction, glasses, and referral services to underserved populations across more than 20 countries.
• Eye Camps Mobile outreach eye camps that deliver screening, basic treatment, and surgical services to remote and underserved communities that lack access to permanent eye care facilities.
• Sight for 1 Million Children A dedicated children's eye health program focused on vision screening and treatment for school-age children, addressing pediatric vision impairment and refractive error at scale.
• Guatemala Brillando A country-specific eye care program delivering vision services and blindness prevention in Guatemala through local partner hospitals and community outreach.
• Native American Vision A US-based eye care program providing vision services and blindness prevention for Native American communities, who experience disproportionately high rates of visual impairment.
• Global Sight Initiative Seva's flagship training and capacity-building program that develops local eye care professionals, strengthens institutions, and builds financially sustainable eye care systems in low- and middle-income countries.
• Seva InSight An e-learning and knowledge-sharing platform that delivers training curricula, clinical resources, and professional development content to eye care workers across Seva's global network.
• Circle of Sharing Monthly Giving A recurring monthly giving program that lets individual donors provide sustained, predictable funding to Seva's eye care programs worldwide.
• Gifts of Sight Donation Catalog A tiered donation catalog offering symbolic gifts (such as funding cataract surgery, glasses, or vision center support) at preset amounts, available for individual donors and tribute/honor gifts.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72 million people provided with eye care services since 1978
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• TOMSflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2011TOMS Sight Giving Partner from 2011-2023. Each pair of TOMS eyewear purchased supports sight-saving services (surgery, eyeglasses, medical treatment) for someone in need through Seva's programs. Partnership provided over 780,000 people with critical eye care services. Funded vision centers in Paraguay, Guatemala, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, and Nepal.
• MODO EyewearcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBuy a Frame Help a Child to See program. MODO's eco-friendly eyewear sales support Seva's pediatric eye care. Together provided screening and eye care to 1.7 million children. Program includes school vision screenings, optometrist exams, and free prescription glasses or treatments.
• Bio EyesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEco-friendly eyewear brand where sales support Seva's efforts to screen 200,000 school children in India through Buy a Frame Help a Child to See program.
• Aravind Eye HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding Seva partner in India. Lumbini Eye Institute and Bharatpur Eye Institute were established with Seva's help. Long-term collaboration in eliminating avoidable blindness through sustainable eye care programs.
• Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology (KCCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest organization in Africa dedicated to reducing blindness through community ophthalmology training. KCCO radically expands training programs, develops community service projects, and provides consulting to local eye care programs throughout Africa.
• VisualizacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeva's partner hospital in Guatemala providing eye care services. Trains teachers for school vision screening programs and provides comprehensive eye care to underserved Guatemalan communities.
• Fundación VisióncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeva's partner in Paraguay that found and treated young Sabino for congenital cataracts. Provides outreach eye care services supported by TOMS partnership funding.
• Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing care to over 20,000 Native American patients in central Oklahoma. Expanded capacity for treatment by 33% through Seva partnership, enabling new services including contact lenses.
• Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute & HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with TOMS and Seva in 2020 to establish two new vision centers in Bangladesh on remote islands of Rangabali and Mehendiganj, serving a population of over 150,000.
• Singida Regional Eye HospitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEye department in central Tanzania supporting Dr. Kuzenza, the lone ophthalmologist serving 1.3 million people in Singida Region. Seva provides infrastructure and support to extend eye care services.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter listed on business supporters page
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter providing technology infrastructure support

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Orbis International: Orbis International is a global nonprofit focused on preventing and treating avoidable blindness through its Flying Eye Hospital, hospital partnerships, and training programs. It is the most direct peer to Seva: comparable mission, target populations, country footprint, and training-led delivery model.
• The Fred Hollows Foundation: The Fred Hollows Foundation is an Australia-based nonprofit restoring sight in more than 25 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. It has a comparable programmatic model (workforce training, hospital partnerships, low-cost cataract surgery) and overlapping partner networks.
• Light for the World: Light for the World is an Austria-based disability and eye health INGO working across Africa, Asia, and Latin America on cataract surgery, refractive error, and inclusive eye care. It shares Seva's geographic footprint, partner-hospital model, and emphasis on training local personnel.
• OneSight: OneSight is a nonprofit vision care organization operating sustainable vision centers and conducting charitable clinics globally. It overlaps directly with Seva on vision-center delivery, eyewear dispensing, and a similar mix of US-domestic and developing-country programs.
• Cure Blindness Project (Himalayan Cataract Project): Cure Blindness Project is a US-based nonprofit founded in 1995 that performs high-volume cataract surgery in low- and middle-income countries (notably Nepal, Ethiopia, Ghana) and trains local eye care teams. It mirrors Seva's mission, geographic focus, and surgical-volume strategy.
• Brien Holden Vision Institute / BHVI Foundation: BHVI Foundation is a global nonprofit focused on refractive error and vision care in underserved communities, with a strong training and research orientation. It is comparable to Seva on the workforce-development and sustainable-clinic dimensions of the eye care mission.

Broad incumbents

• Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF): LCIF's SightFirst program is one of the largest global initiatives to combat blindness, funding eye care infrastructure and cataract surgeries worldwide. It is a much larger, longer-established incumbent in the same vision-restoration category and frequently co-funds or co-implements with Seva-style organizations.
• Partners In Health: Partners In Health is a large global health nonprofit delivering comprehensive care (including ophthalmology) in resource-poor settings via partner hospitals and community health workers. It is broader in scope than Seva but comparable in delivery model, country footprint, and reliance on public-sector partnerships.
• BRAC USA: BRAC operates one of the largest nonprofit development programs in the world, including significant eye health programming in Bangladesh and other countries where Seva works. It is comparable as a large global health and development INGO with overlapping geography.

Emerging players

• Aravind Eye Care System: Aravind Eye Care System is a Seva founding partner and the world's largest eye care provider, operating hospitals, training programs, and supply-chain manufacturing for intraocular lenses. It is comparable as a high-volume, low-cost eye care delivery model and is both a Seva partner and a peer in the broader eye care ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/sevafoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/seva.foundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seva-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/sevafoundation
• Xx.com/seva_foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SEVA Foundation