Fight for Sight

What Fight for Sight does

Fight for Sight (legally the British Eye Research Foundation) is a UK charity founded in 1965 and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Charity Number 1111438) as a company limited by guarantee. The charity funds pioneering ophthalmic research into the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of sight loss and delivers social impact programmes for people living with vision impairment. Its research portfolio spans a grant ladder from Small Grants (up to £15,000, 12 months) through Project Grants (up to £250,000, three years), PhD Studentships (£135,000–£143,000, four years), the UK Vision Research Network Doctoral Training Programme, MRC co-funded Clinical Research Training Fellowships, and Zakarian Awards for ophthalmologists, covering conditions including choroideremia, AMD, glaucoma, LHON, retinitis pigmentosa, and uveitis. Funded research has produced tangible outputs, including the world's first choroideremia gene therapy trial led by Nightstar Therapeutics (100+ patients across nine countries). The charity complements this research work with Social Change Grants to community organisations such as Metro Blind Sport, Bloomsbury Football Foundation, Sutton Vision, and Croydon Vision, plus educational programmes (the 'Fight for Sight Presents' webinar series, an A-Z Eye Conditions resource, and a podcast).

The business model is a diversified non-profit revenue stack with five primary streams: (1) one-off and recurring donations from individual supporters, including a Vision Circle monthly giving programme and suggested donation tiers from £3 to £100, (2) legacy gifts from wills, (3) a weekly charity lottery operated via third-party lottery agency CFP Lottery and Raffles Ltd, (4) retail income from a network of 32 London charity shops selling pre-loved goods with Gift Aid claimed through the Retail Gift Aid Scheme, and (5) co-funded research grants from joint partnerships with organisations including Glaucoma UK, Nystagmus Network, Esme's Umbrella, BIOS, DEBRA UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. Go-to-market is a direct-to-consumer fundraising motion with multi-channel donor acquisition (website and telephone donations, challenge events through Virgin London Marathon and Great Run Company, social media across Facebook, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram, and third-party fundraising platforms including JustGiving, Virgin Money Giving, and Enthuse). Primary customer segments are individual donors and fundraisers, researchers and universities receiving grants, and beneficiary communities (people with vision loss and their families); secondary segments are healthcare and social-care providers receiving Social Change Grants. Annual revenue is not publicly disclosed in the available source material.

The organisation is led by CEO Sherine Krause, with Director of Research and Innovation Madina Kara and Director of Social Impact Eleanor Southwood forming the senior leadership team, reflecting a two-pillar strategy of scientific funding and social change. Fight for Sight is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC) and operates from a registered office at 50 Leman Street, London E1 8HQ with a workforce of 11–50 employees, retailing and fundraising across the United Kingdom.

Name

Fight for Sight

Legal name

British Eye Research Foundation

Website

https://fightforsight.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK charity funding pioneering eye research grants and social impact programmes for people with vision loss, operating a £30M five-year research investment plan, a London charity-shop network, a weekly lottery, and recurring-giving programmes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Eye Research Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Disease-Specific Research & Support (e.g., Cancer, Diabetes, ALS) (BPAGACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Eye research funding
• Sight loss charity
• Ophthalmic research grants
• Vision loss support
• Charitable fundraising programs

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Fight for Sight raises funds through one-time and recurring donations from individual supporters, community fundraising events, challenge events (marathons, cycling), and corporate partnerships. The organization also runs a lottery program and accepts legacy gifts.
2. Charity Lottery: Fight for Sight operates a weekly lottery as a sustainable fundraising mechanism.
3. Retail Gift Aid Scheme: The charity operates 32 charity shops across London. Through the Retail Gift Aid Scheme (RGAS), they collect donated items to sell, claiming Gift Aid on proceeds from UK taxpayers.
4. Legacy Giving: The organization receives legacy income from supporters who leave gifts in their wills, which is vital to the running of the charity.
5. Research Grants: Fight for Sight funds research through project grants, PhD studentships, small grants, and co-funded partnerships with other organizations including Glaucoma UK, Nystagmus Network, Esme's Umbrella, BIOS, and DEBRA UK.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fight for Sight is a UK-registered charity (British Eye Research Foundation) that funds scientific research into the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of eye disease, and runs social impact programs for people living with vision loss. It generates income through individual donations, a charity lottery, legacy giving, and a network of 32 charity shops in London, and channels those funds into research grants, PhD studentships, fellowships, and social change grants awarded to UK researchers, clinicians, and community organizations.

Product overview

Fight for Sight is a UK-based charity focused on funding research breakthroughs and social change to save sight and change lives. The organization operates a portfolio of research funding programs including Project Grants (up to £250,000 for clinical or non-clinical stand-alone research), PhD Studentships, Small Grants (pilot funding up to £15,000), Zakarian Awards (up to £25,000 for ophthalmologists), and the UK Vision Research Network Doctoral Training Programme. These are delivered alongside Social Change Grants supporting social impact projects. The organization also runs fundraising programs including a lottery, Vision Circle monthly giving, Retail Gift Aid Scheme, and a network of charity shops. Their digital presence includes their main website providing information about eye conditions (A-Z Eye Conditions resource), funding opportunities, ways to get involved, and webinar content through their 'Fight for Sight Presents' series.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project Grants Stand-alone research project funding of up to £250,000 for up to three years, supporting clinical or non-clinical vision research into any eye condition causing sight loss. Open to ophthalmic researchers and clinician scientists at UK institutions.
• PhD Studentships Doctoral training funding of up to £135,000 outside London or £143,000 in London for up to four years, aimed at developing talented graduates in ophthalmic and vision research at UK universities.
• Small Grants Pilot research funding of up to £15,000 for up to one year, enabling researchers to gather preliminary data to make their research ideas more competitive for larger follow-on funding. Frequently co-funded with partners including Glaucoma UK, Nystagmus Network, Esme's Umbrella, BIOS, and DEBRA UK.
• Zakarian Awards Research grants of up to £25,000 for up to one year, available to members of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists to undertake ophthalmic and vision research, with funding administered jointly with the College.
• UK Vision Research Network Doctoral Training Programme Collaborative PhD program offering co-supervised doctoral training across UK institutions, with funding up to £163,000 (London) or £155,000 (elsewhere), focused on the molecular and cellular basis of retinal degeneration.
• MRC/Fight for Sight Clinical Research Training Fellowship Co-funded fellowship with the Medical Research Council that covers 100% of justified costs for three years for clinically qualified ophthalmology professionals who need to register for a research degree (typically a PhD). Applications invited three times a year.
• Social Change Grants Grant funding awarded to local sight loss charities and community organisations for social impact projects that improve accessibility, technology confidence, befriending services, and community participation for visually impaired people across the UK.
• Fight for Sight Lottery A weekly charity lottery operated by Fight for Sight, run in partnership with lottery agency CFP Lottery and Raffles Ltd, providing a recurring income stream to fund eye research.
• Vision Circle A monthly regular giving program through which supporters make recurring donations to fund sustainable research projects and social change initiatives, with suggested giving tiers ranging from £3 to £100+ per month.
• Fight for Sight Charity Shops A retail network of 32 charity shops located on London high streets (plus an online shop) that sell pre-loved clothing, books, and accessories, generating trading income for the charity and offering volunteering opportunities.
• Retail Gift Aid Scheme An HMRC-compliant scheme enabling members of the public to donate goods for sale through Fight for Sight's charity shops, with Gift Aid reclaimed on the proceeds to maximise the value of each donation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Funding research leading to world's first choroideremia gene therapy trial showing safety and benefits in slowing or stopping sight loss in patients
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Metro Blind SportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Charity providing sports activities for visually impaired people. Supported through Social Change grants. Featured in Fight for Sight Presents webinar on the power of sport for vision loss.
• Bloomsbury Football FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Organization providing Blind and Partially Sighted Football Programme with weekly training and annual festivals. Supported through Social Change grants. Featured in Fight for Sight Presents webinar.
• DEBRA UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026First-time collaboration to fund research into Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa (JEB), a genetic condition causing blistering on the skin and eye surface. The co-funded study aims to create a testing platform for drug and gene therapies to protect against vision loss in JEB patients.
• MoorVisionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Charity providing information, advice, support, advocacy, training, and activities for families of children with vision impairment in Devon and Cornwall. Featured in SEND crisis webinar.
• Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Charity providing education and support for blind children. Executive Principal Josie Grainger-Francova participated in Fight for Sight webinar on SEND crisis.
• Special Needs JungleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Parent-led volunteer organization providing SEND news and strategic advocacy. Co-director Gillian Doherty participated in Fight for Sight webinar on SEND crisis.
• Sutton VisioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2025Local sight loss charity providing social connection programs for over 50 years. Funded through Social Change grants for 'network of friends' programme combating isolation. 92% of members report feeling less isolated.
• Glaucoma UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partnership for Small Grant Awards supporting glaucoma research. Jointly funding research projects including studies on secondary glaucoma in children, cell transplantation for glaucoma treatment, and optic nerve head investigation.
• Nystagmus NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partnership for Small Grant Awards supporting nystagmus research. Jointly funding research on computer-based treatment approaches for nystagmus and experimental models for infantile nystagmus.
• Esme's UmbrellacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partnership for Small Grant Awards focused on Charles Bonnet Syndrome research. Jointly funding research on educational tools and self-management strategies for patients experiencing visual hallucinations.
• BIOS (British and Irish Orthoptics Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partnership for Small Grant Awards supporting orthoptic research. Jointly funding research including cognitive screening test adaptations for stroke survivors with visual difficulties.
• Royal College of OphthalmologistscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Zakarian Awards enabling ophthalmologists to conduct research. Funding of £46,150 awarded to three researchers in 2025/2026 for AI and imaging projects in eye health.
• Medical Research Council (MRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for MRC/Fight for Sight Clinical Research Training Fellowship for clinically qualified ophthalmology professionals requiring registration for a PhD. Applications invited three times yearly.
• Croydon VisionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization celebrating 100 years of supporting blind and visually impaired people in Croydon. Funded by Fight for Sight to provide services and community programs.
• Nightstar TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGene therapy spin-out company from University of Oxford and Syncona leading the international choroideremia gene therapy trial. Research initially funded by Fight for Sight.
• GallowaysminorOthersLocal sight loss charity that introduced Harvey Brookfield to adaptive sports and support services after his LHON diagnosis.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• British Heart Foundation: The BHF is a major UK medical research charity with a large retail shop network and broad donor base, directly comparable in operational model (research funding + charity shops) though focused on cardiovascular disease.
• Wellcome Trust: Wellcome is one of the world's largest charitable foundations funding biomedical research, including eye and vision science. It is a much larger incumbent with overlapping research priorities and co-funding influence.
• Cancer Research UK: Cancer Research UK is the UK's largest medical research charity and a member of AMRC. It competes for general medical research donors, challenge event participants, and legacy gifts that might otherwise go to Fight for Sight.

Direct peers

• Sightsavers: Sightsavers is an international NGO focused on preventing avoidable blindness and supporting people with visual impairments in low-income countries. It overlaps with Fight for Sight on mission and donor audience.
• Macular Society: The Macular Society funds research specifically into macular disease (including AMD, a core Fight for Sight condition) and supports affected patients in the UK. It is a focused competitor for AMD-specific donations and research grants.
• Glaucoma UK: Glaucoma UK funds research and supports glaucoma patients, and is already a co-funding partner of Fight for Sight. It is a close peer in funding mechanism, patient support, and disease focus.
• Moorfields Eye Charity: Moorfields Eye Charity funds research and clinical innovation at Moorfields Eye Hospital, one of the world's leading ophthalmic institutions. It is a direct comparator in the UK eye research funding category.
• Retina UK: Retina UK funds research into inherited retinal conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa, overlapping directly with Fight for Sight's inherited eye disease research portfolio.
• Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB): RNIB is the UK's largest charity for people with sight loss, offering advice, support, and campaigning alongside funding some research. It directly overlaps with Fight for Sight's mission to improve outcomes for visually impaired people in the UK.
• Guide Dogs (UK): Guide Dogs UK is a major sight loss charity providing mobility services and funding research into eye disease. It competes with Fight for Sight for UK sight-loss donors and events.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fightforsightUK
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/FightforSightUK
• Facebookfacebook.com/fightforsightuk
• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/fight-for-sight_2
• Instagraminstagram.com/fightforsightuk/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Fight for Sight