We are the Vision Foundation – Vision Foundation
x

We are the Vision Foundation.

London’s leading sight loss charity, supporting the city’s best projects for blind and partially sighted people.

group picture of Vision Foundation staff in matching blue t-shirts

More than £30m distributed so far.

In 1921 The Greater London Fund for the Blind was set up to support and give a voice to blind and partially sighted people across London. Today we’re called The Vision Foundation and we’re still transforming lives.

We’ve distributed more than £30m to sight loss organisations that work to inform, include and empower London’s visually impaired community. Empowerment is at the heart of what we do; our work focuses on what people can do, rather than what they can’t.

Our Vision

Our Vision

A future where people living with sight loss are equal citizens and preventable blindness is a thing of the past.

Our Mission

To make London a shining example of a sight loss aware city.

Our Purpose

To transform the lives of people facing or living with sight loss by funding projects which inform, empower and include.

Our Values

Our values reinforce everything we do. They shape the way we work and the culture we endeavour to instil.

We collaborate.

The problems we seek to address are complex – no one organisation can do it alone. We wish to learn and share knowledge, combine skillsets and expertise, amplify impact and enable innovation.

We empower.

It is individuals with sight loss who have the insight, skills and experience to identify the most important issues, influence others, and bring about lasting change.

We work intelligently.

The issue of sight loss spans research, health, stigma, employment, culture, sport, transport, safety, economics, equality and more. Without an intelligent, evidence-based approach, our efforts will not be focussed to bring about the greatest impact.

We are courageous.

Sight loss is a growing, urgent problem. Every day, people needlessly lose their sight for life. Every day, people unfairly miss out on opportunities. Every day, people face abuse, disregard, isolation, poverty and depression. We must be brave today to bring about a brighter tomorrow.

Our Strategy

Everything we do is driven by the hopes, fears and lived experiences of the people our work supports. As such our strategy has been put together with extensive input from our staff, trustees, volunteers and supporters, as well as the wider sight loss sector.

This strategy is designed to be a framework for achieving our goals, and provide clarity about how and what is to be done, while allowing space to respond to change.

It is ambitious and audacious, but also achievable and auditable. And it is built with the ability to be scalable – such that we can accelerate, or slow down activity based on funding and opportunity.

Read our strategy in full…

Vision Foundation Strategy 2019-2024 – PDF document (3320kb)

Read the complete version of our Vision Foundation Strategy 2019 – 2024.

Vision Foundation Strategy 2019-2024 – Accessible Word version (34kb)

Read the complete version of our Vision Foundation Strategy 2019 – 2024.

Our Theory of Change

We have worked hard to develop a Theory of Change to set out the change we want to see in society and the methods we will take to achieve this. The diagram and narrative documents below lay out our approach.

Vision Foundation Theory of Change flow chart diagram

 

Download our Theory of Change diagram

Vision Foundation Theory of Change Plain Text 2019

Read the accessible plain text version of our Vision Foundation Theory of Change

Vision Foundation – Theory of Change Narrative2019

Read the full narrative version of our Vision Foundation Theory of Change

Our Finances

We receive funding from a mixed model of fundraising ranging from individuals, philanthropists, trusts and foundations and UK companies. Much of what we do would not be possible without the invaluable hours our incredible volunteers give each month.

Without this support, your generous donations and innovative fundraising, we would not be able to support the vital projects and activities which make such a positive impact to people’s lives. Please continue to donate and read our annual accounts to find out more about our funding and how we are making a difference to blind and partially-sighted people throughout London.

Vision Foundation Annual accounts 2019/20 (PDF)

Vision Foundation Annual accounts 2018/19 (PDF)

Greater London Fund for the Blind Annual Accounts 2017/18 (PDF)

Greater London Fund for the Blind Annual Accounts 2016/17 (PDF)

Changing lives and saving sight

Read more about the work we do and why we exist. Download PDF of our booklet: changing lives and saving sight