Alcon Cares Inc. is sharply focused on funding faith-aligned medical mission work, with a heavy emphasis on vision and ophthalmic surgical programs that deliver care in low-resource settings. Their grants overwhelmingly support a small set of specialist NGOs that run surgical expeditions and ship hospital capacity overseas, indicating programmatic rather than general charity giving.
Highly concentrated giving: a very small number of large grants to a handful of specialist medical-mission organizations, including repeat support for the same grantees; funds are targeted to program delivery (surgical missions) rather than broad institutional support.
Alcon Cares Inc. gives at scale to faith-aligned medical mission organizations that deliver eye care and surgical services in low-resource settings. The largest recent grant in the file went to Surgical Eye Expeditions International Inc in Goleta, California, for $909,835 in 2025, showing the size of support the foundation can direct to a single specialist grantee. Another major 2025 grant, $579,684 to Christian Ophthalmic Surgery Expedition Network in Amarillo, Texas, points to a sustained emphasis on ophthalmic surgery and expedition-style care. The grant record is dominated by medical missions, especially programs that send clinical teams, surgical volunteers, and equipment into communities lacking local infrastructure. Several recurring recipients appear more than once across the file, including Christian Ophthalmic Surgery Expedition Network, Surgical Eye Expeditions, Medical Ministry International US, Eye for God Ministries, and Mercy Ships-related organizations. Together, those grants suggest a funder that prefers project-based support for direct patient care rather than broad general operating philanthropy.
A clear theme is global eye care delivered through surgical outreach. In 2025, Alcon Cares Inc. gave $113,041 to Project Orbis International Inc in New York for medical missions, and $45,613 to International Vision Volunteers in Ladera Ranch for the same purpose. The foundation also backs faith-based medical mission organizations, including $47,294 to Luke Commission Inc in Sagle, Idaho, and $40,093 to Benevolent Missions International in Kingwood, Texas. Equipment support appears as well: Surgical Eye Expeditions received $32,626 in 2023 for charitable equipment donations. The record also includes grants to groups such as United Service to Africa in Loma Linda and Hospital De La Familia in Berkeley, indicating support for mission-driven health delivery beyond a single operator.
Typical grants are modest, with a p25 of $780, a median of $2,730, and a p75 of $13,296. The file also shows a long tail of very large project grants, including awards above $500,000 and many awards in the tens of thousands. Several organizations recur across multiple years, including Surgical Eye Expeditions, Christian Ophthalmic Surgery Expedition Network, Medical Ministry International US, Eye for God Ministries, and Mercy Ships-related entities, which points to repeat project support rather than one-off giving only. The foundation is not a private grantmaker to individuals and makes no program-related investments. The records also show a mix of direct medical-mission grants and occasional equipment donations.
$3.1M
$0
$3.1M
$3.1M
Most grants fall between $780 and $13K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$780
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$13K
Top 5 recipient countries by grant volume for Alcon Cares.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 417 | $7.7M | 97.2% |
| 2 | Vietnam | 6 |
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Notable grantees: Surgical Eye Expeditions International (SEE International), Christian Ophthalmic Surgery Expedition Network, Mercy Ships Foundation, Guerrero Crystal Foundation Inc.
Giving is national, but the recipient map is weighted toward the US: 263 grants, or 98.1%, went to U.S.-based organizations. California appears most often among recipient locations, with grantees in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Ladera Ranch, Loma Linda, Newport Beach, Berkeley, Milpitas, and Toluca Lake. Texas is also prominent, with recipients in Amarillo, Lindale, Lake Jackson, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and Kingwood. Outside the US, the file includes a small number of grants connected to Vietnam, Nepal, and Madagascar.
The grants center on medical missions, especially ophthalmic surgical outreach and faith-based health work. Recent recipients include specialist groups running expedition-style eye care, medical volunteer programs, and charitable equipment donations for direct patient care in low-resource settings.
The distribution is small at the center and much larger at the top end: p25 is $780, median is $2,730, and p75 is $13,296. The file also includes several very large project grants, including awards above $500,000.
Yes. The grant record includes repeat recipients across multiple years, including Surgical Eye Expeditions, Christian Ophthalmic Surgery Expedition Network, Medical Ministry International US, Eye for God Ministries, and Mercy Ships-related organizations.
Most grants go to U.S.-based recipients: 263 grants, or 98.1%, are in the US. California is the top recipient state by grant count, followed by Texas as another major cluster of recipients.
In 2023, Surgical Eye Expeditions received $32,626 for charitable equipment donations. That sits alongside the foundation's broader pattern of supporting medical-mission organizations that combine clinical outreach with shipped or donated equipment.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| $108K |
1.4% |
| 3 | Kenya | 2 | $40K | 0.5% |
| 4 | Nepal | 2 | $36K | 0.5% |
| 5 | Mongolia | 2 | $36K | 0.5% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SURGICAL EYE EXPEDITIONS INTERNATIONAL INC | GOLETA, CA | $909,835 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| CHRISTIAN OPHTHALMIC SURGERY EXPEDITION NETWORK | AMARILLO, TX | $579,684 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| MERCY SHIPS FOUNDATION | LINDALE, TX | $227,915 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| GUERRERO CRYSTAL FOUNDATION INC | LAKE JACKSON, TX | $179,941 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| MEDICAL MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL US | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $132,552 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| PROJECT ORBIS INTERNATIONAL INC | NEW YORK, NY | $113,041 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| EYE FOR GOD MINISTRIES | GRANT, AL | $62,735 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| LIGA INTERNATIONAL INC | TOLUCA LAKE, CA | $48,108 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| LUKE COMMISSION INC | SAGLE, ID | $47,294 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| HELP IS ON THE WAY MINISTRIES | MILPITAS, CA | $47,262 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| INTERNATIONAL VISION VOLUNTEERS | LADERA RANCH, CA | $45,613 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| BENEVOLENT MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL | KINGWOOD, TX | $40,093 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| I CARE SAN ANTONIO INC | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $37,847 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| CHILDRENS SURGICAL CENTRE | KODIAK, AK | $37,633 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| SOUTHERN EYE INSTITUTE | MEMPHIS, TN | $33,134 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| ONE WORLD GLOBAL HEALTH NETWORK | SARASOTA, FL | $22,844 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| UNITED SERVICE TO AFRICA | LOMA LINDA, CA | $20,880 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| VISION CARE USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,858 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| THE ARMENIAN EYECARE PROJECT | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $20,642 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| WORLD GOSPEL MISSION | MARION, IN | $19,627 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| HOPE FOR THE BLIND | BULLARD, TX | $16,990 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| JAMAICA PROJECT USA INC | DULUTH, GA | $16,795 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| HEALTH IN SIGHT MINISTRY OF ROATAN | VIENNA, VA | $16,570 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| VISION OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL INC | SAINT JOSEPH, MI | $14,109 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| HEALTH TALENTS INTERNATIONAL INC | SEARCY, AR | $13,911 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| VOLUNTEER HEALTH PROGRAM LTD | PORT CHESTER, NY | $13,580 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| SIGHT ORG | TYLER, TX | $13,457 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| CHRISTIAN EYE MINISTRY | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $12,973 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| CENTRAL GLOBAL VISION FUND | MILBANK, SD | $12,902 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| SGUSOM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INC | LONG ISLAND CITY, NY | $12,584 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| BLINDNESS FOUNDATION | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $12,581 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| WORLD BLINDNESS OUTREACH INC | LEBANON, PA | $11,646 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $11,637 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| MEXICO MEDICAL MISSIONS | HOUSTON, TX | $11,489 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| HEALING GUATEMALA | DULUTH, GA | $10,987 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| HELPS INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED | DALLAS, TX | $10,956 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| INTERNATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE INC | COEUR DALENE, ID | $10,800 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| MISSION FLIGHT | EL MONTE, CA | $10,577 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| CORNERSTONE ASSISTANCE NETWORK INC | FORT WORTH, TX | $10,252 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY INC | LISLE, IL | $10,130 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| HUMANITY FIRST USA | BALTIMORE, MD | $9,318 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| LIGHTHOUSE FOR CHRIST MISSION | PARIS, TX | $8,514 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| EYE HEALTH INSTITUTE INC | BOULDER, CO | $7,584 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| LOS GATOS ROTARY CHARITIES FOUNDATION | LOS GATOS, CA | $7,319 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| EYE CARE GAMBIA | MIAMI LAKES, FL | $7,246 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| GLOBAL HOMM | HERNDON, VA | $6,799 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| MEXICAN INDIAN TRAINING CENTER INC | SHREVEPORT, LA | $6,725 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| VISION CARE SERVICE WEST | LOS ANGELES, CA | $6,254 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| HIS SERVANTS MINISTRIES INC | SOMEREST, KY | $6,048 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
| CENTRAL AMERICAN MEDICAL OUTREACH INC | ORVILLE, OH | $6,041 | 2025 | MEDICAL MISSIONS |
CHRISTIAN OPHTHALMIC SURGERY EXPEDITION NETWORK
$579,684MEDICAL MISSIONS
GUERRERO CRYSTAL FOUNDATION INC
$179,941MEDICAL MISSIONS
MEDICAL MISSIONS
EYE FOR GOD MINISTRIES
$62,735MEDICAL MISSIONS
LIGA INTERNATIONAL INC
$48,108MEDICAL MISSIONS
LUKE COMMISSION INC
$47,294MEDICAL MISSIONS
HELP IS ON THE WAY MINISTRIES
$47,262MEDICAL MISSIONS
INTERNATIONAL VISION VOLUNTEERS
$45,613MEDICAL MISSIONS
BENEVOLENT MISSIONS INTERNATIONAL
$40,093MEDICAL MISSIONS
CHILDRENS SURGICAL CENTRE
$37,633MEDICAL MISSIONS
SOUTHERN EYE INSTITUTE
$33,134MEDICAL MISSIONS
ONE WORLD GLOBAL HEALTH NETWORK
$22,844MEDICAL MISSIONS
UNITED SERVICE TO AFRICA
$20,880MEDICAL MISSIONS
VISION CARE USA INC
$20,858MEDICAL MISSIONS
THE ARMENIAN EYECARE PROJECT
$20,642MEDICAL MISSIONS
WORLD GOSPEL MISSION
$19,627MEDICAL MISSIONS
HOPE FOR THE BLIND
$16,990MEDICAL MISSIONS
JAMAICA PROJECT USA INC
$16,795MEDICAL MISSIONS
HEALTH IN SIGHT MINISTRY OF ROATAN
$16,570MEDICAL MISSIONS
VISION OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL INC
$14,109MEDICAL MISSIONS
VOLUNTEER HEALTH PROGRAM LTD
$13,580MEDICAL MISSIONS
SIGHT ORG
$13,457MEDICAL MISSIONS
CHRISTIAN EYE MINISTRY
$12,973MEDICAL MISSIONS
CENTRAL GLOBAL VISION FUND
$12,902MEDICAL MISSIONS
SGUSOM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INC
$12,584MEDICAL MISSIONS
BLINDNESS FOUNDATION
$12,581MEDICAL MISSIONS
WORLD BLINDNESS OUTREACH INC
$11,646MEDICAL MISSIONS
WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
$11,637MEDICAL MISSIONS
MEXICO MEDICAL MISSIONS
$11,489MEDICAL MISSIONS
HEALING GUATEMALA
$10,987MEDICAL MISSIONS
HELPS INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
$10,956MEDICAL MISSIONS
INTERNATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE INC
$10,800MEDICAL MISSIONS
MISSION FLIGHT
$10,577MEDICAL MISSIONS
SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY INC
$10,130MEDICAL MISSIONS
HUMANITY FIRST USA
$9,318MEDICAL MISSIONS
LIGHTHOUSE FOR CHRIST MISSION
$8,514MEDICAL MISSIONS
EYE HEALTH INSTITUTE INC
$7,584MEDICAL MISSIONS
LOS GATOS ROTARY CHARITIES FOUNDATION
$7,319MEDICAL MISSIONS
EYE CARE GAMBIA
$7,246MEDICAL MISSIONS
GLOBAL HOMM
$6,799MEDICAL MISSIONS
MEXICAN INDIAN TRAINING CENTER INC
$6,725MEDICAL MISSIONS
VISION CARE SERVICE WEST
$6,254MEDICAL MISSIONS
HIS SERVANTS MINISTRIES INC
$6,048MEDICAL MISSIONS