irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $286KIN FY 2025, THE RDPFS EXTENSIVE PRINT PUBLISHING PROGRAM SIGNIFICANTLY CATERED TO THE NEEDS OF 30,944 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH ITS "FICTION FAVORITES LARGE PRINT (FORMERLY SELECT EDITIONS LARGE TYPE) PERIODICAL. A TOTAL OF 141,774 VOLUMES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO SUBSCRIBERS, ENSURING THEY HAD ACCESS TO ENGAGING READING MATERIAL TAILORED FOR EASE OF READING FOR THOSE WITH LOW VISION. IN ADDITION TO THE PROMINENT PRINT PERIODICAL, SUBSCRIBERS RECEIVED A LARGE PRINT CALENDAR WITH ESSENTIAL INFORMATION ON ACCESSING LOW-VISION SERVICES. BY OFFERING CONTENT FORMATTED AND PRINTED TO SPECIFIC ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, THE PROGRAM IS COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING INDIVIDUALS WITH LOW VISION, ENSURING THEY CAN ENJOY READING AND STAY INFORMED IN A WAY THAT FULFILLS THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Continuation Grants
Support for proven programs demonstrating strong progress; awarded to select grantees based on performance and alignment with strategic goals.
Track #1 Proven Program Grants
Up to $150,000 in funding for established programs with key partner organizations; emphasizes impact measurement and sustainability.
Track #2 Single Program Grants
Grants for individual innovative programs that advance independence, education, or employment for the visually impaired.
Track #3 Small Discretionary Grants
Smaller, flexible grants awarded throughout the year to support emerging needs or pilot initiatives within the BVI community.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Accessible Reading Materials Production and Distribution 2 activities
- Distributing large print reading materialsDirectly publishes and distributes large print periodicals and books, including the Fiction Favorites Large Print and Select Editions Large Type programs, providing accessible literature to tens of thousands of individuals with low vision annually.
- Providing accessible information through large print calendarsDistributes large print calendars containing essential information on accessing low-vision services to individuals with visual impairments, alongside large print periodicals, as part of its direct service offerings.
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Fundraising and Financial Support for IDD Services 2 activities
- Funding assistive technology and accessibility initiativesSupports projects that enhance digital accessibility and assistive technology use, including funding for the American Council of the Blind’s Zoom accessibility platform, Hadley’s Seeing AI video workshops, and Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s International Working Dog Registry to improve service dog breeding practices.
- Funding workforce development and professional training programsFinances initiatives that build career pathways and professional skills for blind and visually impaired individuals, including leadership development, IT certification advancement, Careers in Accessibility Training, and recruitment of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments. Also supports internships in Orientation & Mobility training at Salus University.
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Teacher & Classroom Innovation Grants 1 activity
- Funding educational materials and literacy programsFinances the development and distribution of braille and large print teaching resources, including the TVI Braille Ignition Kit Program at National Braille Press, which supplies kits to at least 200 Teachers of the Visually Impaired annually, supporting an estimated 4,000 blind K–12 students.
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Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Funding peer support, community engagement, and safety programsProvides grants to expand peer-to-peer support networks, virtual enrichment, and safety education, including Hadley’s peer connections, Lighthouse Guild’s Insightful Saturdays, Kidpower’s safety workshops, and the Blinded Veterans Association’s Ambassador Program.
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Charitable Grantmaking to Specific Causes 1 activity
- Funding programs for blind and visually impaired individualsProvides approximately $600,000 in annual grantmaking to organizations supporting services and programs for people who are blind or visually impaired, including initiatives that foster independence, academic and professional success, and societal participation. Grants support both new and existing programs, including pilot funding, continuation grants, and small discretionary awards.
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Pediatric Medical Care and Research Support 1 activity
- Funding specific programs for children and youth with vision lossSupports targeted initiatives for children and youth who are blind or have low vision, including funding for the Pediatric Low Vision Clinic at Clovernook Center, Summer Day Camp at Kings Bay Y, and Perkins School for the Blind’s CVI Protocol to improve early diagnosis of Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment.
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Website Accessibility Implementation 1 activity
- Improving organizational website accessibilityConducts external audits and consults with accessibility professionals to ensure website compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA standards, and collects feedback from users of assistive technologies to continuously improve digital accessibility.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.62M
Contributions & grants$288K18%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$1.08M67%
Other revenue$249K
expenses
Total expenses$932K
Program expenses75%
Admin / overhead25%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$198K
Grants paid out$283K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$14.84M
Cash$208K
Investments$14.62M
Liabilities$499K
Net assets$14.34M
Liquid reserves190.9 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +130.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIANNA M NAGHIZADEH | GRANT DIRECTOR | 45 | $114K |
| SOJA ORLOWSKI | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 50 | $38K |
board members · 9
- ANGELA WINFIELD — VICE CHAIR
- DONNA ESPOSITO — DIRECTOR
- ELISE GROSSMAN — DIRECTOR
- JAMES DEREMEIK — VICE CHAIR THRU JUNE 18, 2025
- JOHN KRIEGER — TREASURER & SECRETARY
- MATTHEW KRIEGER — CHAIR
- NAIMA WEST — DIRECTOR THRU JUNE 18, 2025
- ROB HILLIARD — SECRETARY THRU JUNE 18, 2025
- WILLIAM O'CONNELL — DIRECTOR
relationships · 31
Who they work with
- American Council of the Blind Partner — Funded to operate a Community Engagement Platform for Zoom accessibility training for people with vision loss.
- American Printing House for the Blind Partner — Funded to host the APH Connect Center, expanding access to vision loss resources originally developed as Visionaware.org.
- American Printing House for the Blind Partner — Provided significant grants to support the development of APHconnectcenter.org, a resource hub for people with vision loss.
- Baruch College Computer Center for Visually Impaired People Partner — Matthew Krieger served on the Advisory Board and was part of a team that transitioned the Center to a new home.
- Bestwork Industries for the Blind Partner — Funded to conduct demographic research on blind and visually impaired populations in New Jersey through the VisionServe Alliance Big Data Project.
- Blinded Veterans Association Partner — Funded to operate the Ambassador Program, training blind and visually impaired veterans as peer advocates to connect others with VA rehabilitation services.
- Clovernook Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired Partner — Receives funding from RDPFS for its Pediatric Low Vision Clinic.
- Cyber-Seniors Partner — Matthew Krieger is on the advisory board of Cyber-Seniors.
- Elizabeth Atkinson Partner — Grants and Communications Manager, point of contact for grant inquiries
- Guiding Eyes for the Blind Partner — Funded to train other U.S. service dog organizations in the use of the International Working Dog Registry to improve breeding and training outcomes.
- Guiding Eyes for the Blind Partner — Receives funding from RDPFS for its guide dog health data and breeding improvement initiative.
- Hadley Partner — Partner organization that serves older adults adjusting to vision loss with free online training, peer support, and discussion groups.
- Hadley Partner — Receives grant funding from RDPFS to support peer-to-peer connections for blind and visually impaired individuals.
- Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired Partner — Funded to develop and distribute a Microsoft Seeing AI video workshop series for blind and low-vision users.
- Kidpower Partner — Receives funding from RDPFS for its safety and self-advocacy training program for blind and visually impaired individuals.
- Kings Bay YM-YWHA, Inc. Partner — Receives funding from RDPFS for its Summer Day Camp for children who are blind or have low vision.
- Lighthouse Guild Partner — Funded to operate a virtual youth enrichment program for geographically isolated blind and visually impaired children in New York.
- National Braille Press Partner — Funded to distribute braille and large print teaching materials to Teachers of the Vision Impaired through the TVI Braille Ignition Kits Program.
- National Braille Press Partner — Receives funding from RDPFS for its TVI Braille Ignition Kit Program.
- Perkins School for the Blind Partner — Funded to implement The Perkins CVI Protocol, providing assessment tools and training to improve early diagnosis of Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment.
- Reader's Digest Network — Operates as a foundation affiliated with Reader's Digest to advance shared mission goals.
- Salus at Drexel University Partner — Funded to support internships in its graduate-level Orientation & Mobility training program for future vision rehabilitation professionals.
- Soja Orlowski Government — Executive Director who formally approved the accessibility statement.
- Success Beyond Sight Partner — Angela C. Winfield serves on the board of Success Beyond Sight.
- Success Beyond Sight Partner — Funded to lead a national university recruitment campaign to address the shortage of Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments.
- The Carroll Center for the Blind Partner — Funded to launch a Careers in Accessibility Training Program for blind and visually impaired youth aged 14–22.
- The Carroll Center for the Blind Partner — Receives grant funding from RDPFS to support workforce development programs for blind and visually impaired adults.
- The Chicago Lighthouse Partner — Funded to develop advanced IT training curriculum for blind and visually impaired employees to support career advancement.
- The Chicago Lighthouse Partner — Receives grant funding from RDPFS to support leadership development and employment services for blind and visually impaired adults.
- VISIONS Partner — Receives grant funding from RDPFS to support a residential healthy living program for blind and visually impaired adults and caregivers.
+ 1 more
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Capacity Building Through Expert Partnershipsmethodology: capacity-building-partnershipsBy partnering with organizations that have demonstrated expertise in serving the blind and visually impaired, we amplify impact because local knowledge and proven delivery models are leveraged to strengthen programs and public education.
- Early Intervention to Improve Life Outcomesmethodology: early-intervention-education-alignmentBy supporting early diagnosis and intervention in pediatric visual impairment, we prevent developmental delays and improve academic and life trajectories because timely access to services enables children to build foundational skills during critical developmental windows.
- Strategic Grantmaking for Independence and Inclusionmethodology: strategic_grantmakingBy funding programs that promote independence, education, employment, and societal inclusion, we improve long-term outcomes for people who are blind or visually impaired because systemic barriers are reduced and individual agency is strengthened.
- User-Centered Accessibility Implementationmethodology: user-centered_accessibility_testingBy combining expert guidance with direct feedback from users of assistive technologies, we ensure digital and material accessibility because real-world testing reveals barriers that technical compliance alone may miss.