irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $238KProgram B: Specialized Programs and Services - Provided scholarships to blind students. Provided direct assistance to individual blind persons to meet specific needs. Sponsored seminars and other activities to assist parents of blind children. Sponsored seminars and other activities to create better employment opportunities for blind persons. Helped to make available specialized aids, devices, tools, and materials for the blind-Braille writing equipment, measuring devices, white canes, clocks, watches, talking calculators, etc. Operated NEWSLINE for the Blind(R), a free digital talking newspaper service available by telephone for the blind. Provided Braille materials to the blind. Made grants to provide services of the kind described herein and to improve educational, vocational, and cultural opportunities for the blind. The activities described herein potentially benefit all blind persons in this state, and improvements in opportunities here expand opportunities for the half million blind persons in the country as well as creating more opportunities for the blind adults of tomorrow.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Accessible ICT Advocacy (RFPs)
Advocacy effort to ensure state and municipal information and communication technologies are fully accessible to disabled New Yorkers.
Blind Parents' Right to Parent Initiative
Advocacy program supporting the Blind Persons' Right to Parent Act to prevent discriminatory custody decisions based on blindness.
NFB-NEWSLINE NY
Free digital talking newspaper service accessible by telephone, providing news and information to blind subscribers across New York State.
Senior Rehabilitation Services Advocacy
Initiative calling for a $5 million increase in state funding to expand blindness rehabilitation services for older New Yorkers.
activities · 9 groups
What they do
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Vision Rehabilitation Services 3 activities
- Direct assistance to blind individuals for specific needsProvides individualized support to blind persons in New York State to meet personal, adaptive, or emergency needs, enhancing independence and quality of life.
- Distribution of specialized aids and devices for the blindDistributes essential tools such as white canes, Braille writing equipment, and talking calculators to blind individuals to support independence and accessibility.
- Providing inclusive membership servicesOffers membership to blind individuals, parents of blind children, blind students, and people experiencing vision loss across New York State, fostering community, representation, and access to programs.
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Disability Rights Advocacy & Self-Advocacy Empowerment 2 activities
- Advocacy to raise societal expectations of blind individualsWorks to combat low societal expectations of blind people in order to remove barriers to personal, educational, and employment goals. Conducts public education and policy advocacy to shift perceptions of blindness.
- Legislative and policy advocacy for rights and services for blind individualsAdvocates for specific legislation and funding initiatives, including the Blind Persons' Right to Parent Act, accessible government ICT procurement, increased state funding for blindness rehabilitation services, and sustainable funding for NFB-NEWSLINE through the Targeted Accessibility Fund.
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Accessible Reading Materials Production and Distribution 2 activities
- Distribution of Braille materialsProvides Braille reading materials to blind individuals across New York State to support literacy, education, and access to information.
- Operation of NFB-NEWSLINE for the BlindOperates a free telephone-based digital talking newspaper service (NFB-NEWSLINE) that provides blind individuals with access to current news and periodicals. Includes ongoing outreach, subscriber recruitment, and satisfaction monitoring.
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Fundraising and Financial Support for IDD Services 1 activity
- Funding events and activities through grantsProvides financial support to events and activities via a formal grant request process, enabling programs that improve educational, vocational, and cultural opportunities for blind individuals.
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Regular Membership Meetings 1 activity
- Hosting annual conventions for blind individualsHosts an annual state convention that serves as a forum for training, mentoring, information sharing, and democratic governance. Includes leadership elections and priority setting. Also participates in hosting national conventions, such as the 2024 event in Orlando and the upcoming 2026 state convention.
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Supported Employment for Developmental Disabilities 1 activity
- Organizing employment-focused seminars for blind individualsConducts seminars and activities designed to improve employment outcomes and vocational opportunities for blind individuals through skills development, networking, and employer engagement.
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Parenting Education and Support Programs 1 activity
- Organizing seminars for parents of blind childrenHosts educational and support seminars and activities for parents of blind children to improve family engagement, advocacy, and access to resources.
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Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Providing scholarships to blind studentsOffers financial scholarships to blind students to support their educational advancement and reduce barriers to academic success.
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Regional Chapter Network Support 1 activity
- Supporting local chapters and affiliate divisionsOrganizes and provides capacity-building support to six local chapters and two affiliate divisions across New York State to strengthen grassroots engagement and service delivery.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$301K
Contributions & grants$301K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$-230
expenses
Total expenses$265K
Program expenses97%
Admin / overhead0%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$5K
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$327K
Cash$97K
Investments$0
Liabilities$101K
Net assets$226K
Liquid reserves4.4 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +32.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasheta Bunting | First Vice President | 2 | $11K |
| Arthur Jacobs | Board Member | 2 | $8K |
board members · 9
- Ahmed Djouma — Board Member
- Bonnie Lucas — Board Member
- Carlos Torres — Board Member
- Catherine Mendez — Second Vice President
- Christian Minkler — Board Member
- Heather Bird — President
- Lucy Marr — Secretary
- Michael Forzano — Board Member
- Nina Marranca — Treasurer
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND Network — State affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, participating in national initiatives and sharing resources.
- National Federation of the Blind Network — Member of the national federation network providing coordinated services including NFB-NEWSLINE
- National Federation of the Blind Network — State affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind
- National Federation of the Blind Network — State affiliate participating in the national organization's convention and governance structure.
- New York Association of Guide Dog Users Partner — State affiliate division serving guide dog users and those interested in guide dog issues.
- New York State Assembly Government — State legislative body listed as a resource
- New York State Commission for the Blind Government — State agency providing services for blind individuals, listed as a resource
- New York State Consumer Protection Board Government — State agency listed as a resource for consumer protection
- New York State Senate Government — State legislative body listed as a resource
- Parents of Blind Children of New York Partner — State affiliate division supporting parents of blind children.
- U.S. Congress Government — Resource for searching federal legislation via congress.gov
- U.S. House of Representatives Government — Federal legislative body listed as a resource
- U.S. Senate Government — Federal legislative body listed as a resource
strategies · 5
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.
- Attitudinal Change as a Pathway to Integrationmethodology: attitudinal-changeBy targeting societal attitudes and challenging low expectations of blind people, the organization enables greater vocational, cultural, and social integration, because shifting public perception removes a primary barrier to independence and opportunity.
- Comprehensive Support for Independencemethodology: comprehensive-support-modelBy providing financial aid, assistive tools, educational support, and targeted programming together, the organization increases opportunities for independence, because layered support addresses multiple systemic barriers simultaneously.
- Empowerment Through Collective Belief in Capacitymethodology: empowerment_modelBy operating on the belief that blind individuals have full capacity to achieve their goals, the organization produces greater independence and self-determination, because this foundational attitude shifts both internal self-perception and external societal expectations.
- Member-Driven Advocacy via Democratic Engagementmethodology: member-driven advocacyBy setting advocacy priorities through democratically passed resolutions at state conventions, the organization achieves more relevant and impactful change in education, employment, and civil rights, because policies reflect the lived experiences and collective will of blind individuals.
- Peer-Led Community Building and Mentorshipmethodology: peer-led networking and mentorshipBy facilitating peer-led networking, mentorship, and collective action at gatherings and through chapters, the organization strengthens individual resilience and systemic support, because lived-experience-based relationships foster trust, role modeling, and sustainable empowerment.