irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $8KREAL WORLD ACCESS: IN 2024, ABS ASSISTED MUSEUMS, PARKS, AND HISTORIC SITES, TO BECOME INCLUSIVE OF ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. PROJECTS INCLUDED CREATING AUDIO-DESCRIPTION TOURS FOR ONE MAJOR MUSEUM.
- #2 $18KBUSINESSES COMMITTED TO ACCESS & INCLUSION (BCAI) PROVIDES PRO-BONO ACCESSIBILITY GUIDANCE AND DISABILITY INCLUSION TRAINING TO SMALL BUSINESSES IN NYC. ART BEYOND SIGHT LEADS THIS PROGRAM TOGETHER WITH PARTNERS WITHIN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY AND CITY GOVERNMENT, SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES IN NYC COMMUNITIES TO BECOME ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE OF DISABLED CUSTOMERS AND HIRE EMPLOYEES WITH DISABILITIES.
named programs · 8 · from sources
What they call their work
Art and Disability Institute (ADI)
Professional development program for disabled visual artists, curators, and arts professionals to articulate disability in contemporary art and overcome systemic barriers in the art world.
Businesses Committed to Access & Inclusion (BCAI)
Pro-bono program providing accessibility guidance and disability inclusion training to small businesses in NYC to serve disabled customers and hire employees with disabilities.
Careers in the Arts Toolkit
National online resource developed with the NEA to support job seekers with disabilities and employers in the arts through career development tools, best practices, and discipline-specific guidance.
Cultural Participation for All
Voluntary certification initiative to establish cross-impairment accessibility standards for cultural institutions, promoting universal design and public recognition of inclusive practices.
Disability and Inclusion: Resources for Museum Studies Programs
Online resource bank with modules, case studies, and teaching materials to integrate disability inclusion into museum studies curricula and professional practice.
Lab For Learning (L4L)
Hands-on, multidisciplinary arts education program for students with disabilities in NYC, focusing on independent living skills, self-advocacy, and job preparation through art and culture.
Next Generation Disability Pride Parade & Festival
Youth-focused celebration and community-building event promoting pride, inclusion, and career pathways in arts, culture, fashion, and recreation for young people with disabilities.
Re-envisioning Arts Education (REA)
Studio-based program led by artists who are blind or have low vision, creating instructional modules and workshops that maximize sensory and cognitive techniques in art education.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Arts Professional Advocacy & Equity Initiatives 2 activities
- Delivering professional development and career support for disabled artists and arts professionalsOperates the Art and Disability Institute, a professional development program that supports disabled artists and arts professionals in advancing their creative and career goals. Also runs an artist residency program for emerging disabled artists focused on skill development, exhibition opportunities, and engagement with contemporary art and disability identity.
- Developing resources and toolkits for disability inclusion in the artsCreated the Careers in the Arts Toolkit in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, an online resource designed to support career development for artists with disabilities and improve hiring practices in arts organizations.
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Youth and Community Research Initiatives 1 activity
- Conducting research on multi-sensory learning and disability inclusionProduces research that advances multi-sensory learning and disability inclusion in cultural and educational settings, with findings now considered standard practice. Developed an online resource bank for museum studies programs including modules, case studies, and teaching tools on disability inclusion.
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Art Programs for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities 1 activity
- Implementing Lab for Learning educational programRuns Lab for Learning, a multidisciplinary program providing weekly arts-based educational sessions to students with disabilities in New York City. The program uses arts and culture to teach independent living skills, social development, and employment preparation.
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Disability Rights Advocacy & Self-Advocacy Empowerment 1 activity
- Leading Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month campaignLeads Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month each October, an international advocacy campaign engaging over 200 partner organizations to promote art created by and for people with disabilities.
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Small Business Technical Assistance 1 activity
- Providing accessibility training and pro-bono support to small businessesDelivers pro-bono accessibility guidance and disability inclusion training to small businesses in New York City, with targeted initiatives in Chinatown and through the Businesses Committed to Access & Inclusion program. Training includes practical strategies for inclusive customer service and accessible operations.
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Accessibility Services for Cultural Programs 1 activity
- Providing direct accessibility consultation and training to cultural institutionsOffers comprehensive accessibility services to museums, parks, historic sites, and other cultural institutions, including inclusive environment assessments, strategic planning, staff training, and exhibit adaptation. Services cover physical spaces, policies, programs, and promotional materials, with recent work supporting audio-description tours and multisensory exhibit elements.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Supporting national and local disability awareness eventsCoordinates and supports the Disability Pride Parade and Festival in New York City annually since 2015 and has participated in National Disability Employment Awareness Month events since 2008.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.86M
Contributions & grants$1.77M95%
Program service revenue$17K1%
Investment income$75K4%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$269K
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$127K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.67M
Cash$14K
Investments$1.64M
Liabilities$6K
Net assets$1.66M
Liquid reserves73.8 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +664.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 8
- BLESSING OFFOR — DIRECTOR
- CAROLE GOTHELF — SECRETARY
- ELISABETH AXEL — PRESIDENT & CEO
- HAROLD WENNING — DIRECTOR
- JASON R MISCHEL — DIRECTOR
- JENNIFER TEICH — DIRECTOR
- NICHOLAS R WILLIAMS — CHAIRMAN
- RICHARD DONALD SMITH — DIRECTOR
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- AHRC New York City Partner — Collaborates with AHRC New York City through board member Carole Gothelf and project coordinator Jennifer Teich.
- Chicago Cultural Arts Council Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- City Government Partner — Co-led the Businesses Committed to Access & Inclusion program with city government partners.
- City University of New York Partner — Collaborates with ABS on education, employment, and service initiatives for people with disabilities.
- Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- DanceNYC Coalition — ABS serves on the steering committee of DanceNYC, contributing to theatre and dance accessibility initiatives.
- Disability Arts NYC Task Force Coalition — ABS is an active member of the Disability Arts NYC Task Force, advancing disability arts in New York City.
- Disability Community Partner — Collaborated with partners within the disability community to lead the Businesses Committed to Access & Inclusion program.
- Fine Arts Museums of SF Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- GLAAD Partner — Collaborated with ABS to deepen expertise in equity and inclusion for people with disabilities, drawing from GLAAD's advocacy model.
- Grounds For Sculpture Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- Guggenheim Museum Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- Historic House Trust Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- Museum Access Consortium Coalition — ABS actively participates in the Museum Access Consortium to promote inclusive museum practices.
- Museum of Fine Arts Houston Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- NYC Historic House Trust Partner — Collaborated on developing and implementing disability inclusion guidelines across its properties.
- National Endowment for the Arts Partner — Collaborated with ABS to develop and host the Careers in the Arts Toolkit on the NEA website.
- New Museum Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- New York City Board of Education Partner — Partners with ABS on K-12 educational programs and transition skills development for students with disabilities.
- New York City Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities Government — Partnered with ABS on access initiatives and citywide disability events such as the Disability Pride Parade.
- Ringling Museum of Art Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- Rubin Museum of Art Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- Seattle Art Museum Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- Shedd Aquarium (Chicago) Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
- Whitney Museum of American Art Partner — Past or current client receiving consultation and training services on accessibility and inclusion
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.
- Artist Autonomy in Disability Representationmethodology: artist_autonomy_in_disability_representationBy supporting disabled artists to define the role of disability in their own practice, we shift contemporary art discourse toward authentic representation, because creative self-determination challenges stereotypes and produces more meaningful, impactful art.
- Arts-Integrated Life Skills Developmentmethodology: arts-integrated_life_skills educationBy embedding life skills instruction within multimodal, arts-based curricula, we support independent living skill acquisition among students with disabilities, because creative engagement deepens retention and personal relevance of functional skills.
- Collaborative Research for Sensory Inclusionmethodology: collaborative_researchBy engaging in collaborative research and exploration, we develop innovative solutions for multi-sensory learning and disability inclusion, because co-creation with diverse stakeholders yields more effective, user-centered accessibility tools.
- Universal Design for Learning in Cultural Accessmethodology: universal_design_for_learning_in_cultural_institutionsBy applying multi-modal, universally designed learning frameworks and high-quality service standards in cultural institutions, we improve accessibility and audience engagement for people with disabilities, because inclusive design from the outset removes barriers and supports diverse learning and sensory needs.
- Verbal Description as Access Methodologymethodology: verbal_descriptionBy using non-visual, descriptive language to convey visual art content, we enable access to art for people who are blind or have low vision, because sensory substitution through structured verbal description allows cognitive and emotional engagement with visual works.