Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Jbi International Inc

EIN 13-1683279 · New York, NY

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong97 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

JBI LIBRARY'S MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT ANYONE WHO IS BLIND, HAS LOW VISION OR OTHER PRINT DISABILITY CAN FULLY PARTICIPATE IN AND FEEL CONNECTED TO ALL ASPECTS OF JEWISH LIFE, FROM CULTURE, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY TO RELIGIOUS PRACTICE.

Income
$4.7 million
Spending
$4.6 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
16.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 65%
Employees
28
Volunteers
100
Highest pay
$223,619, chief financial officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 83% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 16.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    12 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 40% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 61% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    25 of 25 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (6)
  1. $2.2 million spent. LIBRARIES: THE JBI LIBRARY INCLUDES A BROAD SPECTRUM OF JEWISH-INTEREST BOOKS IN AUDIO, LARGE PRINT AND BRAILLE, ALL PRODUCED IN-HOUSE AND DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE DIRECTLY TO OUR PATRONS DOORSTEPS; AFTER ENJOYING THE MATERIALS, PATRONS RETURN THEM, POSTAGE FREE. WE OFFER MORE THAN 13,000 CIRCULATING AUDIOBOOKS AND SEVERAL THOUSAND BRAILLE TITLES AND LARGE PRINT MATERIALS ENCOMPASSING FICTION, HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY, SHORT STORIES, PERIDICALS, HUMOR, LITURGICAL TEXTS, POETRY, JEWISH STUDIES, MEMOIRS, COOKBOOKS AND MORE, WITH NEW TITLES ADDED REGULARLY.
  2. $1.1 million spent. OUTREACH: JBI ACTIVELY REACHES OUT TO THE COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE THE WIDEST USE OF ITS FREE AUDIO, LARGE PRINT AND BRAILLE LIBRARY. THIS IS TRUE PARTICULARLY FOR THE GROWING NUMBER OF VISUALLY IMPAIRED SENIORS, INCLUDING IMMIGRANT POPULATIONS, MANY OF WHICH LIVE A "SHUT IN" EXISTENCE. TO REACH THIS SENIOR POPULATION, AS WELL AS THEIR CAREGIVERS, ADULT CHILDREN AND FRIENDS, JBI MAKES PRESENTATIONS, ADVERTISES IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND PUBLICATIONS, ENCOURAGES LOCAL PRESS COVERAGE AND FORGES COMMUNICATION WITH RELEVANT INSTITUTIONS AND AGENCIES. WE ALSO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO SCHOOLS, CHILDREN, PRISONERS AND VETERANS.
  3. $312,595 spent. JBI'S EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL PROGRAMS PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE LITERARY, CULTURAL, AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND, HAVE LOW VISION, OR ARE OTHERWISE PRINT DISABLED. THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF OFFERINGSINCLUDING AUTHOR TALKS, LECTURES, BOOK CLUBS, AND CULTURAL PROGRAMSJBI FOSTERS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LIFELONG LEARNING, AND MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION IN JEWISH AND GENERAL CULTURAL LIFE. ALL PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED WITH ACCESSIBILITY AT THE FOREFRONT, UTILIZING FORMATS SUCH AS LIVE AUDIO, TELEPHONE-BASED PARTICIPATION, AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS TO ENSURE INCLUSIVE ACCESS REGARDLESS OF GEOGRAPHIC OR TECHNOLOGICAL BARRIERS. THESE PROGRAMS SERVE A DIVERSE AND OFTEN ISOLATED POPULATION, PROMOTING INTELLECTUAL ENRICHMENT, CULTURAL CONNECTION, AND SOCIAL INCLUSION.
  4. $49,217 spent. PERIODICALS: JBI OFFERS A VARIETY OF JBI PERIODICALS IN AUDIO AND BRAILLE FORMAT WHICH ARE UNAVAILABLE OTHERWISE TO THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED. THESE INCLUDE HADASSAH AND LILITH MAGAZINE, JBI VOICES-A COMPILATION OF ARTICLES FROM A GLOBAL SELECTION OF NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALS, AND ALSO INCLUDE JBI'S CULTURAL SERIES.
  5. $41,212 spent. ISRAELI ASSISTANCE PROGRAM: JBI PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR THE CENTRAL LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND IN ISRAEL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR NEW RECORDING STUDIO.
  6. $34,940 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1936.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

  7. Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.

    A much larger organization has a similar name: Map International (Brunswick, GA), EIN 36-2586390. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.