Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

American Foundation for the Blind Inc

EIN 13-5562161 · Huntington, WV

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE BLIND AFB IS TO CREATE EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPAND POSSIBILITIES THROUGH ADVOCACY THOUGHT LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.

Income
$9.8 million
Spending
$6.0 million
Spent on programs
68%
Reserves
36.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 82%
Employees
49
Volunteers
52
Highest pay
$316,950, president and chief executive officer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 36.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 39% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    68% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    19 of 19 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 June 30, 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 (3)
  1. $1.4 million spent. EDUCATION AND TRAINING - FOR 25 YEARS ACCESSWORLD HAS SERVED AS A VITAL SOURCE FOR CONSUMERS AND DEVELOPERS ON VALUABLE INSIGHT AND INFORMATION ENCOMPASSING ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION. THE FREE QUARTERLY ONLINE MAGAZINE AND MONTHLY PODCAST PUBLISHES RELEVANT CONTENT AT THE INTERSECTION OF DISABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY WITH THE AIM TO MAKE THE WORLD MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL. THE AFB TALENT LAB CONTINUED TO PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY CONSULTING SERVICES TO ENTITIES RANGING FROM NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES WITH SERVICES RANGING FROM WEB AND MOBILE ACCESSIBILITY AUDITS REMEDIATION ADVISORY BEST PRACTICES AND TRAINING IN DISABILITY INCLUSION. THE AFB TALENT LAB ALSO CONTINUED TO CLOSE THE INDUSTRYWIDE ACCESSIBILITY SKILLS GAP BY TRAINING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT WITH AN ACCESSIBILITY AND DIGITAL INCLUSION SPECIALTY. ADDITIONALLY THE AFB TALENT LAB WORKED WITH COMDPUTER SCIENCE STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGH A MULTI-PHASED STUDENT INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN DIGITAL INCLUSION.
  2. $1.5 million spent. KNOWLEDGE BUILDING & INFORMATION DISSEMINATION - THROUGH RESEARCH AND DATA WE UNDERSTAND COMPLEX PROBLEMS AND IDENTIFY APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS. PRIORITIZING A CONSUMER-CENTERED APPROACH WITH SCALABLE IMPACT AFB IS PURSUING AND CATALYZING FORWARD-LOOKING KNOWLEDGE GENERATION ON KEY ISSUES FACING PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION BY FOSTERING COLLABORATIONS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND OTHER RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS AND BY CONDUCTING INDEPENDENT RESEARCH. PRIORITY ISSUE AREAS MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO POLICY RESEARCH AND APPLIED RESEARCH IN EDUCATION; MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC MOBILITY; REHABILITATION SERVICES; AGING AND VISION LOSS; DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS; AND TECHNOLOGY. IN FY2025 AFB PUBLISHED A WHITE PAPER HIGHLIGHTING FINDINGS FROM AN EXPERT CONSENSUS STUDY ON HOW AI IS LIKELY TO IMPACT THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. THE WHITE PAPER INCLUDED A SET OF GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR MORE DISABILITY-INCLUSIVE AI. WE BEGAN DESIGNING A SURVEY ASSESSING HOW AMERICANS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES ARE USING AI AND HOW AI IS IMPACTING THEIR LIVES. FINALLY WE HOSTED THREE RESEARCH WEBINARS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT OUR RESEARCH AND HOW THEY CAN APPLY IT IN ADVOCACY AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT.
  3. $1.2 million spent. RESEARCH ADVOCACY AND PUBLIC SUPPORT - AFB IS WORKING TO ENSURE THAT POLICYMAKERS BUSINESS LEADERS PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCATES UNDERSTAND THE KEY TRENDS CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION FOR THE PURPOSES OF CHANGING ATTITUDES AND TRANSFORMING INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICE. THE AFB PUBLIC POLICY AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE PPRI COLLABORATES WITH POLICYMAKERS IN CONGRESS AND THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH AS WELL AS CORPORATE PARTNERS TO ENSURE AMERICANS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY. AFBS ADVOCACY STRATEGY IS BACKED BY RESEARCHERS AND EXPERTS WITH PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIVED EXPERIENCE WITH BLINDNESS. IN FY 2025 AFB FOCUSED ON ADVOCACY TO MAKE TECHNOLOGY AND TRANSPORTATION MORE ACCESSIBLE AND USABLE. WORKING CLOSELY WITH COALITION PARTNERS IN THE TRANSPORTATION SPACE PPRI RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE ACCESSIBILITY AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND PARTICIPATED IN EFFORTS TO PRODUCE ACCESSIBLE GUIDELINES AND DATA COLLECTION. PPRI CONTINUED TO ADVOCATE FOR TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS ACCESSIBILITY THROUGH LEGISLATION AND RESPONDING TO FEDERAL RULEMAKING. PPRI ALSO SHARED PRINCIPLES ON INCLUSIVE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE WITH POLICYMAKERS AND TECH COMPANIES. AFBS RESEARCH ON WEB AND APPLICATION ACCESSIBILITY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCES DURING THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO INFORM AFBS ADVOCACY PRIORITIES. AFBS JOURNAL OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT & BLINDNESS JVIB THE INTERNATIONAL PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL OF RECORD IN THE BLINDNESS FIELD WHICH HAS BEEN IN CONTINUOUS PUBLICATION SINCE 1907 DELIVERS PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH AND PEER-REVIEWED BEST PRACTICE INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS. THE JOURNAL ALSO FEATURES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR AND COMMENTARIES FROM AUTHORITATIVE EXPERTS ON CRITICAL TOPICS AS WELL AS BOOK REVIEWS OF CURRENT TITLES OF INTEREST TO THE BLINDNESS FIELD. IN 2025 VOLUME 119 THE FINAL ISSUE OF THE YEAR FEATURED PART ONE OF A TWO-PART SPECIAL ISSUE ON ADVANCEMENTS AND INNOVATIONS IN TECHNOLOGY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS.THE PUBLISHED ISSUE INCLUDED NUMEROUS PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH ARTICLES AND PRACTICE PIECES FROM UNITED STATES AND AROUND THE WORLD AS WELL AS BOOK REVIEWS AND COMMENTARIES FROM EXPERTS IN THE FIELD INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION. THE ISSUE WAS GUEST EDITED BY STACY M. KELLY ED.D. TVI COMS CATIS PROFESSOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 June 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 April 1922.

    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.

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.