Vision Forward Association Incorporated
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
EMPOWER, EDUCATE, AND ENHANCE THE LIVES OF IDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY VISION LOSS THROUGH ALL OF LIFE'S TRANSITIONS.
- Income
- $4.6 million
- Spending
- $3.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 69%
- Reserves
- 12.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 71%
- Employees
- 42
- Volunteers
- 37
- Highest pay
- $172,769, optometrist
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 12.1 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 37% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 17% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 55% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1569% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 25 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, 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 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, 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 (4)
- $1.1 million spent. CHILDREN'S PROGRAM: VISION FORWARD SERVED 203 CHILDREN AND YOUTH AGES 021 DURING THE YEAR, INCLUDING 154 CHILDREN AGES 06. THE PROGRAM SERVED CHILDREN FROM ACROSS THE REGION, WITH 37% RESIDING OUTSIDE THE FOUR-COUNTY AREA AND 60% IDENTIFYING AS CHILDREN OF COLOR. AMONG CHILDREN AGES 06, 37% OF FAMILIES REPORTED HOUSEHOLD INCOMES BELOW $25,000. SPECIALLY TRAINED STAFF WORK WITH BABIES, TODDLERS, CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES TO HELP YOUNG LEARNERS USE THEIR REMAINING VISION AND COMPENSATE FOR VISION LOSS THROUGH OTHER SENSES. SERVICES INCLUDE TEACHERS OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND OCCUPATIONAL, PHYSICAL, SPEECH-LANGUAGE AND MUSIC THERAPY, AS WELL AS ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY TRAINING, INCLUDING WHITE-CANE SKILLS AND SAFE NAVIGATION. SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN PARTICIPATE IN BRAILLE, ADAPTED RECREATION AND TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES THAT BUILD INDEPENDENCE AND PREPARE THEM FOR ADULTHOOD. DURING THE YEAR, VISION FORWARD DEVELOPED AND LAUNCHED IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS NEUROLOGICAL AND VISUAL IMPAIRMENT (NAVI) PROGRAM AND SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED TO A NEW EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAM STRUCTURE. THE PROGRAM DELIVERED 7,415 HOURS OF SERVICE, INCLUDING 4,200 HOURS OF PRESCHOOL SERVICES, 1,507 HOURS OF THERAPY AND 1,708 HOURS OF VISION SERVICES AND RELATED TRAVEL. OUTCOMES DEMONSTRATED MEANINGFUL IMPACT: 93% OF FAMILIES REPORTED RECEIVING THE SERVICES THEY NEEDED TO BETTER CARE FOR THE CHILD, AND 99% OF CHILDREN DEMONSTRATED DEVELOPMENTAL IMPROVEMENT IN BOTH SOCIAL AND MOTOR SKILLS.
- $1.3 million spent. VISION REHABILITATION: VISION FORWARD PROVIDED ADULT VISION REHABILITATION SERVICES TO 990 INDIVIDUALS, WITH 3,005 HOURS OF DIRECT SERVICE ACROSS LOW VISION, TECHNOLOGY, ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY, DAILY LIVING, SUPPORT AND BRAILLE. THE PROGRAM SERVED ADULTS ACROSS 149 UNIQUE ZIP CODES, WITH 42% AGE 75 OR OLDER, INCLUDING 23% AGE 85 OR OLDER. IN ADDITION, 35% REPORTED HOUSEHOLD INCOMES BELOW $25,000, HIGHLIGHTING THE SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OLDER AND ECONOMICALLY VULNERABLE ADULTS SERVED BY VISION FORWARD. LOW VISION SERVICES, OUR LARGEST PROGRAM, REACHED 597 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING 480 NEW LOW VISION EXAMINATIONS, 1,449 VISITS AND 95 HOME VISITS. TECHNOLOGY SERVICES INCLUDED 830 HOURS OF ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING, 52 TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENTS AND 782 TRAINING APPOINTMENTS. THE ORGANIZATION PRODUCED 67 TECH CONNECT VIDEOS THAT GENERATED MORE THAN 160,000 VIEWS, EXTENDING PRACTICAL TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION BEYOND IN-PERSON SERVICES. SOCIAL WORK STAFF PROVIDED FOLLOW-UP PHONE CALLS OR IN-PERSON SESSIONS FOR 176 CLIENTS. TRANSPORTATION SERVICES INCLUDED 478 ROUND-TRIP RIDES COVERING MORE THAN 8,000 MILES, HELPING REDUCE ACCESS BARRIERS. TOGETHER, THESE SERVICES HELP PEOPLE EXPERIENCING VISION LOSS DEVELOP SKILLS AND ACCESS TOOLS THAT SUPPORT INDEPENDENCE, SAFE TRAVEL, DAILY LIVING AND CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES.
- $199,605 spent. VISION FORWARD STORE: THE VISION FORWARD STORE PROVIDES RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADAPTIVE PRODUCTS THAT HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION REMAIN INDEPENDENT AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, THE STORE IS OFTEN A FIRST POINT OF ENTRY TO VISION FORWARD, WHERE INDIVIDUALS CAN LEARN ABOUT REHABILITATION SERVICES AND OTHER RESOURCES. STAFF PROVIDE INDIVIDUALIZED, HANDS-ON ASSISTANCE TO HELP CUSTOMERS IDENTIFY PRODUCTS AND TECHNOLOGY SUITED TO THEIR NEEDS. DURING THE YEAR, 1,250 UNIQUE CUSTOMERS SHOPPED IN THE STORE OR ONLINE. TOP-SELLING PRODUCTS INCLUDED THE VISION FORWARD BOLD LINE PEN, BUMP DOTS, TACTILE MARKERS THAT HELP IDENTIFY CONTROLS BY TOUCH, AND HANDHELD MAGNIFIERS FOR READING LABELS AND OTHER EVERYDAY MATERIALS. THE STORE ALSO OFFERS HIGH-TECH ELECTRONIC MAGNIFICATION IN PORTABLE AND DESKTOP FORMATS, WHICH CAN GREATLY ENLARGE AND ENHANCE PRINTED MATERIALS TO MAKE TASKS SUCH AS READING MAIL AND COMPLETING FORMS MORE ACCESSIBLE. THE STORE ALSO PROVIDES DEMONSTRATIONS AND GUIDANCE ON ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, HELPING INDIVIDUALS IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS THAT CAN SUPPORT GREATER INDEPENDENCE AS THEIR VISION CHANGES.
- $17,775 spent. ENRICHMENT: ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES ARE OFFERED TO PROVIDE RECREATION, PEER SUPPORT, AND COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH VISION LOSS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2026, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
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.
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 November 6, 2026.
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.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2026.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1951.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 November 4, 2026.
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