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American Council of the Blind Inc

EIN 58-0914436 · Alexandria, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong90 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE, SECURITY, EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE.

Income
$2.9 million
Spending
$2.4 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
15.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 49%
Employees
20
Volunteers
302
Highest pay
$162,242, executive director

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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 32% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 19% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 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: 90 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 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

    0 of 10

    Did not give 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 (4)
  1. $455,674 spent. MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION SERVICES STRENGTHENED AFFILIATES THROUGH REGULAR PRESIDENTS' ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING WEEKLY SESSIONS THAT PROVIDE A FORUM FOR TIMELY TOPICS AND GUEST PRESENTERS. THE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND (ACB) COMMUNITY PLATFORM HOSTED APPROXIMATELY 4,800 EVENTS, SUPPORTED BY 230 VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN 19,000 HOURS OF SERVICE. PROGRAMMING INCLUDED A BROAD MIX OF SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS SUCH AS BRAILLE INSTRUCTION, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRAINING, HEALTH AND WELLNESS SESSIONS, PEER SUPPORT, AND TOPIC-DRIVEN DISCUSSIONS. TRAINING MODULES WERE ALSO DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY HOSTS AND VOLUNTEERS. SINCE ITS LAUNCH IN 2020, THE PLATFORM HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN 26,000 EVENTS TO THE COMMUNITY.
  2. $433,602 spent. CONFERENCE AND CONVENTIONTHE AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND'S 64TH ANNUAL CONVENTION WAS A DYNAMIC HYBRID EVENT, COMBINING VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EXPERIENCES WITH OVER 250 WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, BUSINESS MEETINGS, EXHIBITORS, AND TOURS. ELIGIBLE MEMBERS COULD ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS ON PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS, VOTE ON THEM, AND ELECT BOARD MEMBERS. THE CONVENTION ALSO FEATURED INFORMATIVE BREAKOUT SESSIONS ON RELEVANT COMMUNITY ISSUES, AVAILABLE FOR LIVE ATTENDANCE OR THROUGH PODCAST RECORDINGS, ENSURING BROAD ACCESSIBILITY AND ENGAGEMENT FOR ALL ATTENDEES.
  3. $351,267 spent. ADVOCACY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS HELPED MOVE CONGRESS TO REINTRODUCE TWO BILLS THAT WERE PART OF ACB'S LEGISLATIVE IMPERATIVES: THE WEBSITES AND SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS ACCESSIBILITY ACT AND THE MEDICAL DEVICE NONVISUAL ACCESSIBILITY ACT. PUT ON THE 2025 HILL DAY, WHERE MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN DOZENS OF MEETINGS WITH CONGRESSIONAL STAFFERS TO DISCUSS LEGISLATION THAT WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT THE LIVES OF PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION. PARTICIPATED IN A COALITION CALL WITH THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS) TO CALL FOR THE RESCISSION OF THE EYEGLASSES EXCLUSION ACT. CELEBRATED THE 35TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) WITH THE CONSORTIUM OF CONSTITUENTS WITH DISABILITIES (CCD).
  4. $717,199 spent. PUBLIC AWARENESS ATTENDED AND PRESENTED AT NUMEROUS TECHNOLOGY, ADVOCACY, AND DISABILITY-RELATED CONFERENCES PROMOTING ACB'S WORK AND SERVICES. THE FIFTH ANNUAL ACB AUDIO DESCRIPTION AWARDS GALA WAS BROADCAST LIVE ON YOUTUBE AND PEACOCK, EXTENDING ACB'S REACH ACROSS THE NATION. ACB MEDIA'S 10 INTERNET STREAMS HAD OVER 154,400 LISTENING HOURS. ACB'S SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE RESULTED IN OVER 34,300 FOLLOWERS ACROSS SEVEN PLATFORMS WITH CONSISTENT ENGAGEMENT ON DAILY POSTS. ACB'S WEBSITE AND THE AUDIO DESCRIPTION PROJECT WEBSITE ALLOW ACB TO KEEP THE PUBLIC AWARE OF ONGOING ACTIVITIES, CURRENT INITIATIVES, AND NEWS IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND, LOW VISION, OR WHO ARE CONNECTED TO SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY.AUDIO DESCRIPTION PROJECT (ADP)ACB'S AUDIO DESCRIPTION PROJECT SPONSORS A BROAD RANGE OF ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO BUILD AWARENESS OF AUDIO DESCRIPTION. AT THE 2025 AUDIO DESCRIPTION AWARDS GALA, THE AWARDS FOR BEST AUDIO DESCRIPTION WRITER AND NARRATOR WERE GIVEN FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE ADP CELEBRATED THE MEDIA INDUSTRY'S ADVANCEMENT OF AUDIO DESCRIPTION; SERVED ON THE FCC'S DISABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE; SPONSORED ITS ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST FOR STUDENTS; CONDUCTED SESSIONS OF THE AUDIO DESCRIPTION TRAINING INSTITUTE; AND PARTICIPATED IN THE UNIDESCRIPTION PROJECT'S EFFORT TO CREATE AUDIO DESCRIPTION FOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE BROCHURES. THE ADP ALSO LAUNCHED A NEW WEBSITE, FORMED A VIDEO GAMING SUBCOMMITTEE, AND HELD A LIVE KICKOFF FOR THE AD PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD.ACB SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDSIN 2025, ACB IN COLLABORATION WITH AFB DISTRIBUTED $116,200 IN SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING TO 21 BLIND STUDENTS PURSUING POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION. MANY SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL CONVENTION, PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD CONNECTIONS WITH PEERS WHO SHARE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. ADDITIONALLY, SEVEN EMERGING LEADERS WERE SELECTED AS JPMORGAN CHASE LEADERSHIP FELLOWS AND DKM FIRST-TIMER AWARD RECIPIENTS, RECEIVING SUPPORT THROUGH MENTORING, TRAINING, AND PEER ENGAGEMENT. THESE INDIVIDUALS ALSO ATTENDED ACB'S CONVENTION, WHERE THEY STRENGTHENED THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND EXPANDED THEIR PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS.INFORMATION AND PEER SUPPORTACB OFFERS ESSENTIAL INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING VISION LOSS, CONNECTING THEM WITH RESOURCES SUCH AS ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY, DAILY LIVING SKILLS, AND ADVOCACY SUPPORT. MANY CALLERS SIMPLY WANT SOMEONE TO TALK TO ABOUT ADJUSTING TO VISION LOSS. TO MEET THIS NEED, ACB HAS CREATED A VIRTUAL PEER SUPPORT COMMUNITY PLATFORM.

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 October 1963.

    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.

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