Foundation for Blind Children
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EDUCATION, TOOLS AND SERVICES THAT ENABLE ALL PERSONS WITH VISION LOSS TO ACHIEVE GREATER INDEPENDENCE. OUR VISION IS A WORLD WHERE VISION LOSS IS A DIAGNOSIS, NOT A DISABILITY. FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN VALUES EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, ADVOCACY, GREAT WORK ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY.
- Income
- $14.6 million
- Spending
- $13.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 10.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 69%
- Employees
- 190
- Volunteers
- 435
- Highest pay
- $481,177, ceo (through 6/28/24)
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: 93 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.2 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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 36% of charities in its peer group (diseases, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2522 of 22 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 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 (4)
- $4.4 million spent. FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN'S SCHOOL-BASED PROGRAM SERVES STUDENTS FROM PRE-K TO 4TH GRADE, TEACHING SKILLS ALIGNED WITH THE EXPANDED CORE CURRICULUM. THIS ENABLES STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS TO ACCESS THE SAME CURRICULUM AS THEIR SIGHTED PEERS. OUR ABILITY-BASED CLASSROOMS INCLUDE RELATED SERVICES LIKE PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND SPEECH THERAPY.
- $1.9 million spent. FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN'S ITINERANT VISION TEACHERS TRAVEL THROUGHOUT MARICOPA COUNTY AND THE NAVAJO NATION IN NORTHERN ARIZONA, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO STUDENTS IN VARIOUS SETTINGS, INCLUDING PUBLIC, CHARTER, AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS. THEY TEACH COMPENSATORY SKILLS LIKE BRAILLE, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, AND ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY, PROMOTING INDEPENDENCE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION. SHARP (SPORTS, HABILITATION, ARTS, AND RECREATION PROGRAM) IS ALSO A SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE K-MIDDLE SCHOOL SETTING. SHARP PROGRAMMING PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO MEET OTHER PEERS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, LEARN INDEPENDENCE AND ADVOCACY SKILLS, EXPERIENCE ADAPTIVE RECREATION ACTIVITIES, AND ATTEND FIELD TRIPS AROUND THE COMMUNITY. OUR SHARP PROGRAM OFFERS ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES K-8. OUR EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM PROVIDES RESOURCES, SUPPORT, AND GUIDANCE TO FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN UNDER THREE WHO HAVE VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS. WE OFFER WEEKLY PARENT MEET-UPS, EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, AND SOCIAL EVENTS. OUR FAMILY EDUCATION AND SUPPORT PROGRAM EMPOWERS FAMILIES TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT.
- $2.5 million spent. FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN'S MEDIA CENTER MANUFACTURES AND DISTRIBUTES BRAILLE, LARGE-PRINT AND E-TEXT VERSIONS OF TEXTBOOKS AND CLASSROOM WORKSHEETS NATIONWIDE. SERVING OVER 1,000 REGISTERED USERS, FBC'S MEDIA CENTER IS THE LARGEST ALTERNATIVE FORMAT PROVIDER IN THE STATE OF ARIZONA.
- $2.9 million spent. FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN'S ADULT SERVICES PROGRAM PROVIDES REHABILITATION AND TRAINING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS, AGES 14 AND UP, WHO ARE REGISTERED WITH ARIZONA VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION. WE SUPPORT TEENS TRANSITIONING TO WORK OR COLLEGE AND ADULTS SEEKING TO RE-ENTER THE WORKFORCE. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS ACHIEVE EMPLOYMENT. THE NEW HORIZONS PROGRAM SUPPORTS RETIREES EXPERIENCING VISION LOSS, OFFERING SUPPORT GROUPS, INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS, AND ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY TRAINING. THE SOUTHWEST CENTER FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRAINING (CATT SW) IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND (APH) AND THE ALABAMA INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND BLIND, WASHINGTON STATE SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND, AND FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN. CATT PROVIDES ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY TRAINING TO TEACHERS OF THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED, UTILIZING A "TRAIN THE TRAINER" MODEL ON SPECIFIC APH ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY. WE SUPPORT ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, UTAH, COLORADO, AND NEVADA. FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN OFFERS SERVICES AT A LOW VISION CLINIC WHICH MAXIMIZES THE REMAINING VISION OF A VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSON. FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN CONTRACTS WITH A HIGHLY TRAINED, HIGHLY SPECIALIZED OPTOMETRIST TO CONDUCT THOROUGH EXAMINATIONS OF OUR PATIENTS, RANGING IN VARIOUS AGE, AND RECOMMENDS MAGNIFICATION DEVICES NECESSARY TO ACCESS INFORMATION AND LIVE INDEPENDENT LIVES. FOUNDATION FOR BLIND CHILDREN'S NEW RESEARCH TEAM PUBLISHES CONTENT TO INFORM AND IMPROVE THE FIELD, WHILE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY'S TVI PROGRAM PROVIDES EXPERT INSTRUCTION TO FUTURE TEACHERS AND HOSTS STUDENT TEACHING AND CLINICAL EXPERIENCES.
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
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 October 13, 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 June 2025.
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 March 1968.
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 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.