American Brotherhood for the Blind

What it reported doing in 2025

Specialized programs and services - conducted and participated in activities to eliminate massive systemic barriers to full participation by blind individuals embedded in education; employment; transportation; governmental services; commerce; recreation; housing; retail establishments; medical facilities; web-based and automated kiosk and touch-screen based information services; and all other forms of exclusion based on non-visually accessible information systems, devices, and tools and upon misunderstandings of the true nature of the problems caused by lack of eyesight and the resultant low expectations. These activities are multifaceted and include: direct services to blind individuals; support for parents of blind children; massive, broad-based communications to and interaction with individuals, governmental, educational, cultural, and business entities aimed at making widespread and permanent changes to public perceptions about blindness; leadership training; support for self-advocacy and self-organization groups; legal action to enforce existing laws and governmental regulations; support for creation and distribution of new tactile methods for access to information; efforts to locate blind people needing assistance; and collaboration with other entities working toward similar goals. All blind persons and persons with visual disabilities in the united states (over 8.5 million as reported by the u.s. Census department) are potentially benefitted by these activities.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 83.6%; rating input score 84
• Program expense ratio: 76.1%; rating input score 76
• Fundraising efficiency: $4.06 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.3%; rating input score 93; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 99.4%; rating input score 99; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 29.2%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 10.23; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8.8%; rating input score 37; 37th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 0.5% per year; rating input score 100; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 5.2% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4.3% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings