American Foundation for the Blind Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

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.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 50.7%; rating input score 51
• Program expense ratio: 68.1%; rating input score 68
• Fundraising efficiency: $9.42 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 38.6%; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 6.81; rating input score 87; 87th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.03; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 29.8%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -4.7% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 1% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -3% per year; rating input score 0; 6th percentile among comparable filings