Braille Institute of America

What it reported doing in 2024

(SEE SCHEDULE O)A. Through BIA's Educational Services, 2,186 adults, ages 18 and older, participated in more than 82,000 hours of group classes in two core areas: 1) Daily Living Skills, which teaches adaptive techniques for completing everyday tasks that are critical to staying independent and maintaining quality of life, and 2) Arts & Healthy Living classes, which support emotional and mental well-being. These include classes on topics such as exercise, art, fall prevention, diabetic management, book clubs, discussion groups, and more. 2,800 individuals (including BIA students, low vision professionals, and other community members) attended a variety of seminars, workshops, and professional trainings. Independent Living Skills Instructors provided one-on-one instruction to 347 adults on adaptive techniques for completing routine tasks in the home on their own.B. BIA's Youth Program helped 106 young people (ages 7-19) cultivate self-confidence, independence, and set goals for the future.C. BIA's Child Development program for blind and visually impaired children (ages birth to 6) provided one-on-one services to 213 children and their families.D. BIA's Low Vision Occupational Therapists provided 11,239 one-on-one low vision consultations to 2,800 adults.E. BIA's Orientation and Mobility Specialists provided 4,045 one-on-one training sessions to 909 adults on how to prevent falls and safely navigate their environment using a white cane and sensory awareness.F. BIA's Access Technology staff provided 3,572 one-on-one training sessions in the use of mainstream devices with adaptive features and specialized technologies designed for people with a vision impairment to 1,412 students.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 71.8%; rating input score 72
• Fundraising efficiency: $2.52 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 8; 8th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
  • Compensation committee: Pass
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th 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: 64.1%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 10.38; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.02; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 9.6%; rating input score 3; 3rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -0.2% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 5.9% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 6% per year; rating input score 100; 44th percentile among comparable filings