Center for the Visually Impaired Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
581168874
IRS 990 coverage
2009–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Atlanta, GA, USA
Phone
4046024286
Rating
71
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Standard

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$2,466,924
Expenses
$2,687,639
Assets
$4,780,542
Liabilities
$201,481

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

23 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MELISA KENNEDY (PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER)

Highest reported compensation

  • MELISA KENNEDY (PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER): $245,297 total reported compensation
  • BARBARA WILLIAMS UNTIL 072025 (FINANCE DIRECTOR): $115,182 total reported compensation
  • WINDY CRUZ UNTIL 082025 (PROGRAM DIRECTOR): $110,520 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The mission of the center for the visually impaired is to empower people impacted by vision loss to live with independence and dignity.

What it reported doing in 2024

Adult rehabilitation services: clients focus on their own goals for safety and independence. 165 people have enrolled in classes at cvi to receive training opportunities in learning to use a white cane and safely navigate home, work, neighborhoods, and public transportation. Cook safely, label household items, manage medication and more. Take advantage of smart phones as assistive devices, screen magnification software (zoomtext) or screen reading software (jaws) to return to work, continue hobbies or living independently or keep up with friends and family by email and social media. Clients can also share experiences, gain support, and learn from one another through cvi's facilitated support groups.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 63
  • Transparency & Controls: 85
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 34
  • Growth: 0

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 70.3%; rating input score 70
  • Program expense ratio: 63.3%; rating input score 63
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.33 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 27; 27th 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: Limited
  • 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: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -8.9%; rating input score 14; 14th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.78; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.04; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 17.5%; rating input score 15; 15th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -6.5% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: -3.7% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -4.7% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 70.3% of revenue deployed · 63.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 19 of 19 board members independent · 8 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $1.7M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $245K · 23 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 30 of 30 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 16 filing years from 2009 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 3 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 27/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 14/100.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Revenue growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: Other executive compensation review process not reported.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 58/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 15/100.