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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: April 2025 Expires: April 2027

National Federation of the Blind

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(410) 659-9314
200 East Wells Street
Baltimore, MD, 21230
https://nfb.org/
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

National Federation of the Blind meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Complaints


Number of complaints processed by the BBB WGA in the last 36 months: 1

The organization addressed the complaint issues brought to its attention: 1

(This complaint involved order fulfillment).

Stated Purpose:
"to integrate the blind into society."

Year, State Incorporated:
1949, DC

Also Known As:
National Association of Blind Veterans

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) reports that it is a vehicle for collective action by blind people for blind people. The organization seeks to educate the public about blindness through publications, public appearances, and interaction of members in all aspects of their communities. NFB provides information to individuals, employers, governmental agencies, and the public through written, telephone, and personal contacts. The organization also assists families with blind children; provides peer support groups for parents of blind children and for blind individuals; conducts senior fairs; operates NFB-Newsline®, a free dial-up telephone talking newspaper service to over 500 publications including daily newspapers and magazines; and provides specialized aids, devices, tools, and materials for the blind such as Braille writing equipment, white canes, games, clocks, talking calculators, etc. usually at or below the items’ costs. NFB provides scholarships to blind students and legal and advocacy services to blind individuals in cases of employment and other discrimination or denial of government services. Lastly, the organization holds leadership and training seminars, conducts research to bring new technology and training methods into being, develops information concerning social attitudes about blindness, and works in a variety of ways to promote Braille literacy.

For the year ended December 31, 2023, National Federation of the Blind's program expenses were:

Blindness integration: $10,366,996

Civil rights, advocacy and self-organization: $9,135,234

Nonvisual access systems: $5,183,080

Total Program Expenses: $24,685,310

Chief Executive
Mark A. Riccobono, President

Chair of the Board
Pamela Allen

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Executive Director, Lousiana Center for the Blind

Board Size
17

Paid Staff Size
69

*2023 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Note 1: According to NFB's 2023 IRS Form 990, the President of the organization serves without compensation.

Note 2: John G. Pare, Jr., Executive Director of Advocacy and Policy, was the highest paid employee in 2023, receiving $155,449 in compensation. 

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Grant proposals, Internet, Radio

NFB incurred joint costs of $1,749,763 for informational materials and activities that included fundraising materials. Of those costs $892,379 was allocated to fundraising expenses and $857,384 was allocated to program expenses.

Fundraising costs were 4% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $23,394,625, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on National Federation of the Blind's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Source of Funds
Contributions $14,762,416
In-kind contributions $6,933,951
Government grants and contract services $1,698,258
Sales of independence products and publications $287,425
Investment income, net $2,940,518
Total Income $26,622,568

Programs: 93% Fundraising: 4% Administrative: 3%

Total Income $26,622,568
Total expenses: $26,478,576
  Program expenses $24,685,310
  Fundraising expenses $996,927
  Administrative expenses $796,339
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $143,992
Beginning Net Assets $31,198,147
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $31,342,139
Total Liabilities $1,403,082
Total Assets $32,745,221

Note: According to the organization’s 2023 audited financial statements, NFB received in-kind gifts totaling $6,933,951 in the form of volunteer services ($3,478,120) and media ($3,455,831).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

RELATED CONTENT

Report completed by:
BBB Wise Giving Alliance