President's Message
Dear Friends:
As President of the National Federation of the Blind, I am privileged to share with you not only our achievements of the past year as outlined in this report, but also the exciting journey ahead, articulated through our new strategic plan. This roadmap, approved by our Board of Directors with input from members, partners, and other stakeholders, is not just a reflection of our aspirations and commitments but a testament to the profound collective achievements we envision for blind people across the nation.
Nothing in this strategic plan should surprise our longtime supporters, and most of the programs you have come to expect over the years will continue. That said, we plan to focus on four strategic commitments, guided by thoughtfully articulated aspirations and values, in order to address the most critical needs of blind Americans.
We dream of a world where blind individuals can live the lives they want, recognized as valued and respected members of society. This aspiration guides every action we take and every strategy we implement. Our mission is to tirelessly work towards improving the lives of blind people by fostering personal empowerment, spearheading nationwide advocacy, and nurturing a network of collective achievement. This mission resonates with the core of our existence and the values we uphold. Those values—believe in blind people, lead courageously, champion collective action, foster inclusion, and dream big—serve as the compass by which we navigate. They are not just words but principles that inspire our decisions and actions every day.
Our strategic commitments—Innovate, Include, Collaborate, and Dedicate—are the pillars that support our mission and aspiration. They guide our path forward, ensuring that we remain focused on creating significant, lasting impact.
Innovate
We are committed to investing in programming and initiatives that create opportunities, lower barriers, and elevate expectations for blind individuals. From enhancing our national conventions and other events to ensure they are inclusive and welcoming and continue to add value to our community to developing practical training programs, innovation is at the forefront of our efforts to transform lives. Examples of how we innovate include our enhanced emphasis on employment programs, such as our Where the Blind Work Webinars and the career fairs we hold each year at our midwinter Washington, DC gathering and our national convention.
Include
Inclusivity is at our core. We strive to foster a culture that values the contributions of all members, affiliates, and staff, embracing diversity and cultivating a welcoming environment for everyone involved. This includes fostering a culture that meets people where they are and contributes positively to their individual blindness journey.
Collaborate
Our strength lies in our community. By leveraging our network of allies, including employers, policymakers, and strategic partners, we aim to maximize our impact and advocate for lasting change. Priorities in this area include, among others, partnering with business allies to facilitate job skills development and placement programs to increase employment opportunities for blind people and developing a curriculum for educators that promotes greater understanding about blindness and affirms the capacity of blind people.
These efforts also include working with companies to create more accessible and inclusive products, such as our recent collaboration with the global children’s entertainment company Spin Master to create a version of the Rubik’s Cube that incorporates tactile shapes as well as colors so that blind people can also work to solve this ever-popular puzzle.
Dedicate
Realizing our strategic imperatives requires dedicated resources. We are committed to aligning our human and financial resources with our goals, ensuring that we have the capacity to achieve our vision. To that end, we have already enhanced our talent acquisition and retention efforts.
As valued members of our community, your support will play a pivotal role in bringing our strategic plan to life, just as it has supported our past successes. Your generosity fuels our initiatives, empowers our mission, and helps us turn our aspirations into reality. Whether you participate in our movement through donating, volunteering, spreading the word, or a combination of all of these contributions, your involvement is crucial to our success.
Thank you for your unwavering belief in our mission and your commitment to taking actions to make
a difference in our movement.
I look forward to our continued work together to dream big and create a world that celebrates the
potential and achievements of blind people.
With deepest gratitude,
Mark Riccobono, President
National Federation of the Blind
Year in Review
We know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or our future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination, and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.
Raising Expectations
Ride for Literacy - A Journey of Strength, Dedication, and Connection
“My dad is the inspiration behind my Route 66 ride. He had RP, but that never defined who he was or what he felt he could do. That is why I feel so fortunate to be partnered with you here at the NFB…you also believe that you can live the life you want. With this ride I want to get this great organization’s name out there in the public. I would love to help kids come in and learn Braille and also realize they can accomplish anything in their life.” - Dan O’Rourke
Employment Initiatives
4 Where the Blind Work webinars
445 job-seekers and 64 employers attended national career fairs
Career Quest, a new week-long career mentoring program, launched at the national convention
Enriching Education
Developing Braille Literacy and Nonvisual Skills for Blind Kids across the Country
312 NFB BELL® Academy participants – 242 blind and low-vision students attended in-person across 18 states, 79 blind and low-vision students participated in the in-home edition from 33 states.
“When I was a blind kid in school, Braille was never a priority. But nine months ago, I gave birth to a blind daughter. I want her to grow up to be a leader. I want her to have all of the flexibility and opportunity that I missed because Braille was not prioritized in my life. And that means it’s time for me to learn ahead of her and model to her that Braille is beautiful, valuable, and wonderful.” – Jamie, NFB member
Reaching More Blind Children and Families through Early Childhood Initiatives
723 participants in the Braille Reading Pals program
371 winter celebration and Santa letters sent to young blind children
Fostering Inclusion and Independence
“As a part of our Kentucky NFB BELL® Academy, I introduced NFB-NEWSLINE® and invited parents to sign their children up. During demonstrations with students, the children were enthusiastic about the Kid’s Reading Corner publications. One student, K.M., was so excited. He scrolled through the Kid’s Corner options, asked if the most recent version of Highlights was available, and was thrilled to find the July 2023 issue on the E-Reader. His brother has a subscription, as was so happy that he will be able to read Highlights as well.”
NFB-NEWSLINE®
A free audio service with more than 500 publications
131,294 subscribers accessed news, job postings, and other information by telephone, mobile apps, and web
29 new publications were added and a limited access account for children was made available in 2023
Free White Cane Program
6,170 blind people across the country received free white canes
Planning Ahead
The National Federation of the Blind is a diverse community of blind people that advances the lives of its members and all blind people in the United States. You can discover more about the programs highlighted here and our other initiatives by calling 410-659-9314 or visiting our homepage at https://nfb.org.
Accountability & Transparency
The National Federation of the Blind meets the most rigorous standards for charity accountability and transparency.
Financial Statement
2023 Fundraising and Management and General Expense as a percent of Total Revenue, Gains and Other Support. To read our 2023 annual report, visit https://nfb.org/annual-report.
Fundraising 4%
Program Services 93%
Management & General 3%
How You Can Help
We could not do this critical work without our many generous supporters. Here are some ways that you can help us continue to help blind people live the lives they want.
Give Online or by Phone
Make a credit card contribution online at https://nfb.org/donate or call 410-659-9314, extension 2430.
Contribute by Mail
Checks should be made out to the “National Federation of the Blind” and mailed to the National Federation of the Blind, attention Outreach, at 200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21230.
Planned Giving
Including the National Federation of the Blind in your future plans is a thoughtful way to transform dreams into reality and ensure the next generation accelerates beyond the previous. It’s easier than you think. Learn more at https://nfb.org/planned-giving or call 410-659-9314, extension 2422.
Who We Are
The National Federation of the Blind, headquartered in Baltimore, defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. Founded in 1940, the NFB is the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans—with affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, the district of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality.
Leadership
We believe in blind people because we are blind people—from our democratically elected leaders to our diverse nationwide membership. Members of the board of directors of the National Federation of the Blind are a diverse group of leaders who are elected at our national convention and dedicate their time,
professional expertise, and strategic vision to advancing our mission.
Officers
- Mark A. Riccobono, President—Maryland
- Pam Allen, First Vice President and Board Chair—Louisiana
- Ron Brown, Second Vice President—Indiana
- Everette Bacon, Secretary—Utah
- Norma Crosby, Treasurer—Texas
Board Members
- Jessica Beecham–Colorado
- Shawn Callaway—District of Columbia
- Marci Carpenter—Washington
- Marilyn Green—Illinois
- Barbara Manuel—Alabama
- Carla McQuillan—Oregon
- Tom Page—Kansas
- Grace Pires—Rhode Island
- Donald Porterfield—Arizona
- Tracy Soforenko—Virginia
- Adelmo Vigil—New Mexico
- Sheila Wright—Missouri
Our Mission
The National Federation of the Blind advances the lives of its members and all blind people in the United States. We know that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Our collective power, determination, and diversity achieve the aspirations of all blind people.
Financial Statement
Statements of Activities
Year Ended December 31, 2023
Revenue and Gains and Other Support
Public Support
Contributions: 14,762,416 dollars
Donated Services: 6,933,951
Government Grants and Contracted Services: 1,698,258
Total Public Support: 23,394,625 dollars
Revenue
Sales - Independence Products and Publications: 287,425
NET Investment Income (loss): 2,940,518
Total Revenue: 3,227,943
Total Revenue and Gains and Other Support: 26,622,568 dollars
Expenses
Program Services
Blindness Integration: 10,366,996 dollars
Civil Rights, Advocacy, and Self-Organization: 9,135,234
Nonvisual Access Technology, Methods and Systems: 5,183,080
Total Program Services: 24,685,310
Supporting Services
Management and General: 796,339
Fundraising: 996,927
Total Supporting Services: 1,793,266
Total Expenses: 26,478,576 dollars
Overall
Changes in Net Assets: 143,992 dollars
Net Assets - Beginning of Year: 31,198,147 dollars
Net Assets - End of Year: 31,342,139 dollars