American Foundation for the Blind Inc
The mission of the American Foundation for the Blind afb is to create equal opportunities and expand possibilities through advocacy thought leadership and strategic partnerships.
American Foundation for the Blind Inc at a glance
In short: American Foundation for the Blind Inc gave $70K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $69,500
- -35.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $34,750
- -35.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $34,750
- Total assets
- $40,853,071
- +16.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Texas (58% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who American Foundation for the Blind Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Envision Dallas Lighthouse Foundation ($40K). Together the top 2 received $70K.
Grant Size Distribution
8 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 5 grants of 8 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
Cities
How American Foundation for the Blind Inc gives
- Giving fell 49% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $70K (2025) to $616K (2020). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $70K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Envision Dallas Lighthouse Foundation Dallas, TX | Program Support | $40,000 |
| American Council of the Blind Brooklyn Center, MN | College Scholarships | $29,500 |
Ready to take the next step with American Foundation for the Blind Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,853,071 | $9,771,132 | $6,001,271 | $69,500 | 2 | $1,573,525 |
| 2024 | $35,114,433 | $9,609,252 | $5,717,010 | $107,500 | 2 | $1,293,165 |
| 2023 | $28,748,418 | $8,578,565 | $7,725,003 | — | — | $95,962 |
| 2022 | $25,098,067 | $14,945,621 | $12,400,249 | $136,597 | 2 | $182,324 |
| 2021 | $22,089,762 | $9,955,927 | $8,580,782 | $77,000 | 2 | $1,742,871 |
| 2020 | $19,961,243 | $9,027,415 | $12,450,010 | $615,675 | 2 | $25,021 |
| 2019 | $22,807,437 | $8,904,728 | $11,172,976 | — | — | $1,373,333 |
About American Foundation for the Blind Inc
Based on IRS filings
American Foundation for the Blind Inc is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Arlington, VA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $40.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $70K. Net investment income was $1.6M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
American Foundation for the Blind Inc is led by Eric Bridges, President & Chief Executive Officer since 2025 (on filings since 2023); 10 of 29 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Eric Bridges
President & Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer → President & CEO, 2024
President & CEO → President & Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
35 hrs/week
$178K (2024) → $257K (2025)
Arielle Silverman
Director of Research
Director & Research → Director of Research, 2024
On filings since 2023
35 hrs/week
$109K (2023) → $118K (2025)
John Lilly
Director Digital Inclusion Innovation
Director & Digital Inclusion Innovation → Director & Di Innovation, 2024
Director & Di Innovation → Director Digital Inclusion Innovation, 2025
On filings since 2023
35 hrs/week
$36K (2023) → $12K (2025)
Ronak Patel
Director Digital Inclusion Innovation
Director, Business Development & Strategy → Director Digital Inclusion Innovation, 2025
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$120K (2024) → $133K (2025)
Diane Fazzi
Trustee
Trustee & Co-Vice Chair → Co-Vc & Co-Chair, 2024
Co-Vc & Co-Chair → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katie Frederick
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melanie Lockwood Herman
Trustee
Trustee → Secretary & Co-Chair, 2024
Secretary & Co-Chair → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theodore Francavilla
Trustee
Trustee → Trustee & Treasurer, 2020
Trustee & Treasurer → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Louis Fox
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Harshil Ved
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon Chesshire
Trustee - Treasurer
Trustee → Trustee - Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kiran Kaja
Trustee
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Sherwood
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Victoria Watts
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Hands
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jamie Dean
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Giovinazzo
Trustee -
Trustee → Trustee -, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Kelly
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janni Lehrer Stein
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Macy Lamb
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tony Coelho
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Janusauskas
Chief Technology & Programs Officer
Director It Services → Chief Technology Officer, 2020
Chief Technology Officer → Chief Technology & Programs Officer, 2024
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$114K (2019) → $198K (2025)
Patsy Carvache
Vice President Finance & Business Services
Chief Business Officer → Vice President, Finance & Business Services, 2024
Vice President, Finance & Business Services → Vice President Finance & Business Services, 2025
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$114K (2019) → $160K (2025)
Sonya Shiflet
Chief Operating Officer
Chief People & Planning Officer → Chief Hr & Planning Officer, 2024
Chief Hr & Planning Officer → Chief Operating Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$180K (2019) → $209K (2025)
Stephanie Enyart
Chief Public Policy & Research Officer
Chief of Research & Public Policy → Chief of Research & Public, 2020
Chief of Research & Public → Chief Public Policy & Research Officer, 2023
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$113K (2019) → $198K (2025)
Anthony Stephens
Assistant Vice President Communications
Assistant Vice President & Communications → Assistant Vice President Communications, 2025
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$105K (2024) → $128K (2025)
Pamela McGonigle
Chief Development Officer
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$46K (2025)
Sarah Herrlinger
Trustee - Vice Chair
Trustee → Co-Vice Chair, 2024
Co-Vice Chair → Trustee - Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Weisse
Trustee - Vice Chair
Trustee → Trustee - Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (42)
- Former: Alan May (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Barbara Rifkind (2019–2024) — Co-Vice Chair
- Former: Connie Campbell (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Debbie Dennis (2019–2024) — Co-Chair
- Former: Kenneth Miller (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Christopher Patnoe (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Janni Lehrer-Stein (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Grant Doster (2021–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Sylvia Stinson-Perez (2022–2024) — Chief Program Officer
- Former: Chris Babcock (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Kirk Adams (2019–2023) — Chief Executive Officer
- Former: Meredith Gale (2022–2023) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Ted Francavilla (2022–2023) — Trustee & Treasurer
- Former: L. Jasmine Kim (2023) — Chief Marketing & Comms Officer
- Former: Tony Stephens (2023) — Director & Communications
- Former: Andrianna Montague Devaud (2019–2022) — Chief Community Engagement Officer
- Former: Elizabeth Neal (2019–2022) — Director of Communications
- Former: Megan Aragon (2020–2022) — Chief Programs Officer
- Former: Pedro Alfonso (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Shay Assad (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: L. Penny Rosenblum (2022) — Director of Research
- Former: William Reuschel (2022) — Director of Client Services
- Former: Jennifer Lopez (2019–2021) — Director of Resource Development
- Former: Meg Lavigne (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Patricia Leader (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Sean Callagy (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Penny Rosenblum (2021) — Director of Researchy
- Former: Christopher Broyles (2019–2020) — Chief Consulting Solutions Officer
- Former: Christopher Migel (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Elcio Barcelos (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: George Abbott (2019–2020) — Chief Knowledge Officer
- Former: Thomas Wlodkowski (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Andrianna Montague Dev (2020) — Chief Community Engagement Officer
- Former: Gena Harper (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Ben Adams (2019) — Trustee
- Former: George Issac Presley (2019) — Former Project Employee
- Former: Kelly Bleach (2019) — Project Employee & Former CAO
- Former: Mark Richert (2019) — Former Director Public Policy
- Former: Pamela Weisberg (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Priscilla Rogers (2019) — Project Employee & Former Manager for Aging
- Former: Roberto Hernandez (2019) — Former It Manager
- Former: Russell Shaffer (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $257K, to Eric Bridges (President and Chief Executive Officer). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about American Foundation for the Blind Inc
How much does American Foundation for the Blind Inc give each year?
American Foundation for the Blind Inc gave $70K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $108K across 2 grants.
How large is American Foundation for the Blind Inc?
American Foundation for the Blind Inc reported $40.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $9.8M.
What is American Foundation for the Blind Inc?
American Foundation for the Blind Inc is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Arlington, VA. It holds $40.9M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does American Foundation for the Blind Inc operate?
American Foundation for the Blind Inc has awarded grants in Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Texas.
What is American Foundation for the Blind Inc's EIN?
American Foundation for the Blind Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-5562161. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work American Foundation for the Blind Inc funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in American Foundation for the Blind Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Virginia
Allene Reuss Memorial Trust
Pittsburgh, PA
The Allene Reuss Memorial Trust supports charitable organizations, including community-service, education, cultural and recreational programs, and organizations serving people with vision impairments. Its 2025 grants ranged from $10,000 to $100,000, with a median of $40,000; most funding went to organizations in New York, with additional grants in Pennsylvania and other states. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$13.7M
Grants
22
Total Given
$959K
Jeff and Polly Gentry Charitable Family Foundation
Leawood, KS
Assets
—
Grants
3
Total Given
$77K
The Melly Foundation
Sarasota, FL
The Melly Foundation supports preselected 501(c)(3) organizations through general, unrestricted grants across varied charitable missions. In 2025, it awarded 49 grants ranging from $100 to $123,563, with a median of $2,500; recipients were primarily in Florida, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$23.7M
Grants
49
Total Given
$1.1M
Isaac Family Institute of Charity
Wichita, KS
The Isaac Family Institute of Charity supports organizations working in areas such as youth services, housing, food assistance, health care, and child welfare, with grants across multiple states, especially California and Kansas. Its 2024 grants ranged from $100 to $20,000, with a median of $3,625. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$3.5M
Grants
42
Total Given
$180K
Intrust Bank Charitable Tr
Wichita, KS
The foundation’s grants support community services, health care, education and science, and arts organizations, with most funding going to Kansas and smaller shares to Oklahoma and Missouri. In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling about $1.05 million; the median grant was $25,000, though awards ranged from $130 to $252,972. No required application form or specific materials are stated, and no deadline is listed.
Assets
$2.1M
Grants
31
Total Given
$1.0M
East Tennessee Foundation
Knoxville, TN
The East Tennessee Foundation supports nonprofits and public entities through grants and scholarships, with competitive funding for areas including affordable housing, youth, racial justice, women and children, health, arts, and community needs. Its competitive programs generally serve 25 East Tennessee counties; in 2024, its median itemized grant was $17,316.
Assets
$282.5M
Grants
298
Total Given
$14.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in Virginia
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from American Foundation for the Blind Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
American Foundation for the Blind Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?