Arkansas Foundation for the Blind
The foundation's mission is to broaden and enhance educational and employment opportunities for persons with visual impairments.
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind at a glance
In short: Arkansas Foundation for the Blind gave $37K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in Arkansas. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $36,817
- +408.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- +200.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,272
- +69.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,750
- Total assets
- $1,726,470
- +11.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Arkansas (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Arkansas Foundation for the Blind funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was World Services for the Blind ($30K). Together the top 3 received $37K.
Grant Size Distribution
7 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 7 grants of 7 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Arkansas Foundation for the Blind gives
- Giving grew 559% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 48% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2021) to $79K (2019). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $37K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| World Services for the Blind Little Rock, AR | Restricted Grant for Services for Asbvi Students. | $30,000 |
| Nine Individuals - Scholarships Little Rock, AR | Scholarhips for nine graduates of the Arkansas school for the blind and visually impaired. | $6,750 |
| Ark School for the Blind Little Rock, AR | Financial support of special event held at the Arkansas school for the blind and visually impaired. | $67 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,726,470 | $170,453 | $37,549 | $36,817 | 3 | $36,817 | $69,903 | $77,075 |
| 2024 | $1,545,457 | $160,186 | $16,940 | $7,242 | 1 | — | $59,175 | — |
| 2023 | $1,283,595 | $50,854 | $24,907 | $18,315 | 1 | — | $50,614 | — |
| 2022 | $1,310,515 | $167,618 | $14,804 | $5,584 | 1 | — | $37,588 | — |
| 2021 | $1,245,801 | $24,631 | $6,302 | $5,582 | 1 | — | $24,310 | — |
| 2019 | $1,142,591 | $165,159 | $90,698 | $79,335 | 1 | — | $29,711 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arkansas Foundation for the Blind reported a distributable amount of $77K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About Arkansas Foundation for the Blind
Based on IRS filings
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Little Rock, AR. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.7M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $37K. Net investment income was $70K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind is led by Jim Hazlewood, President since 2023 (on filings since 2021); none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jim Hazlewood
President
Treasurer → President, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Hill
Director
President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kennan Doan
Director
Trustee → Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Roger Fitzgibbon
Director
Trustee → Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Keene
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dakota Dalton
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Walsh
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bill Payne
Vice President
Vice Chairman → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Angela Moore
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Samantha Ketcher
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: James Caton (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Doug Watson (2019–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Penny Bennet (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Sharon Berry (2021–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Allan Berry (2019) — Treasurer
- Former: Jim Hazelwood (2019) — Secretary
- Former: Shannon Berry (2019) — Project Coordinator
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.
Frequently asked questions about Arkansas Foundation for the Blind
How much does Arkansas Foundation for the Blind give each year?
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind gave $37K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $7K across 1 grant.
What is Arkansas Foundation for the Blind's typical grant size?
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind's median grant in 2025 was $6,750, and its average grant was $12,272, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Arkansas Foundation for the Blind give grants?
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind gives mostly in Arkansas: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Little Rock, AR (3 grants).
Does Arkansas Foundation for the Blind give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on Arkansas Foundation for the Blind's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
How large is Arkansas Foundation for the Blind?
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $37K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $77K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What is Arkansas Foundation for the Blind?
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Little Rock, AR. It holds $1.7M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Arkansas Foundation for the Blind's EIN?
Arkansas Foundation for the Blind's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4621081. 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 24, 2019)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 13, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 2, 2026)
Live grants for the work Arkansas Foundation for the Blind funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Arkansas Foundation for the Blind's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Arkansas
World Services for the Blind
Little Rock, AR
To enable people who are blind or visually impaired to function independently, live full, productive lives with dignity and self-respect, and promote positive public awareness of blindness by providing individualized independent living or job training programs.
Assets
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Rodger and Kate Graef Family Foundation
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The foundation’s 2023 grants supported general operating costs at the American Cancer Society and American Heart Association. Grants were $5,626 each that year, with recipients in Georgia and Texas; it does not limit giving to preselected organizations, and prospective applicants can contact ENA Licina for application details.
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V C Johnson Irrevocable Trust (Pre 1969
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Assets
$172K
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Total Given
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The Philip R Jonsson Foundation
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Assets
—
Grants
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Total Given
$4.4M
Ottenheimer Brothers Foundation
Little Rock, AR
The Ottenheimer Brothers Foundation funds major projects and small community grants across a range of causes, with recent awards in Arkansas and Mississippi. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,200 to $111,000, with a median of $4,350; organizations are asked to send Gus Blass III a formal letter describing their request.
Assets
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Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation Inc
Sherwood, AR
The Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation funds Arkansas oral-health treatment, prevention, education, and access initiatives, especially those serving underserved residents. Its 2024 grants had a median of $26,050; Community Grants are typically $2,500–$40,000, with smaller mini-grants available. The profile describes an online application process but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
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Grants
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Total Given
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Figures come from Arkansas Foundation for the Blind'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.
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