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Tax Status Governance Fund Raising Financial

Name:	National Federation of the Blind
Address:	200 East Wells Street
	Baltimore, MD 21230
Phone:	410-659-9314
Web Address:	www.nfb.org

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

NFB is a vehicle for collective action by blind people themselves. The organization seeks to educate the public about the true nature of 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 general public through written, telephone, and personal contacts. The organization assists families with blind children, provides peer support groups for parents of blind children and for blind individuals, conducts senior fairs, operates the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind; operates NFB-Newsline®, a free dial-up telephone talking newspaper service with 329 publications including daily newspapers and magazines; 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. Additionally, NFB provides low interest business, job-related, and technology loans to blind individuals and scholarships to blind students. NFB provides legal and advocacy services to blind individuals in cases of employment and other discrimination or denial of government services. NFB conducts leadership and training seminars, conducts research to bring new technology and training methods into being, develops information concerning social attitudes about blindness, and works to promote Braille literacy. Some ($1,318,824 or 6%) of NFB's program activities are carried out in conjunction with fund raising appeals.

For the year ended December 31, 2009, NFB's program expenses were:

Blindness integration	9,171,415
Nonvisual access technology, methods and systems	6,192,319
Civil rights, advocacy and self-organization	6,064,638
Total Program Expenses:	$21,428,372

Chief Executive : Marc Maurer, President

Compensation*:

$0

Highest Paid Executive: Mary Ellen Jernigan, Executive Director for Operations
Compensation*: $123,077

Chair of the Board: Marc Maurer
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Attorney

Board Size: 17

Paid Staff Size: 95

*2009 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances. NFB reports that Mr. Maurer receives no compensation.

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, and vending outreach program.

Fund raising costs were 8% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $22,275,243, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)

NFB incurred joint costs of $2,867,009 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs, $1,548,185 was allocated to fund raising expenses and $1,318,824 was allocated to program expenses.

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 NFB's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds
Contributions	17,471,830
Donated services	3,771,598
Investment income	2,391,015
Government grants	1,031,815
Sales - independence products and publications	456,549
Royalties	9,016
Total Income	$25,131,823

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 91%  Fund Raising: 7%  Administrative: 2%

Total income				$25,131,823
	Program expenses			$21,428,372
	Fund raising expenses			1,737,126
	Administrative expenses			590,902
Total expenses				$23,756,400
Income in Excess of Expenses				1,375,423
Beginning net assets				24,295,910
Ending net assets				25,671,333
Total liabilities				785,898
Total assets				$26,457,231

Note: According to NFB's 2009 audited financial statements, the organization received $3,771,598 in in-kind contributions including volunteer services ($3,177,845) and donated media ($593,753).