Helen Keller Services EIN 11-1630807 Form 990 (PDF) Claim this org

Helen Keller Services

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Empowers blind and visually impaired individuals to live, work, and thrive in their communities. For fiscal year 2024 it reported $53.3M in revenue, $44.0M in expenses, and $128.7M in net assets.Pt I

Founded
1952
Type
Public charity (501(c)(3)) · Human Services
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Website
www.helenkeller.org
Filings
5 on file (2020–2024)
Revenue
$53.3MFY2024
Expenses
$44.0M
Net assets
$128.7M
People
29
Filings
5
Updates
0
More identity details & actions ⌄
EIN  11-1630807 Public charity (501(c)(3)) Brooklyn, NY Founded 1952
Form 990 (PDF)
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Figures match the IRS filing checked 7/9/26 · see original: IRS
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Size
$10–100M
What they do
Empowers blind and visually impaired individuals to live, work, and thrive in their communities.
Leadership
Susan Ruzenski · CEO · $250K
Money in and out
$53.3M revenue, $44.0M expenses
Bottom line
84% program efficiency
Where the money goes · FY2024
Total revenue
$53.3M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$44.0M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$128.7M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $9.3M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.84 Management & general $0.12 Fundraising $0.04
Program efficiency
84%
of spending reaches programs▲ +10% vs prior filing year
Operating runway
32.5mo
months of highly liquid reserves at operating expense rate▲ +13% vs prior filing year
Surplus margin
+17%
revenue over expenses, this year▲ +333% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2024 · Form 990
Revenue
$53.3M
FY2024▲ +18%
Expenses
$44.0M
FY2024▲ +1%
Total assets
$165.3M
FY2024▲ +9%
Total liabilities
$36.6M
FY2024▼ -2%
Total revenue
$53.3M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$44.0M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$128.7M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$9.3M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$165.3M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B84%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 320
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 420
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $30.8M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Helen Keller National Center (hknc)

HKNC offers vocational rehabilitation services exclusively designed for youth and adults who are DeafBlind. HKNC overall mandates include provision of intensive services to individuals who are DeafBlind throughout the US and territories, provision of training and support to families, provision of training to professional, maintenance of…

$20.7Mprogram expense
02

Hksb Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services

HKSB offers an array of core vocational rehabilitation services that include but are not limited to employment training, job development and job placement, orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation, social work, low vision and adaptive technology, Day Habilitation Services, and a community residence in Wantagh, N.Y.

$5.5Mprogram expense
03

The Children's Learning Center (clc)

CLC is a specialized program which offers a full range of programs and services to preschool children who are blind or have low vision, as well as multiple disabilities, autism, Down syndrome, or pervasive developmental delays.

$4.6Mprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CHelen Keller Services
EINHdr · item D11-1630807
Principal addressHdr · item CBrooklyn, NY
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.helenkeller.org
Year of formationHdr · item L1952
State of legal domicileHdr · item MNY
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(3) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFHuman Services (P860)
Ruling yearIRS BMFJul 1936

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a20
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b20
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aNo
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$249,615Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Comprehensive Services
$215,503Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$189,115Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Administrative Officer
$184,846Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Advancement and Marketing Officer
$144,552Pt VII · Sec A
Director Direct Services
$140,286Pt VII · Sec A
Associate Executive Director
$121,968Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director
$120,687Pt VII · Sec A

Susan Ruzenski’s $250K as CEO is at the 63rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3123 $10–100M human services nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Joseph F Bruno Thru 62419$347,271
Susan Ruzenski$249,615$219,222$217,885
Kimberly Zimmer$224,219
Susan Ruzenski$219,651$155,658
Rosanna Fodera$215,503
Lorraine Muzio$205,042$168,904
Sharona Hebroni$189,115$193,104$160,223
Marc Feldman$142,124$186,463

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$25.6M · 48%
Program service revenue$13.5M · 25%
Investment income$13.6M · 25%
Other revenue$556K · 1%
Contributions & grants48%$25.6M
Program service revenue25%$13.5M
Investment income25%$13.6M
Other revenue1%$556K
— government grantsLn 1e$23.7M
Total revenueLn 12$53.3M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.84 Management & general $0.12 Fundraising $0.04
Program services84%$37.2M
Management & general12%$5.3M
Fundraising4%$1.6M
Total functional expensesLn 25$44.0M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$20.1M
Total assetsLn 16$165.3M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$36.6M
Total net assetsLn 32$128.7M
Months of cash on handcomputed5.5

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2024 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $119.1M · Operating expenses/yr $44.0M
32.5 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $37.2M · Total expenses $44.0M
84%
Management & General
Management & general $5.3M · Total expenses $44.0M
12%
Fundraising
Fundraising $1.6M · Total expenses $44.0M
4%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $1.5M · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $2.5M
$0.60 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $25.6M · Total revenue $53.3M
48%
Government reliance
Government grants $23.7M · Total revenue $53.3M
44%
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $13.5M · Total revenue $53.3M
25%
Investment reliance
Investment income $13.6M · Total revenue $53.3M
+25%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $13.5M · Total expenses $44.0M
31%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $53.3M · Prior year $45.3M
+18%
Revenue CAGR
FY2019 $31.5M · FY2024 $53.3M
+11%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $128.7M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $53.3M · Expenses $44.0M
+17%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $165.3M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $128.7M · Total assets $165.3M
78%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $99.0M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) — · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $165.3M
60%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Susan Ruzenski · Reported title CEO · Highest reported compensation $250K · Total expenses $44.0M
0.6%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $30.9M · Total expenses $44.0M
70%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 84%
Overhead ratio 12%
Fundraising cost ratio 6%
Revenue growth 18%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 10 funders →
Grants paid · 15 grants · $1.3M · 2019–2021
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFY2021$145,660
University of MontanaFY2021$73,487
Perkins School for the BlindMA · FY2021$26,166
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFY2020$126,330
University of MontanaFY2020$80,136
Perkins School for the BlindMA · FY2020$26,273
Western Oregon UniversityFY2019$167,681
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFY2019$106,817
Perkins School for the BlindMA · FY2019$26,353

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2024$45.3M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$40.4M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$42.9M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$36.1M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2020$31.5M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2024IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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