To inspire individuals to move beyond vision loss and believe in their abilities

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
77¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$134K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $70K a year · 7% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
77%
of spending
Looks good: 77% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$134K
to officers and key staff · 17% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 17% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.6 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
18
named funders · $238K
Looks good: 18 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$270K
65% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 65% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$882K
-3% vs prior year
Spent
$794K
To programs
77%
Net assets
$146K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$882K
FY2021▼ -3%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$910K
FY2021$882K
FY2022$1.4M
FY2023$1.1M
FY2024$1.1M
FY2025$918K
Expenses
$794K
FY2021▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$851K
FY2021$794K
FY2022$987K
FY2023$1.0M
FY2024$1.2M
FY2025$1.1M
Net assets
$146K
FY2021▲ +189%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$50K
FY2021$146K
FY2022$581K
FY2023$627K
FY2024$606K
FY2025$427K

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending June 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 1950.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

77 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 77% · $608K Management & general 11% · $83K Fundraising 13% · $102K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

10 people listed on the 990; $134K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director
$133,965Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Steven Zelner$204,375$155,000$188,250$150,233$133,965$117,233
Cheryl Megurdichian$111,153$103,653————

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.

See Second Sense executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Empowers individuals to overcome vision loss and realize their full potential.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $608K · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Independent Living Services

Provides education and training on skills clients need to accomplish daily tasks.

$308Kprogram expense
02

Orientation and Mobility

Teaching clients how to travel safely and independently using a white cane.

$158Kprogram expense
03

Adaptive Technology Services

Provides classroom training and individual instruction in the use of adaptive technology.

$142Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
See all 18 funders →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$882K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$882K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Money outPt IX
$794K
Ln 25
Programscol B$608K
Managementcol C$83K
Fundraisingcol D$102K
Owns and owesPt X
$146K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$237K
Total assetsLn 16$416K
LiabilitiesLn 26$270K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$882K
Government grantsLn 1e$169K
Investment incomeLn 3$4K
Gains on assetsLn 7$4K
Total revenueLn 12$882K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$237K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$237K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$48K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$19K
Other assetsLn 15$20K
Total assetsLn 16$416K
LiabilitiesLn 26$270K
Net assetsLn 32$146K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 510
VolunteersI 625
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$265K$237K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$35K$48K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$24K$19K
Total assetsLn 16$383K$416K
LiabilitiesLn 26$333K$270K
Net assetsLn 32$50K$146K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$127K$76K$19K$32K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$274K$239K$5K$30K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$43K$34K$2K$6K
Payroll taxesLn 10$33K$26K$2K$5K
Accounting feesLn 11c$37K$37K
Investment management feesLn 11f$4K$4K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$4K$4K$134$341
Office expensesLn 13$42K$35K$2K$5K
Information technologyLn 14$20K$16K$1K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$162K$152K$3K$6K
TravelLn 17$12K$9K$726$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$9K$9K$183$366
InsuranceLn 23$9K$7K$524$1K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$15K$236$5K$10K
All other expensesLn 24e$1K$903$96$165
Total functional expensesLn 25$794K$608K$83K$102K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $918K$1.1M−$178K$427K 990 PDF
FY2024 $1.1M$1.2M−$32K$606K 990 PDF
FY2023 $1.1M$1.0M$38K$627K 990 PDF
FY2022 $1.4M$987K$445K$581K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $882K$794K$88K$146K 990 PDF
FY2020 $910K$851K$59K$50K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $881,500 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $885,794$882,261
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,950$0
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $17,866$4,299
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,659−$5,060
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $910,269$881,500
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $0$0
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $541,070$477,531
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $309,785$316,175
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $850,855$793,706
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $59,414$87,794
Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9
VI-1b Independent voting members9
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $881,500 across 6 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for −$5,060 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1e Government grants$168,607
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$713,654
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$882,261
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $640$640
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $3,659$3,659
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission −$5,060 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $4,299$881,500
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $793,706 across 15 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $76,326 · Management $19,082 · Fundraising $31,803$127,211
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsPrograms $238,628 · Management $5,408 · Fundraising $30,079$274,115
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $34,340 · Management $2,296 · Fundraising $6,268$42,904
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $26,184 · Management $2,008 · Fundraising $5,109$33,301
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $37,293$37,293
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $4,000$4,000
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $3,815 · Management $134 · Fundraising $341$4,290
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $34,509 · Management $2,137 · Fundraising $5,332$41,978
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $15,785 · Management $1,210 · Fundraising $3,080$20,075
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $152,300 · Management $3,240 · Fundraising $6,481$162,021
IX-17 TravelPrograms $9,469 · Management $726 · Fundraising $1,848$12,043
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $8,608 · Management $183 · Fundraising $366$9,157
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $6,832 · Management $524 · Fundraising $1,333$8,689
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $236 · Management $5,120 · Fundraising $10,109$15,465
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $903 · Management $96 · Fundraising $165$1,164
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $607,935 · Management $83,457 · Fundraising $102,314$793,706
Part X · Balance sheet $415,945 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $264,852$236,703
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $25,969$81,898
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $8,140$5,244
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $4,276$5,005
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $24,392$19,288
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $35,491$47,925
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $19,874$19,882
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $382,994$415,945
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $111,479$130,330
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $221,053$139,834
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $332,532$270,164
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $27,926$66,607
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $22,536$79,174
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $50,462$145,781
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $382,994$415,945
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $145,781 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$881,500
XI-2 Total expenses$793,706
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$87,794
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$50,462
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$7,525
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$145,781

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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