Lighthouse for the Blind FY2020 filing

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To assist individuals who are legally Blind maintain dignity and independence by making available employment, education and support services.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
87¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.1M 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

FY2020 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
3 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $97K a year · under 1% of revenue · last 5 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 3 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
87%
of spending
Looks good: 87% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.1M
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Plus $96.7M in investments, Pt X · Ln 11–13
Fine: 1.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $8K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.5M
1% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 1% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 12 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 12 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$29.1M
Spent
$27.0M
To programs
87%
Net assets
$118.5M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$29.1M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$29.1M
FY2021$33.5M
FY2022$28.8M
FY2023$31.2M
FY2024$53.1M
Expenses
$27.0M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$27.0M
FY2021$28.9M
FY2022$30.4M
FY2023$31.0M
FY2024$58.0M
Net assets
$118.5M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$118.5M
FY2021$130.9M
FY2022$111.8M
FY2023$120.4M
FY2024$113.3M

From the FY2020 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2024) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Apr 1938.

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

Where the money goes

87 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 87% · $23.5M Management & general 13% · $3.5M Fundraising 0% · $8K

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

21 people listed on the 990; $1.1M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
$327,511Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Manufacturing
$164,343Pt VII · Sec A
VP, Finance & Administration
$156,312Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Sales & Marketing
$118,257Pt VII · Sec A
IT Manager
$115,041Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Human Resources
$103,901Pt VII · Sec A
Technical Services Director
$101,401Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A

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

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
John W Thompson———$50,329$327,511
Eric Warnhoff$265,492$225,882$244,737$63,350—
Clint a Cruse$208,583$182,151$171,123$170,012$164,343
Jill Kluesner$205,685$178,670$176,357$191,956$156,312
Jennifer Boeyink$144,227$121,510———
Brittney Bettonville$130,757————
Lasonja Trent$123,361————
Mark Adams$121,367$122,064$122,737$116,158$115,041

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 Lighthouse for the Blind executive salaries →

Questions the 990 asks

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

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Provides employment, education, and support services to legally blind individuals, fostering dignity and independence.

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2 programs · $23.5M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Employment and Vocational Training for the Visually Impaired

Meaningful employment was provided for 71 blind and visually impaired persons working approximately 93,381 hours. This employment allows a sense of self worth, accomplishment, and contribution to society for legally blind individuals who might not be able to find employment elsewhere.

$22.6Mprogram expense
02

Blind Community Enrichment

The bce program offers services and scholarships to blind and visually impaired youth and adults by providings access to adaptive technology and the opportunity to learn and improve activities of daily living. These skills include socialization, orientation and mobility, and independent living skills.

$860Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2020
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$8K
Grants paid · 60 grants · $2.7M · 2020–2024
Mindseye RadioIL · FY2024$199,611
Unitemized GrantFY2024$62,700
US Space and Rocket CenterFY2024$38,234
St Louis UniversityMO · FY2024$37,500
Unitemized GrantFY2024$34,421
Unitemized GrantFY2024$27,110
Unitemized GrantFY2024$13,978
Unitemized GrantFY2024$11,400
Mindseye RadioIL · FY2023$92,351
See all 60 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$29.1M
Ln 12
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.6M
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$144K
Money outPt IX
$27.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$23.5M
Managementcol C$3.5M
Fundraisingcol D$8K
Owns and owesPt X
$118.5M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.5M
Total assetsLn 16$120.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
PeoplePt VI, VII
21
listed · VII A
PaidVII A7
Voting boardVI 1a12
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$144K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$27.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$1.6M
Other incomeLn 4–11$58K
Gains on assetsLn 7$140K
Total revenueLn 12$29.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$3.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.5M
Accounts receivableLn 4$1.4M
Inventories for sale or useLn 8$7.0M
Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesLn 9$226K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$6.0M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$96.7M
Other assetsLn 15$5.1M
Total assetsLn 16$120.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$118.5M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5119
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
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 FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.7M$3.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$85.7M$96.7M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$5.7M$6.0M
Total assetsLn 16$108.2M$120.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.1M$1.5M
Net assetsLn 32$107.1M$118.5M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$291K$291K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$367K$367K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$755K$128K$627K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$4.2M$3.4M$775K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$276K$232K$44K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$548K$414K$134K
Payroll taxesLn 10$332K$240K$92K
Legal feesLn 11b$83K$83K
Investment management feesLn 11f$207K$207K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$89K$89K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$369K$369K
Information technologyLn 14$113K$111K$2K
OccupancyLn 16$323K$323K
TravelLn 17$14K$12K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$5K$3K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$1.3M$351K$958K
InsuranceLn 23$183K$183K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$16.7M$16.6M$27K
All other expensesLn 24e$863K$530K$326K$6K
Total functional expensesLn 25$27.0M$23.5M$3.5M$8K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 LatestFiled with the IRS Nov 17, 2025 $53.1M$58.0M−$4.8M$113.3M 990 PDF
FY2023Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2024 $31.2M$31.0M$171K$120.4M 990 PDF
FY2022Filed with the IRS Nov 15, 2023 $28.8M$30.4M−$1.5M$111.8M 990 PDF
FY2021Filed with the IRS Sep 27, 2022 $33.5M$28.9M$4.6M$130.9M 990 PDF
FY2020 ViewingFiled with the IRS Oct 29, 2021 $29.1M$27.0M$2.1M$118.5M 990 PDF

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $29,102,642 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $111,761$144,452
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $27,481,887$27,335,894
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $1,702,715$1,564,243
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $23,358$58,053
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $29,319,721$29,102,642
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $749,215$658,410
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $5,591,787$6,103,237
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $21,024,187$20,228,105
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $27,365,189$26,989,752
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,954,532$2,112,890
Part VI · Governance 10 of 12 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body12
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
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 $29,102,642 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$144,452
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$144,452
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $27,335,894$27,335,894
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $1,424,623$1,424,623
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $139,620$139,620
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $58,053$58,053
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $27,335,894 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $1,622,296$29,102,642
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $26,989,752 across 19 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $291,344$291,344
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $367,066$367,066
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $128,310 · Management $626,642$754,952
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,416,764 · Management $774,892$4,191,656
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $232,205 · Management $43,967$276,172
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $414,324 · Management $134,084$548,408
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $239,721 · Management $92,328$332,049
IX-11b Legal feesManagement $83,302$83,302
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $207,363$207,363
IX-11g Other fees for servicesManagement $89,210$89,210
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $368,668$368,668
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $110,939 · Fundraising $2,187$113,126
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $322,905$322,905
IX-17 TravelPrograms $11,603 · Management $2,099$13,702
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $2,971 · Management $1,849$4,820
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $351,320 · Management $958,337$1,309,657
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $182,556$182,556
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $16,643,080 · Management $27,081$16,670,161
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $530,330 · Management $326,028 · Fundraising $6,277$862,635
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $23,503,167 · Management $3,478,121 · Fundraising $8,464$26,989,752
Part X · Balance sheet $119,953,543 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $3,672,542$3,498,074
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,484,270$1,441,422
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $4,353,716$7,040,008
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $284,629$225,942
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $5,709,685$5,965,654
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $85,739,203$96,677,880
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $5,984,579$5,104,563
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $108,228,624$119,953,543
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $880,266$736,924
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $258,242$38,546
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$700,000
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,138,508$1,475,470
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $107,090,116$118,478,073
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $107,090,116$118,478,073
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $108,228,624$119,953,543
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $118,478,073 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$29,102,642
XI-2 Total expenses$26,989,752
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$2,112,890
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$107,090,116
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$9,275,067
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$118,478,073

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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