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National Federation of the Blind
Founded in 1940, the National Federation of the Blind emerged from a convention of blind activists who sought to challenge segregation and discrimination...
National Federation of the Blind
Founded in 1940, the National Federation of the Blind emerged from a convention of blind activists who sought to challenge segregation and discrimination against blind people in employment and public life. Jacobus tenBroek, a blind constitutional law scholar and the organization's first president, shaped its founding constitution, which remains the basis for its structure. The NFB is a membership organization run by blind people for blind people, distinguishing it from charities operated by sighted boards. Strategy centers on three lines: legislative advocacy, technology access, and public education. The NFB successfully pressed for the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and more recently the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act. It fields the NFB Newsline, a telephone-based audio newspaper service accessible in every state, and operates the NFB Jernigan Institute in Baltimore for research and training. The organization also manages a technology division that evaluates products for accessibility and advocates for universal design standards. The organization is an advocacy group, not an asset manager, so no AUM, investment team, or portfolio is reported. It maintains satellite offices in New York, Menlo Park, Chicago, and San Francisco for policy and tech industry outreach. The NFB Jernigan Institute, opened in 2004, represents the only research and training institute focusing on education and technology for the blind in the United States (per NFB). In 2023, the NFB launched the NFB Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative to address systemic barriers within the blind community itself (per NFB press release, 2023). The NFB's structural differentiator is that it is run and governed entirely by blind people — a rarity among disability organizations. This member-driven model ensures that programs, from legal advocacy to tech testing, are designed based on lived experience rather than sighted assumptions. The organization funds itself through member dues, private donations, and grants, but the core governance structure has remained unchanged since 1940.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
1940
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Ann Arbor
Corporate office
Ann Arbor, MI, United States
Additional offices
New York · Menlo Park · Chicago · San Francisco · Baltimore
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Is the National Federation of the Blind a charity or a membership organization?
The NFB is a membership organization run by blind people, not a traditional charity. Members pay annual dues, elect their own leadership, and set policy through an annual convention. It does not employ sighted executives or boards to direct its programs.
How does the NFB relate to the American Foundation for the Blind?
Both organizations advocate for blind people but differ in structure and governance. The NFB is member-led and operated entirely by blind individuals, while the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a nonprofit run by a board that historically has included sighted members. The two organizations sometimes collaborate but have distinct approaches.
Does the NFB offer direct services like job placement or training?
Yes. The NFB operates the Jernigan Institute, which runs training programs for blind youth and adults, including the NFB BELL Academy for children and the NFB Train the Trainer program for professionals. It also runs NFB Newsline, a free audio newspaper service available by phone or app.
What is the NFB's position on guide dogs versus technology?
The NFB supports both guide dogs and technology as tools for independence but emphasizes that blind people should have the right to choose. It does not promote one over the other. The organization has been a major advocate for accessible technology, including screen readers and self-driving cars.
How does the NFB fund its operations?
The NFB is funded primarily through member dues, individual donations, grants from foundations and corporations, and income from NFB Newsline subscriptions. It does not accept government funds that could compromise its advocacy independence. Financial disclosures are filed publicly as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Does the NFB invest in companies or manage an endowment?
The NFB manages a modest endowment to support its programs, but it does not function as an investment firm or family office. The organization's primary financial activity is grantmaking and program funding, not asset deployment. No public data exists on an AUM or investment portfolio.
What is the NFB's position on changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act?
The NFB actively monitors and lobbies for ADA protections and has opposed rule changes that could weaken enforcement or narrow the definition of disability. It supported the ADA Education and Reform Act in 2017 but later opposed a version it viewed as weakening standards (per NFB legislative alerts, 2018).
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